“I figure life’s a gift and I don’t intend on wasting it” Jack Dawson, Titanic. I love movies and I love this quote! Every morning I wake up to a Ginkgo tree deliberately planted outside our bedroom window simply because it brings me happiness. When...
This past spring there seemed to be an explosion of color in our landscapes. Every couple of years the stars seem to align and many deciduous beauties bloom, overlapping one another. Forsythia, magnolia, cherries, crabapples and pear trees were all blooming at the same time...
There is a tree I have been meaning to write about about for some time, but the timing never seemed right. A tree type, I feel, that is so underappreciated and certainly underused. I have friends who, on occasion, surprise me and ask questions about...
It’s no secret COVID-19 has changed the world. Daily routines, social distancing, business models and personal health have been tested at every corner of our planet. This global pandemic has changed the world and has us all appreciating happier days, longing for our lifestyles to...
“Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing” -Abraham Lincoln. Just over one year now since I lost one of my most dear friends responsible, in part, for my...
One of the most common, durable, rugged, native trees, often used in parking lot islands and along sidewalks is common Honeylocust, Gleditsia triacanthos. A long lived, deciduous tree, Honeylocust is a leguminous plant (Fabaceae family), and capable of growing 100 feet. Gleditsia triacanthos has pinnately...
Mistletoe is the common English name of many species of parasitic/hemiparasitic plants. Pests to many ornamental trees, most mistletoe parasitize their hosts and can cause abnormal growths called “witches’ brooms.” Growths that can deform branches and decrease reproductive abilities. Capable of producing their own food,...
Over 30 years in the horticultural industry and still a pet peeve of mine is the misuse of plant material. Professionals and retail customers alike, driven by inexpensive, larger plants rather than the “right plant for the right space.” Often when I speak to customers...
Last December I received a most curious and exciting gift from the executive editor and publisher of this newspaper. A book titled, The Gardener’s Botanical, An Encyclopedia of Latin Plant Names, this horticultural gem has more than 5,000 entries and 350 botanical illustrations....
Every year, for the holidays, I come up with a custom made Ginkgo-themed gift and share it with friends and colleagues in the industry. A gift that has so much meaning, passion and thought behind it, I often say, “it’s only the worthy.”...