The Story of Iris
Karen The genus Iris includes over 250 species that range in size from the diminutive Iris danfordiae and I reticulata (4-6”) to tall I. pallid, I. siberica, and I. pseudacorus growing…
Mushroom Fairy Rings
Have you every noticed that after a rainfall in spring or summer mushrooms spring up unexpectedly everywhere and are especially noticeable in lawns? The mushrooms may be small or large…
Gardens of Pompeii: Water Features
In the early days of Pompeii, the grand houses of the wealthy residents did not have an easy source of water and the gardens in the center of the houses…
The Story of the Common Hyacinth
The familiar hyacinth plant appears in spring with its heady fragrance and is loved by some, scorned by others. It became very popular in Holland during the 18th century and…
Gardens of Pompeii: Garden Ornaments
No matter how beautiful the planting of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants may be, there is always room for ornaments. Water features are popular for sparkle, movement, sound, and coolness…
Gardens in Ancient Pompeii: The Peristyle
The houses of the wealthy ancient Pompeians usually were large and had many rooms organized around an open space. The open space was used as a garden and was surrounded…
Valentine’s Day Flowers and Cards
Flowers are as traditional as cards for Valentine’s Day celebrations. In bygone eras, Valentine’s cards often featured flowers as part of the sentimental message the card was trying to convey.…
The Goddess Flora and her Garden
Flora was an ancient Italian diety and was the goddess of the flowers and mother of spring. She may be recognized in art by a garland of flowers on her…
Saturnalia: Christmas in the Time of Julius Caesar and his Friends
The title of this post is misleading; Caesar and his friends lived decades before the birth of Christ so could not have celebrated it. But they did celebrate a festival…
Pussy Willows at Easter
Easter traditions commonly include eggs, rabbits, Easter lilies, palms, jelly beans and other candy. For some people, however, pussy willows can be added to the list. Pussy willows are one…