So You Want to Buy a Houseplant
Bringing home a new plant this time of year can be a fun way to bridge the gap until spring arrives, but going in with a plan will save you time and money.
VINE: Gelsemium sempervirens (Carolina or Yellow Jessamine)
Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic
The fragrant yellow bells of Carolina Jessamine are a sure sign of spring. A profusion of flowers appear for several months, and the glossy, oval leaves remain attractive all year. This native is at home from Guatemala north to the southeastern United States. It is South Carolina’s state flower.
The Well-Gardened Mind: The Restorative Power of Nature
Have you ever wondered why you feel so good after gardening, even with all of its challenges? Sue Stuart-Smith answers that question with warmth and wisdom in The Well-Gardened Mind: The Restorative Power of Nature, an engaging collection of stories and scientific research. Published in 2020, just after the COVID outbreak, the book provides timely insight into the healing force of gardening.
Beautiful Stars of Winter Video
The Glencarlyn Library Community Garden coordinators have recently created a new series of short videos highlighting the beauty of native plants. Here is the final video in this series on native plants of winter interest.
SHRUB: Ceanothus americanus (New Jersey Tea)
Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic
This compact shrub is indigenous to woodland edges, prairies, and roadsides throughout much of the Mid-Atlantic. Although somewhat slow to establish, its extensive root system, drought tolerance, and ability to fix nitrogen make it an excellent choice for challenging garden sites.
Native Woody Plants Provide Shelter and Nesting Sites for Wildlife
When we speak of our gardens sustaining local wildlife, we’re often thinking of the nectar and pollen that insects and hummingbirds collect from our flowering plants . . . Woody plants provide shelter and nesting spots for animals in our home landscapes with their evergreen foliage, holes and hollows, thorns and thickets.