Symphyotrichum… three guesses what old flower that new designation labels. Give up? Asters. Just plain old new world asters like the “aster novae-angliae”. Profiled here, properly, I’m afraid I used the old name when I wrote about asters in September. While researching for writing I also discovered that the autumn clematis had another name change, […]
Interesting Facts for Gardeners
Diatoms
I happened upon a most amazing picture. Who knew that diatoms were such a lovely lot? Organic gardeners know that diatomaceous earth is useful for insect control, but I was surprised at its uses. There are food grade and pool grade, the latter being poisonous, but the food grade is good for worming, and to […]
Helping Your Honeybees
Scientific American had an article on “Solving the Mystery of the Vanishing Bees” which follows the pathways of bee demise and the various theories surrounding why the bees and their colonies collapse wholesale. At the end is this statement: simple changes in agricultural practices such as breaking up monocultures with hedgerows could help restore balance […]
Gothic Gardening
Hope you readers like this humorous look at poisonous plants. Amy Stewart, I love you! Cute, funny, and informative all at the same time. As pretty as monkshood is, I denied it a place in my garden for just that reason, “better safe than sorry”. Tags:Amy Stewart, poisonous plants
Garden Conversations
We’ve got a good conversation going in When I buy a plant…. I think it is something to keep posting about and letting it fully develop in 2009. Especially as we gt into our growing season here in the North. We could talk about what we like or don’t like in the years offerings… and […]
Symbols of Plenty
Earlier in the season I posted some pictures of gourds from a roadside stand. It seems like gourds are an icon of harvest and their colors and wildly varied shapes lend themselves to crafts and decorations.They are not hard to grow, my mother used to plant some in her postcard patch of garden and we […]
