So here we are in November — close to the end of the year. According to “The Old Farmer’s Almanac, the origin of the name “November” comes from the Latin word “novem” meaning “nine” because originally it had been the ninth month of the early Roman calendar. Speaking of calendars, our favorite (from free samples … Continue reading An Unusual November →

Fall is in the air, and for many of us, pumpkin time has arrived. Many markets and nurseries have welcoming displays of the colorful “fruits.” Yes, we are told that pumpkins are technically berries, not vegetables! Who knew? Pumpkins are members of the Cucurbita genus, a group of herbaceous vine plants that also include cantaloupes … Continue reading It’s Pumpkin Time →

In spite of the crazy weather we’ve had this summer, from record-setting heat waves and pollen counts, to severe floods and damaging windstorms, we’ve been rewarded with some lovely blooms. Especially pretty were the daylilies, hostas, coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, and hibiscus, to name a few. Amazingly, even some of our azaleas re-bloomed. Right now it’s … Continue reading Hello September! →

One of the benefits of being a garden writer is receiving review copies of newly published garden books. I recently received “All about Flowers” written by Thomas J. Mickey, whom I first met through The Garden Writers Association (GWA), as it was called back in the day. The book tells the story of James Vick … Continue reading Summer Reading →

According to our local weather forecasters, this month’s many days of 90-degree-plus temperatures have resulted in “the longest June heat wave in nearly a century.” And the pollen count has been the worst we can remember. For sure, every raindrop has been welcomed with open arms. The Japanese Dogwood (Cornus kousa) blooms have been extraordinary. … Continue reading It’s Officially Summer! →