“Oh my! The flowers on those trees look like tulips.” I was taking a walk with my grandmother along a country road just north of Lake Erie. It was spring and the weather demanded some outside …
Lucky Bamboo
Lucky bamboo is a fascinating little house plant. Adorable and easy to grow, they are quite common in homes around the world. Yet there are some myths that we need to get out of the way before we …
Edible Flowers
Flowers are becoming a very popular ingredient among chefs, bakers, and home cooks around the world. There are many species that are not only edible and delicious but contain nutritional value as …
A Green Rose for St. Patrick’s Day … Why Not?
“What’s wrong with your rosebush?” I asked. We were standing in front of my mother’s profuse garden of rosebushes. She loved her roses and was always adding a new color to the collection. “That’s a …
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Homestead Stories: Growing Wedding Flowers
I am the do-it-yourself type. Why hire someone to do it if you can do it yourself? This is my mantra, and part of the reasoning behind this mentality of mine is saving money. I am not cheap, but I am …
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Homestead Stories: Strange Names for Beautiful Flowers
I have seen, grown, and written about some pretty unusual flowers – unusual in the fact they have unique names. There was the story I wrote about Jack-in-the-pulpit and the story about the black bat …
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Cardoon Plant
Cardoon isn't a vegetable you'll find at the supermarket, and maybe not even at a farmers' market. This spiky, stalky relative of the artichoke is a delicacy, especially in the US. You're more likely …
Homestead Stories: Forcing Indoor Flowering Bulbs
I looked at the display of potted tulips and daffodils in the grocery store and let out a deep sigh. Each flower was perfectly coiffed, the stems standing tall and pristine, the display awash with …
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Homestead Stories: The Black Bat Flower
“What is that?” I exclaimed, pointing at the black thing that sat atop a tall stem. "Black thing" was the best way I could describe it, though perhaps some avid gardeners would refer to it as deep …
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Chia Plants: How To Grow and Harvest Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are nutritional powerhouses and have a huge range of versatility in the kitchen. They are my very favorite seed to use in the kitchen. But what about chia plants? In this article, …
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7 Indoor Trees To Add Some Greenery To Your Home
When one thinks of trees, visions of vast swaths of forested mountains, steamy jungles, or frosty taigas may come to mind. But not every tree needs a scenic backdrop to flourish—some can be content to …
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Fast Growing Shade Trees For Your Homestead
It always seems like you don't realize the lack of shade in your backyard until it's too late. You've already settled on a good book, put out the lawn chair, and made yourself a nice lunch when you …
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The Hosta Plant
“Oh my! That hosta is huge!” I was standing in my front drive, surveying what I called the circle garden. It was encased in a rock wall that outlined a circle around a gracious, old willow tree. And …
Delphinium Flowers: Beautiful But Poisonous
“What is that tall blue flower? I can see it from my kitchen window.” My neighbor was intrigued by the bursts of growth and color in my ever-expanding garden. “Delphinium,” I said. “It was here …
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Homestead Stories: The Balloon Flower
“It’s a balloon flower, Mom.” My youngest jumped up and down with glee. “A what?” I asked. I have to admit, I’ve heard some pretty strange names for flowers but balloon flower was a new one to …
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Homestead Stories: The Outhouse Flower
I have fond memories of the outhouse at the family cottage. Years ago. When I was a youngster. Dad had built it far enough from the cottage that it didn’t project its noxious odors into the place …
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How To Grow Healthy Aloe Vera
Aloe vera may bring to mind colorful bottles and memories of a bad sunburn, but the plant is relatively easy to grow at home and comes with a load of health benefits. If you’re looking for a …
Weigela: A Flowering Shrub To Rival Your Rhododendrons
Moving to the country had its pros and cons. There were a lot of things to learn, especially in the garden. I tried to take my entire suburbia garden, one plant at a time, but some of my shrubs, …
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Plants That Will Help Save The Bees
It’s no secret that our environment has been suffering over the years. The state of the bee population is one of the issues that worries me the most. Honey bees, along with other bees, butterflies …
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Bee Balms Or Bee Bums?
