Connecting to nature through poetry and prose
The European, or Garden, Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris) is a perennial plant with blue, purple, or white flowers. Each flower is about as long as it is wide. This plant, which is a member of the Buttercup family, will grow up to 3 feet tall.(1) The European Columbine has spread widely across North Americas and is... Continue Reading →
Over the brambles The Swamp Rose lures me closer Fingers hooked by thorns A Haiku by Mark The Swamp Rose (Rosa palustris) is a perennial shrub that can grow up to 7 feet tall and is native to the eastern United States. As the name suggests, this plant prefers moist, acidic soil. The Swamp Rose... Continue Reading →
A gentle breezeShakes the honeysuckle treeA Monarch takes flight Honeysuckle is the name for a group of shrubs, vines, or herbs in the Caprifoliaceous family. These plants can be identified by their opposite leaves, and flowers that have either bilateral or radial symmetry and flare into a trumpet-like shape(1). One thing that the honeysuckle is... Continue Reading →
Lilacs, besides being truly beautiful plants to look at, have their roots firmly planted in human history through poetry and literature.
As the flowers from the Pin Cherry tree drop away, the white flowers of the Chokecherry emerge to take their place on the landscape. The woody plant known as Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) grows as a shrub or small tree under 30 feet in height. It often grows in dense thickets and in damp, rich soils. ... Continue Reading →
An apple tree bloomsOn a forgotten road Time has passed us by It is said that New England established its first cultivated apple orchard in 1623. The location of the orchard was Beacon Hill in Massachusetts. The apple that was grown was called The Baldwin. Apple trees soon became a staple of the New England... Continue Reading →
I remember the first time I noticed wild strawberries. It was a Saturday afternoon and I was pulling weeds from the flower bed that ran along the fence line. My gaze was focused on the dirt and I was removing everything that didn't look like Lupines. The clovers and grasses had taken over this part... Continue Reading →
The flowering of the Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) is another sign of spring! These bright yellow flowers are a part of the buttercup family and bloom in our neighborhood around the end of April or beginning of May. As you can tell by the name, the Marsh Marigold likes to grow in wet areas. Their... Continue Reading →
