Seasonal Chores
& Observations
Always a beautiful sight to behold, our Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata), also known as a "Holiday cactus," has been in bloom for almost three weeks. As the blossoms dry out and fall off, I drop them back into the container to decompose and add humus. Unbelievably, in the-almost-25-years that we've had the plant, we have never repotted it, or given it any additional soil...
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2014 UMass Garden Calendar Now Available - Don't Miss Out!
Scenic Vistas and Current Events in Massachusetts State Parks
Book, Movie & Show Titles... Plus People's Names We Like
Read More Snippets...Saturday, December 07
in Wellesley
Holiday Wreath Workshop - Mass Hort Society
Saturday, December 07
in Easton
Easton Garden Club - Annual Greens and Wreath Sale
Saturday, December 07
in Sandwich
Heritage Museums & Gardens - Educator Workshop
Saturday, December 07
in Boylston
A Wreath of Herbal Greens - Workshop at Tower Hill Botanic Garden
Wednesday, December 11
in Boylston
Garden Discovery Program: Who's Napping in the Garden? - Tower Hill Botanic Garden
Wednesday, December 11
in Hopkinton
Winter Wonderland Fairy Garden - Holiday Workshop
Wednesday, December 11
in Cambridge
How Does Thoreau Matter? Environmentalism and the Changing American Landscape - Free Program
Thursday, December 12
in Hopkinton
Making Holiday Terrariums - Workshop
Thursday, December 12
in Wellesley
Succulent Dish Garden Workshop - Mass Hort Society
Year of the Echinacea
Echinacea was chosen as the 2014 perennial of the year by The National Garden Bureau because of the vast assortment of flower colors and shapes available to today's gardener and because they are such an American staple.
The classic flower shape continues to be a favorite in home and public gardens.
The coneflower is a native to central and eastern North America and is a member of the Asteraceae family. Other flowers in the family include daisies, sunflowers and asters. The name "Asteracea" finds its origin from the Greek word for star.
The main family feature is its composite flower type: Its flower head (capitula) is surrounded by bracts. Most Echinacea blooms are oversized bright disks atop rings of downward-curving petals.
The name "Echinacea" is also derived from the Greek word "echino," which means spiky or prickly, referring to the plant's floral center...