- Aug 1
Farmers and Farming
The efforts of plant explorers, plant breeders, and farmers have freed most people from the never-ending and onerous task of gathering...
- Jul 1
Cats and Plants
Despite horrible cat related experiences in my youth, and even though I have a confirmed (although mild) cat allergy, I AM A CAT LOVER....
- Jun 1
US vs THEM, and being objective
Labelling, like native and non-native, flummoxes me and hamstrings us. On the surface the distinction, essentially us vs them, seems...
- May 1
Leaves of Three
Remember the old adage, leaves of three, let it be OR leaflets three, quickly flee? These proverbs were meant to help identify poison ivy...
- Apr 1
A TALE OF TWO CITIES, and a Dane
I recall loathing my time in Mrs. Sailor's English (Literature) during high school (late 1960s) in south central Illinois. Boy, was I...
- Mar 1
Gold Thread False Cypress - Commonly (Mis)used
Gold thread false cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera) is a Sawara cypress frequently (mis)used in landscaping -- 'Golden Mop' is predominant...
- Feb 1
Witch-hazels
Witch-hazels (the genus Hamamelis) may be my favorite flowering deciduous woody ornamental. I was tempted to say shrub, but witch-hazels...
- Jan 1
When Choosing a Place - Garden v House
One can find many "reality" programs on the telly. Those programs featuring real-estate (i.e., shopping for homes) are especially...
- Dec 1, 2021
Citrus in the Compost
You may have read somewhere (probably on the internet -- so it must be true) that putting citrus peel in a compost pile is a bad idea. I...
- Nov 1, 2021
Mastership, Really?
Research has shown that when individuals are asked to self-assess their ability in relation to other people, many are prone to...