Let's force some Lily of the Valley into bloom like it's 1897. That's the year Lizzie Page Hillhouse, one of the Lost Ladies of Garden Writing, wrote her book, House Plants and How to Succeed With Them. She included a chapter with instructions on how to force Lily of the Valley into bloom. She starts off with the botaical name, Convallaria majalis. Order Liliaceæ. Fortunately, the taxonimists have, so far, left the botanical name alone but they did decide to move it to another family. … [Read more...] about Forcing Lily of the Valley Into Bloom Likes It’s 1897
houseplants
The best thing about younger people buying houseplants
Algaonema 'Cutlass' The best thing about younger people buying houseplants is now everyone is selling houseplants. That is great news for older people like me who have always had houseplants. Back in the day—and I'm going back maybe five years—it seemed like the only places you could buy houseplants were the floral sections of the big box stores, plus some of the larger hardware stores like Lowes and Home Depot. Plus florists sold a few. Even garden centers, which often had huge dropoffs in … [Read more...] about The best thing about younger people buying houseplants
A Dull Houseplant Equals Big Trouble
I read in a book by Thalassa Cruso called Making Things Grow: A Practical Guide for the Indoor Gardener that the Chinese Evergreen was a dull plant, as houseplants go, but they were coming out with some new variegated and striped varieties. That was in 1969. Fast forward 50 years, and look at the Chinese Evergreen, Aglaonema, now! (Pause. Yes, I am also having trouble believing that 1969 was over 50 years ago. A topic for another post...) Now the Chinese Evergreen is making a … [Read more...] about A Dull Houseplant Equals Big Trouble
The Truth About Houseplants
Get some houseplants, they say. It will improve the air quality in your home, they say. Well, I say, get some houseplants. Period. Because as it turns out, houseplants don't really improve the air quality in your home, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology called “Potted plants do not improve indoor air quality: a review and analysis of reported VOC removal efficiencies.” Now, don't think for one minute that I read that … [Read more...] about The Truth About Houseplants
A Little Spring Pep Talk – Part 1
This pretty orchid greeted me in the sunroom this morning. My old childhood friend and neighbor from back in the day literally plucked this from the trash at the retirement community where his mom lived. He and his mom had a little ritual they followed every day. In the late afternoon, he would wheel her around to all the utility closets looking for soda cans to donate to their church's can drive, stopping along the way to say hi to other residents, check the mail, and just get out and about a … [Read more...] about A Little Spring Pep Talk – Part 1
The Great Responsibility is Blooming
The Great Responsibility is blooming! Oh, you don't know about the Great Responsibility? You aren't clinging to every word I write on this blog? Please refer back to the post on February 6th to get caught up or continue reading and I'll catch you up. The Great Responsibility is an African violet a friend left in my care when he moved back to his out-of-state home after caring for his mother near here for several years. As he handed me the Great Responsibility (or is it The Great … [Read more...] about The Great Responsibility is Blooming
