In this first week of October, temperatures remain mild enough that bothersome Asian Tiger mosquitoes are still on the prowl. Not for long, as forties and a few upper thirties (Fahrenheit) slip into overnight forecasts. I don’t expect that our first frost is imminent, but we’ve experienced frost as early as late September though early…

The aged dogwood (Cornus florida) in the front garden seems to be in its best health in years. Leaf spotting is minimal and there is no sign of powdery mildew. A year ago, I feared the dogwood’s demise with many dead branch tips, but it has responded to my wishes (but no actions) with renewed…

I am fortunate to have a son to supply me with a Castor bean (Ricinus communis) seedling or two every spring. I’ve tried. The seeds are easily harvested from the prickly, highly ornamental pods (below). They readily germinate the time or two I’ve tried, but then I fail to keep up with watering. So, when…

Signs of autumn are becoming visible in the garden if I look closely. I rejoice in the recent cool temperatures and noticeably lower humidity. The decline of flowers and autumnal changes in foliage color will soon follow. Today, the dense stands of Sensitive ferns (Onoclea sensibilis, above) are browning, in part due to the late…

How could I resist adding a cold hardy African violet relative (Gesneriad family) to the garden? Of course, I couldn’t, though with varied reports there was reason to question the cold hardiness of false sinningia  (Hemiboea subcapitata). Some folks claimed it’s hardy only to ten degrees (Fahrenheit), others a good bit colder, but it seemed…