Google’s Plant-to-English Translation Service
It has been well known that plants communicate with each other through the release of volatile organic compounds, along with various chemicals and pheromones. Additionally, plants pass information through an extensive network of soil fungi. But until recently there...
Chard: Many Reasons to Love
Imagine: “Spinach doesn’t grow well for me,” he said. “No matter,” she responded, “there’s a better vegetable we can grow.” “Yes?” he asked, hopefully. “Yes,” she responded, confidently. “Chard…and it’s easy to grow from seeds.” Name: Chard, aka Swiss chard,...
I Love Philadelphus x virginalis aka mock orange
Imagine: You’re sitting under the arbor, surrounded by potted plants. It’s a mild June evening, and as you relax into your chair you catch a sweet fragrance that smells like orange blossoms. You smile, knowing without turning around that the Philadelphus is back in...
I Love Supertunia® Picasso in Blue®
Imagine: “I’m in the mood for something different in our window boxes this year,” he said. “Purple, lime green and white,” she said. “You can never go wrong with purple,” he agreed. Name: Supertunia® Picasso in Blue® aka Petunia hybrid ‘USTUN75102’ Type of...
I Love A “Delicious Monster” Plant
Imagine: You can tell that Monstera deliciosa is a hot plant right now…not many houseplants have their own hashtags. Perhaps this is a signal that tropicals are indeed “the new succulents.” Maybe it’s a case of everything old being new again…I remember the days...
DIY Wedding Flowers
I had a conversation with someone today who needed options for a DIY wedding. I told her about my book on the topic of garden weddings, of course, but then we went on to talk about other options. I realized that I had photos that others might get inspired by. So here...
Garden Destination: Pittsburgh, PA
I had never been in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania before GWA: The Association for Garden Communicators held their annual meeting there in 2014. But I’m glad we met there because I discovered what a great city this is. I’d go back in a heartbeat. From the...
Must-See Garden Destinations
Going through my photo library recently I realized that I’ve gone to some absolutely thrilling garden destinations in the past few years, and want to share these special locations with you. As a member of GWA: The Association For Garden Communicators, I try to...
I Love California Poppies
Imagine: She said, “The gravel driveway and path are fine, but couldn’t there be something green and growing here? Why can’t there also be flowers?” Name: Eschscholzia californica aka the California poppy. Type of Plant: A cool-weather annual. In other words, don’t...