Rose water has left an indelible mark on human history. This clear, sweet-tasting, aromatic liquid has been used in perfumery, cosmetics, and medicine for many centuries. In Middle Eastern and West Asian countries, it has long been used as a flavoring in cooking. Read Rose Water—An Age-Old Flavoring for Dinner and Dessert
Plants & Gardens Blog
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Growing Food
Rose Water—An Age-Old Flavoring for Dinner and Dessert
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Growing FoodPlant Choices
Mexican Oregano—A Tasty Twist on an Age-Old Flavor
After a lifetime of growing edible plants, I've come to the conclusion that "oregano" should be a botanical category of aroma and taste rather than the common name for any one herb. Read Mexican Oregano—A Tasty Twist on an Age-Old Flavor
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Plant Choices
Heavenly Hibiscus: Long-Lived, Easy-Care Beauties
Hibiscus are getting more popular. Vigorous. Tough. Easy to grow. Long-lived. Their spectacular flowers bloom in a rainbow of colors throughout the growing season. Read Heavenly Hibiscus: Long-Lived, Easy-Care Beauties
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Garden DesignGrowing Food
An Herb Garden for Tea Time
In our frenetically paced modern lives, making time for growing herbs and savoring herbal infusions may seem like an anachronism, a quaint throwback to a more unhurried age. But we need such time-tested tonics, places to slow down and enjoy nature's bounty, seemingly more than ever. Read An Herb Garden for Tea Time
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Garden DesignGrowing Food
A Short History of Herb Garden Design
Whatever their design or intent, herb gardens are defined not by their organization but by the plants grown in them. If an herb is a plant with a use as a seasoning, fragrance, dye, fiber, or medicine, then an herb garden is a garden of useful plants. But don't be surprised to find species that have never had any practical application alongside the useful plants in today's ornamental herb gardens—some plants are simply too appealing to be excluded on purely technical grounds. Read A Short History of Herb Garden Design
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Garden DesignUrban Gardening
A Potted Water Garden—Beautiful Aquatic Plants in Containers
Want to grow water-lilies and other beautiful aquatic plants at home but don't have space for a permanent water feature? Cultivate them in pots instead. Read A Potted Water Garden—Beautiful Aquatic Plants in Containers
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Plant Choices
Orchids and How They Grow
The orchids are generally considered to be the most diverse plant family, with estimates of their numbers ranging from 20,000 to 30,000 species in over 800 genera. This represents about 10 percent of all flowering plant species. Recent DNA research suggests that the orchids, at more than 90,000,000 years old, are among the most ancient flowering plant families. They are still evolving rapidly into new species. Read Orchids and How They Grow
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Plant Choices
Orchids and Their Pollinators
Some flowering plants are promiscuous, relying on enticement and reward to lure whatever insect comes along. But orchids typically have exclusive relationships with their pollinators. These are usually bees, wasps, and flies, but many orchids also utilize moths, butterflies, fungus gnats, or birds to cross-pollinate their flowers. Read Orchids and Their Pollinators
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Plant Choices
Phalaenopsis
Previously only available at orchid shows and in flower shops, Phalaenopsis are now found in most garden centers and even in supermarkets and hardware stores. They are popular because they are relatively inexpensive, easy to grow, and very rewarding. They mature fast, the flowers are nicely displayed above the foliage, and they can bloom for extended periods of time, normally during the winter, but often well into summer. Read Phalaenopsis
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Garden DesignPlant ChoicesUrban Gardening
Dwarf Conifers in Containers: Designing a Miniature Landscape
Dwarf conifers are perfect for building texture in—and giving permanent shape to—confined garden spaces such as patios or terraces. Though small, the plants can also help block wind and screen undesirable views. Read Dwarf Conifers in Containers: Designing a Miniature Landscape