Insteading
Homesteading & Sustainability
I truly enjoy foraging in my neck of the Ozarks. As I venture out to collect the abundant wild spinach, pokeweed, and mulberries, my neighbors seem to think I’m mysteriously gifted with esoteric …
Continue Reading about Foraging for American Elderberries: Identification and Harvest →
“What’s that horrible smell?” I pinched my nose. As always, my friend's sunroom was filled with plants of every description. But there was a new one that caught my attention, and I leaned in for a …
“Did you know this little treasure is actually a weed?” A friend was showing me the latest addition to her orchid family. “In countries like Cuba" she continued, "this Epidendrum radicans hybrid is …
“Some tea?” My friend asked as we lounged in her plant-filled sunroom. “Dandelion?” “Why not?” She poured ... and left the fragrant, yellow flower remnants floating in our mugs. Dandelion …
Featured image is the Dresslerella caesariata, not the Acianthera Nikoleae. Since this is a newly discovered species, not that many images are available. Take a look at the Internet Orchid Species …
With self-sufficiency as the someday goal, my first gardening days were purely practical. I browsed through seed catalogs with an iron will, bypassing the flower sections with a steely gaze -- and a …
Continue Reading about 6 Reasons You Should Have Flowers in Your Vegetable Garden →
Ocimum tenuiflorum also known as tulsi or holy basil, is a popular Ayurvedic herb in India that is commonly used for tea. With “holy” being in one of its common names, you may have correctly concluded …
“Look at this!” I was having tea with a buddy, looking through some garden magazines. Much better than the internet -- I think so, anyway. “Oh my,” I replied. “That looks like a pinecone made …
“How many names does it need?” I asked. “I don’t know,” admitted my gardening friend (who loved all manner of trivia). “But this plant has quite a few -- dragon flower, snapdragon, toadflax, dog …
“What was that plant you gave me last year? I can never remember the name.” My friend, Susan, pointed to a plant in her garden. “The Bergenia?” I nodded. “Yes. It’s sprouting a stem -- I …
“Did you know there’s a shrub in India that blooms once every 12 years?” (My friend was sharing more gardening trivia.) “I read about it somewhere,” I replied. “What’s it called?” “The …
“Ready for a ghostly encounter with a flower? Let's see if we can find one.” “Find one?” I asked (always intrigued with her ideas). “A ghost flower.” She half whispered, eerily. “A what? …
I’m not sure I have a favorite iris. They’re all so different, and unique. There are many varieties from bearded irises to the invasive yellow iris. There are also wild irises, which …
“It’s kind of like a May flower,” my friend said thoughtfully. “It’s considered the birth flower for the month of May and represents the values of honor, romance, and beauty.” “It is beautiful,” I …
Not all foraging has to be sustenance seeking. Sometimes, it’s just nice to sample the “trailside nibbles” mentioned in foraging literature, and none are more pleasant to pick than edible flowers. …
“Is something wrong with your tulips?” It was late spring, and I was admiring the colorful display of tulips in my friend’s garden. “They appear rather ruffled.” “They’re supposed to be …
“I haven’t seen those for a few years. Tulips in autumn? Strange, isn’t it?” “Actually,” my friend replied. “They’re not really tulips.” “But the flower is shaped like a tulip, and it’s so …
I love orchids. I have dozens lining my plant stands in the sunroom, and I nurture the wild orchids that pop up, unexpectedly, on my property, but they are just a few of the varieties that exist in …
“It’s that time of year again.” My friend groaned as we made our garden rounds. “What time?” I asked. “Springtime,” she said. “Time to clean up the yard. Everything comes to life.” “Even …
Continue Reading about Homestead Stories: Pollinator-Friendly Plants →
I love my orchids. I have all shapes, sizes, and colors of orchids, and I know there are a lot more to consider adding to my collection. I’ve written about the more common orchids and I’ve written …
Continue Reading about Homestead Stories: Orchids That Look Like Birds →
Would you like to cultivate unique species in your garden that serve dual functions? Do you have toothaches and pains? Fungus infections? Are you in need of enhancing your digestion or immunity? Or …
What makes a plant rare? Or anything for that matter? Well, it’s rare if there are only a few examples in existence. The Middlemist red (scientifically identified as unspecified Camellia), a deep …
Continue Reading about Homestead Stories: The Rare Middlemist Red →
