Shhhhhhhishigashira
This tree has a name that slides off the tongue. Shishigashira, shhhhhhishigashira, shishhhhhhhhigashira, shishigasssssshhira, any way you say it, it’s fun. Especially fast, shishigashira. I wonder how to type a word that represents very quick speech. Slow speech is easy, lotttttssssss of lettttttttersssssssss. Fast speech? Shishigashira? No, bold doesn’t work, it’s too blocky and solid, not fast. Shishigashira, in italics is starting to get faster. I … Continue reading Shhhhhhhishigashira
How To Get Stung By a Wasp or The Problem of Liking Plants Too Much
When you like plants too much, you think about their pollination. You worry about the bee problem, and not having enough pollinators. You look at the beautiful blooms and flowers and smile every time you see a happy buzzing bee doing it’s work. They go about their job, I go about my job and a peaceful coexistence is reached. There is a trust between us. … Continue reading How To Get Stung By a Wasp or The Problem of Liking Plants Too Much
Fall Flowers
These are a few flowers that were blooming in recent weeks. The echinacea, black-eyed Susan, Balloon Flower, Flowering Maple and Lantana (annual here) are wonderful end-of-the summer plants. Summer continues in the Northwest as we have sunny, warm days with no rain. The mornings are crisp and cool, but it is dry and the plants need some moisture! Continue reading Fall Flowers
Pruning Class With Plant Amnesty
This weekend I attended a hands-on pruning workshop sponsored by Plant Amnesty. It was great! We met at a community park/garden in Seattle and there was so much to do! Overgrown shrubs, trees where they didn’t belong, weeds and perennials and invasives, we had it all. At first it was completely overwhelming, but by the end of the day it was amazing what thirty people … Continue reading Pruning Class With Plant Amnesty
Dr. Peter Raven Lecture—Conservation and Biodiversity
This week I attended the Miller Memorial Lecture by the esteemed botanist and conservationist Dr. Peter Raven, President emeritus of the Missouri Botanical Garden. I was captivated from the beginning to the end. Held on the University of Washington campus, the lecture lasted just over an hour. The title was ‘Conserving Plants in a Changing World’, but this dialogue was less about plants and more … Continue reading Dr. Peter Raven Lecture—Conservation and Biodiversity
Rainyleaf 