Like A New Box of Crayons
Every spring as I contemplate what will be planted in Annual Alley this season, it’s like getting a new box of crayons. Which colors to use? Should I go with just a few complimentary shades, or should I go wild and dip into every color in the box? The...
In Praise of Seasonal Flowers
In Northern America we live in a time when we so often can ignore the seasons. The grocery stores sell strawberries, apples and asparagus twelve months a year so when you’re in the produce section you have no idea what season it is. Flowers too are hot-house...
I Love Marble Queen Pothos
Name: In part of the world this plant is called Scindapsus aureus. In North America it’s either Epipremnum pinnatum or Epipremnum aureus. Most of us just call it pothos. Or golden pothos, taro vine or silver vine. No matter what you call it, this is an easy to grow...
The Tallest Poppy
I am a fan of John Sandford’s novels, and am currently reading Rough Country (A Virgil Flowers Novel) . In this book Weather Davenport says, “Well, somebody’s got to be the tall poppy.” and Virgil Flowers, the protagonist in the book, has to...
What If This Plant Dies?
Plants Dying? It’s Part of The Adventure
If everything you did was a sure thing, how satisfying would that be? Isn’t part of the fun in trying new pursuits and activities not knowing how they will turn out? In many ways, being unsure about an outcome makes our efforts more of an adventure. Garden geeks...
Roasted Roots
I love roasted veggies, and this particular combination is easy, versatile and satisfying. Serve this plain as a side dish, or toss with tofu or crumbled feta for a main dish. Toss with pasta and the cheese of your choice. Use the leftovers at room temperature for a...
Oatmeal Walnut Blueberry Bars
When Awesome Bars stopped making their apricot walnut bar I was heartbroken. So I decided to do an oatmeal/walnut bar of my own. I used blueberries from our garden for this version, but it would be equally good with apples, rhubarb or peach slices. Crust &...
Hearts-a-Bustin’
There’s a plant for every holiday, and for Valentine’s Day I’m especially fond of Euonymus americanus. With a common name like hearts-a-bustin’, it’s a natural for the 14th of February. I like how the name can go in several directions....