“Mom,” my six-year-old called from the front walk where he had been riding his bike back and forth. He had paused in front of my display of red and purple, firework-like flowers and admired them. At …
Shade Plants: 15 Garden Greats To Grow In Full Or Partial Shade
You are a garden warrior. You have taken the ground allotted to you in your acreage, however big or small, and have tilled the rough sod into soft, pillowy submission. Your compost has been aged to …
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Homestead Stories: The Holly And The Ivy
“The holly and the ivy, when they are both full grown. Of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown.” I hummed the tune happily as I dialed my parents' number. I would be going …
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Jack-In-The-Pulpit: A Beautiful Flower With A Weird Name
Growing up in the 1960s, just about everyone in my class at school went to church, and most churches were similar in layout, including, at the front by the choir, a pulpit. So, when the lessons turned …
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Homestead Stories: What’s False About False Solomon’s Seal?
“False Solomon's seal? What’s that? And why is it false? What’s the real thing?” Questions. Always lots of questions. Each new discovery on my country property opened up a new page of learning, …
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Amaranth: Weed Or Superfood?
If you’ve been in a health food store or a gluten-free bakery recently, chances are you have heard of amaranth. If you’re a gardener, you’re probably familiar with amaranth as a common weed. What is …
Potting Benches
Potting benches are functional pieces of outdoor garden furniture that not only allow you to pot your plants with ease, but offer all sorts of storage for your gardening tools. Cabinets, drawers, and …
Homestead Stories: Growing Pussy Willows
“What is that yellow fluff covering the bush in the corner?” I asked. It was my first spring living in the country, and I still had a lot to learn. I had been watching the snowdrops and the crocuses …
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30 Lovely Garden Trellises
A staple of backyards and gardens for decades, trellises can serve as functional garden bed additions and decorative works of art. By supporting climbing plants, vines, and flowers, empty trellises …
Homestead Stories: How I Accidentally Grew Trout Lilies
When I first moved to the country, I was amazed at the bounty of both wildlife and wildflowers. I had a big job ahead of me—tidying the forested part of our property. I wanted to clear out the …
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Growing Broom Corn
If you're getting through the long, dark days of winter reading the seed catalogs and dreaming of having your hands in the dirt, you may want to consider adding some new and visually exciting plants …
How To Care For African Violets
Only one? I don’t think so. It’ll shrivel and die. It likes company. It likes to outshine its neighbors and cousins; the more the merrier. But be careful. There are some colors that really like to …
How To Care For Orchids
“You should be advised, sir,” the clerk advised my husband, “that when the blossoms die, it doesn’t mean the plant is dead. It does go through a dormant stage. And don’t over-water.” My husband …
Homestead Stories: Secret Gardens
Frances Hodgson Burnett wrote a charming young people’s novel. First published in book form in 1911, “The Secret Garden” lures the reader into a world of discovery and possibilities, all in a garden, …
How To Get Rid Of Morning Glory
Morning glory (Ipomoea lacunosa) is a flowering vine that is native to the eastern and southeastern United States. On the East Coast and in the South, it’s a well-loved and beautiful part of …
Growing Roses
Roses are popular and beautiful flowering shrubs in many homestead gardens. However, starting a rose garden can seem like a bit of an intimidating challenge for new gardeners. It isn’t as hard as you …
Growing Saffron Crocus Bulbs
Known around the globe as a spice worth more than its weight in gold, saffron is expensive, but the intense color and incredible flavor it brings to food is priceless. A single grain of pure saffron …
English Garden Inspiration For Your Yard
As homes become more condensed, an English garden may be the perfect solution to a homeowner's planting needs. Twenty years ago, we moved into a small, two-story, three-bedroom house in the …
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How Sunflowers Follow The Sun
Plants exist in a permanent spot on the Earth, while animals travel around it. That doesn't mean plants don't move—many orient themselves toward the sun as the day goes on. I've definitely had Sundays …