I am an avid organic gardener and former Master Gardener for Collin County, Texas. I enjoy growing nearly everything, from vegetables to herbs to tropicals. Lately I have been converting the flower beds in my Zone 8 home to all Texas natives. In my non-gardening spare time, I enjoy cooking, reading, birdwatching or hugging on either my sweet English hubby or our Golden Retriever, Monty.
Gardeners, have you ever returned from vacation to find your plants in a state of disaster? After a recent two week trip to Belize, I found a lot of work waiting for me in the garden...but it wasn't as bad as I initially thought, thanks to careful examination and diagnosis. Read More
During the precious few moments when the hoses are not in our hands, we Southern gardeners pass the scorching days of summer comparing notes about what plants - if any - are still thriving in the sometimes triple-digit heat. Read More
As a Texas gardener, my pulse always quickens upon reading the words "drought-tolerant" and "heat-tolerant" in a plant's description. Read More
Looking for beautiful, colorful plants that can take hot, dry conditions, need little care and attract hummingbirds by the dozens? Agastache is a great place to start. Read More
For much of the country, spring is the busiest time of year in the garden. Read More
As the bumpersticker says: "Don't Mess with Texas." The same can be said for our state flower, the Texas Bluebonnet, aka Lupinus texensis. Read More
Yes, fellow gardeners, this year will be the year I get my act together. Read More
In the garden and in the kitchen, there Read More
Whether you're a foodie or someone who likes to casually cook with vegetables, there's no doubt you've noticed all the attention paid to kale in the last year or two. Read More
I walked into the houseplant section of one of the big box stores recently and spotted it: a huge, lone chenille plant in full flower hanging from the ceiling. Quickly procuring it from the hook and placing it in my shopping cart, I instantly became the envy of every gardener in the store. Read More
So you want to be a gardener. Congratulations! You'll be joining the millions of others who enjoy what is probably the most popular hobby in the world. However, the sad truth is that some folks venture blindly into gardening expecting to magically produce dinner-plate dahlias and softball-size tomatoes without doing any of the necessary preparation or research. Read More
I'll never forget Easter morning, 1991. I was in the kitchen making Sunday breakfast, while my then-husband Derek was at the dining room table, dutifully writing out some bills. Suddenly, I heard a genuine fear-tinged yell, followed by some completely unrepeatable cursing. Read More
With warm weather just around the corner, but temperatures still in the cool range, it's a great time to start some lettuce seeds in your garden. Lettuce is easy to grow, matures quickly, doesn't take up much space, and offers a "cut-and-come-again" growth habit that can give you several salads from the same plant. Read More
If, like me, you get a little tired of "Mum Overkill" around this time of year, know that there's a toad which turns to a flowering, handsome prince with the kiss of autumn. Read More
It's smelly. It can contain wire. It doesn't break down. All are partially true statements when talking about rubber mulch, but there are good uses for this relatively new product as well. Read More
Isn't it wonderful when you discover a plant previously unknown to you that's both beautiful and deemed perfect for your climate? Read More
As your spring garden clean-up gets underway, don't sabotage your efforts by using dirty, infected tools. Read More
My Northeastern-dwelling mother, who is not a gardener, recently visited my Dallas back yard for the first time. Her first words were "Wow, what's that big purple thing in the corner? It's gorgeous!" "That," I replied, "is a purple smoketree." Read More
As you can tell from the picture, this is not your typical sage, that's for sure. Say hello to Silver Sage, otherwise known as Salvia argentea. Read More
Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), is a beautiful, tall, arching plant with dual personalities: it has the willowy visual effect of ornamental grass in the landscape, and boasts a variety of culinary and medicinal uses as an herb. Read More
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