

MARVELOUS MARTAGONS
I will preface my essay with a reminder that two broods of periodical cicadas (one a 13-year species, the other a 17-year species) will...
Apr 30, 2024


RUNNING BAMBOO
My rants have gotten too long so from now on they will contain no more than 2,000 words. I originally intended to cover running bamboo in...
Mar 31, 2024


SOLOMON'S SEAL
Polygonatum (Solomon's seal) is a spectacular and underutilized ornamental plant. The genus, derived from ancient Greek and meaning "many...
Mar 1, 2024


INDETERMINATE GROWTH & Paniculate Hydrangea
NOTE: if a regular reader, you likely will notice the different font. The platform recently changed the available options. A common...
Feb 1, 2024


2 for 1: SITE SYNOPSIS & RESOLUTIONS
SITE SYNOPSIS - This blog* is part of a website launched in 2016. The site platform (WIX) has excellent analytics, including a feature...
Jan 1, 2024


CREEPING CHARLIE, Getting To Know You
I enjoy musicals and have long been captivated by the title of the Rogers & Hammerstein tune Getting to Know You from The King and I --...
Dec 1, 2023


Eastern Red-Cedar
Eastern red-cedar (Juniperus virginiana) is one of my favorite native trees (see the Oct 2023 rant). However, unlike the name implies, it...
Oct 31, 2023


My Favorite Tree
I am often asked, "what's your favorite tree?" The question is vague and my reply can vary. For example, when I field the question (the...
Sep 30, 2023


Doing Something About the Infection
(top) BURNING BUSH dominating the understory in a central Indiana wood in fall; (bottom) CALLERY PEAR taking over a field (the smell of...
Aug 31, 2023


PHYTOFASCISM
I had a piece on crape-myrtles ready to post but rescheduled. I needed to get the following out of my craw. FOREWARNING! It is long,...
Jul 31, 2023