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...
I Love Thuga ‘Green Giant’ aka Green Giant Arborvitae
Imagine: “What tall growing plant can we use that won’t require frequent pruning or get bare on the bottom of the trunk?” she asked. Name: Thuga ‘Green Giant’ aka Green Giant arborvitae Type of Plant: A large, fast growing evergreen, good for screening in places where...
Calamondin Citrus Margarita
Yes, January 22 is indeed National Margarita day. So I decided to put a houseplant citrus spin on this drink and create a margarita using the Calamondin citrus that many people grow as a houseplant. And keeping with the Garden Lady theme, I used elderflower liqueur...