Sure, we can grow camellias in Southern California, but our camellias will never burst against a tangy orange bald cypress, and you won't find them lingering beneath the edges of ancient live oaks draped with Spanish moss. Our daytime visit to Airlie Gardens in coastal Wilmington, North Carolina, preceded the evening...
Not a whole lot's blooming in our garden (now that our passion flowers are giving way to passionfruit) — with one exception. The fuchsia plants are over the top right now. One of the shadiest spots in the yard is also the most colorful thanks to...
No matter how much we fawn over our intergalactic passion flowers and the sultry party dresses of our fuchsias, our hearts will always somersault at the sight of a romantically formed garden rose. That’s why our recent trip to Portland’s International Rose Test Garden was like...
Imagine a shrub shaped like your wildest dreams. Therein lies the magic of topiary, the art of sculpting foliage into silhouettes resembling everything from chess pieces to geometric marvels to butterflies taller than Tyson Chandler. Yes, there will always be the deep, Depp eyes of Edward...
Last weekend we headed up the coast in search of indigenous plants, and were amazed by the colorful diversity we found. The low-lying chaparral we expected was punctuated by shocking, shoulder-high clouds of wild lilac (Ceanothus) and flannel bush blooming yellow, and one of the...
Last weekend during our fruitful trip to LA, we took a trip to Sawtelle Boulevard landmark Yamaguchi Bonsai Nursery, where we picked up a potted Mimosa pudica, a scraggly plant with a huge talent, for $3.99. Its common names include sensitive plant, touch-me-not plant and...
Earlier this summer — after our dogwood layover and stalking of rad rhododendron — we explored the famed modern/classical mashup of Snug Harbor Farm in Kennebunk, Maine. The three-acre property was established in 1991. Snug Harbor’s specialty is its world-class topiary, which it sells year-round from its greenhouses: joyous cubes, cones,...
While relishing a bloodless victory against the king of Persia, Greek philosopher Xenophon and 10,000 of his fellow soldiers stumbled into an abandoned village — and onto a smorgasbord of beehives. The hives’ honey was made from the nectar of rhododendrons, which grew wild near...
"Setting up your perennial garden may seem intimidating, but don't be afraid...
Hold onto your hankies, dear readers: 2013 is shaping up to be one of the worst years on record for allergy sufferers. Not only that, pollen counts are expected to double by 2040. Last winter’s heavy precipitation in particular and climate change in general are contributing...