C. L. Fornari's Blog
In Praise of Chopped Salad
I love a chopped salad. There are any number of ingredients you can use to create a side dish or a main meal. And with a few staples in the freezer,...
A Plant For Gardening Large
Imagine: Having a garden where large, mauve flowers blow in the breeze and butterflies flit among the blooms. Going native? Go big. Name: Eupatorium...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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?”...
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...
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...
Sedum ‘Pure Joy’ is Indeed Pure Joy
Imagine: Although the most common variety of sedum was called ‘Autumn Joy,’ it never brought happiness to her heart because it flopped open and...
Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival 2018
Interested in participating or learning more about the Fourth Annual Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival? If you answered YES, you are invited to...
I Love Our Native Clethra
Name: Clethra alnifolia aka summer sweet, sweet pepperbush, or just plain clethra. Type of Plant: A shrub that’s native to this area and grows well...
The Kings and Queens of Foliage Color: Rex Begonias
I LOVE These Plants! Got shade? You need this begonia. Name: Begonia rex aka rex begonias Type of Plant: An extremely useful tropical plant that you...
Dear, Delightful, Delicious Dahlias
Name: Dahlia varieties. Type of Plant: An annual that grows from tubers. A heat-lover from Mexico. There are many varieties from short to medium and...