The tension is building in the hearts and minds of gardeners as the wet and cold weather continues to delay most outdoor garden activities. Before the weather breaks and releases the surge of pent up garden energy, I want to get on my soapbox for a moment to attempt to turn the tide against one of...
This February, the ice and chill have me dreaming of spring. I have buried my desk beneath a foot high stack of seed catalogs and scribbled garden plans on sticky notes. I can officially say that plant fever has set in. In this unique month, when Valentine's Day coincides with Ash Wednesday and the...
Many plants enter our homes for the holidays as we deck the halls with holly boughs and adorn an evergreen tree. Perhaps one of the most interesting botanical holiday traditions, though, is kissing under the mistletoe. Mistletoe has long been a part of human folklore and tradition. In Europe, the...
Happy Halloween everyone! Today's blog tells the story of why we carve pumpkins at Halloween. This tradition stems from an Irish myth about a man named Stingy Jack. In the legend, Stingy Jack invited the Devil to have a drink with him. True to his name, Stingy Jack didn't want to pay for the...
The joy and festivity of autumn holds a special place in my heart. Judging by the decorative displays on front porches everywhere I go, and the flood of seasonal social media hashtags [#fallfavorites #pumpkinspice #pumpkintime], I believe that I am not alone. The central player in all things fall...
One morning in mid-July I found a surprise in my herb garden. My lovely borage (see my post on borage) had been turned into lunch by some hungry lepidopteran larvae (caterpillars)
Giant, bright blue eyes in a child have the power to strike me still. The astounding, azure blue star of a borage flower catch me and hold me fast. Few flowers produce such a remarkable and moving color as that of the clear-sky blue borage blossom. Borage is an herb unknown to many. It is an...
Ornamental chile peppers may provide just the kick you're looking for to spice up your landscape. Breeders at the New Mexico State University Chile Pepper Institute have paired the vibrant and variable colors available in chile peppers with a compact growth habit and upward-facing fruits. The...
If you have ever found yourself second-guessing your spring planting enthusiasm because of all of the miserable failures that you have faced, know that you are not alone! Novice and expert gardeners alike face a number of challenges early in the growing season. In the hopes of demonstrating that...
With Valentine's Day just behind us, I have roses on the brain. It's a good thing too, because it is time to get out and do some spring pruning on your rose bushes. While it may still be a little bit early according to the calendar, the early warming here in Southern Illinois has spring on the fast...