Cacti and succulents are really “in” right now. And they should be. They’re fun, interesting, and easy to grow. The word “succulent” comes from the Latin word “sucus” meaning sap or juice. All succulents contain specially evolved cells in their roots, stems or leaves that absorb and retain water. That’s because they’ve evolved in areas … Read more
I resolved to be better about feeding my garden during the growing season. Fast-growing summer annuals and vegetables need to be fed but I usually get so bogged down in just trying to keep things watered and weeded in the heat, that I forget. How did I do? Better—but not great. I did get an … Read more
This Friday, December 21st, is the Winter Solstice—the shortest day of the year; the first official day of Winter; Yule. The days, which have been getting shorter and shorter each day since the Summer Solstice, now will begin getting longer by a minute or two each day. Many cultures around the world have celebrated the … Read more
One of the plants often given as a gift this time of years is Rosemary, so here’s what you need to know: Rosmarinus officinalis is native to the Mediterranean. It’s a member of the Lamaceae family—which includes oregano, basil, thyme and mint. Wild rosemary can be found growing on the rocky cliffs along the coasts … Read more
Hanging a sprig of mistletoe over your door this holiday season? Here are some interesting facts about this holiday staple. The botanical name for mistletoe is “phoradendron” which means tree thief. While mistletoe is capable of performing photosynthesis, it more commonly grows as a parasite, sending roots down into a tree to leech nutrients away. … Read more
I love paperwhites. They are easy to bloom—and fast! What’s more, they are inexpensive and beautiful. Narcissus papyraceus—paperwhites—are native to the western Mediterranean from Greece to Portugal to Morocco. They are a variety of daffodil. Even though they are a daffodil, they are not winter hardy here in Virginia. They will bloom easily in a … Read more
We are surrounded by beautiful poinsettias right now so here are some interesting tidbits about them: Poinsettia, botanically Euphorbia Pulcherrima, is named for Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first U.S minister to Mexico. He was an avid amateur botanist who, in the 1820’s, sent home to South Carolina cuttings of a beautiful plant he’d seen … Read more
One of the plants you’ll see almost everywhere this time of year is Christmas/Thanksgiving/Holiday cactus. So here are some interesting facts about these beautiful seasonal bloomers. When they bloom in their native habitat in Brazil, they are beautiful spring bloomers that the locals call “Flor de Maia” or May Flower! Holiday cacti are a small … Read more
Amaryllis just showed up a couple of weeks ago and I’m already getting a lot of questions on how to grow these beautiful giants. The good news is they’re a whole lot easier than you might think. There are just a few things to keep in mind. In every grocery store these days, you can find amaryllis … Read more
Today, October 29th is National Cat Day. National Cat Day was established in 2005 and is sponsored by The Animal Miracle Foundation. I’m someone who is lucky enough to be owned by five cats. I’m also someone who has been owned by many cats since I adopted my first cat when I was 15. I … Read more
