Spigelia marilandica (Indian pink)

Along with Silene virginica (Fire Pink), Spigelia marilandica (Indian Pink) is one of my favorite "red" flowers of late spring.The striking tubular flowers are remarkable -- I'd imagine ruby-throated hummingbirds would visit them, although I've not seen that.  This plant was at the Botanical Gardens...

Read More

Swiss chard

I've grown what I thought was OK Swiss chard in the past. Certainly, I've managed to enjoy the harvest enough to post about it.But this year's cool spring and abundant rain has produced leafy robust red chard that's been amazing.  Now maybe the extra mushroom compost (the real thing) along with...

Read More

A Chunk of Lawn Becomes a Native Garden

The showy tickseed coreopsis decorates the edge of the front meadow. Native bees & butterflies love it!The view from my office has been improved dramatically since I removed a 12 x 14-foot section of lawn and added native plants. "Last September I began this set of garden adventures with the purchase...

Read More

Spiderwort and carolina rose

I've been busy doing other things, aside from gardening, but have been enjoying the lush green of spring, without the hot dryness that summer will bring.  My gardening companion and I had an opportunity to talk about wildflowers and gardening with native plants last week on Your Day (listen...

Read More

Bye-bye Broccoli: Hello Summer!

Good-bye broccoli! What a bounty we've enjoyed. From the initial harvesting of the main curds (heads) at the end of November through the endless come-again spears until last week, there have been more than 40 harvests! Broccoli sprouts from the root. I'd never seen or noticed this behavior before. ...

Read More

Only two public events left on the book tour

Talking to people at the Wildflower Festival in Delandabout my vegetables and my books. A fun event.The "Flowered Shirt" Book TourJune is upon us and that means that this whirlwind book tour is almost over, and of the six or seven dates left, only two are public.1) June 10th I'll be speaking to the...

Read More

An almost full moon

An sojourn outside this evening as it was becoming dark surprised me with an almost full moon.  It was high in the sky as dusk descended, so was easily visible. I remembered that the April full moon hike was on the 25th -- the full moon date for May is also the 25th, although tonight's moon looms...

Read More