In the days before mass marketing, big box retailing and internet sales, people had to create their own solutions to the wants and needs of daily life. The results were based on the materials at hand and were often imaginative, but sometimes bordering on the absurd. If purchasing and bartering were not an option, then…Read more
Tag: Perennials
A Key Part of Florida’s Natural Beauty
As the weather warms and summer beckons, the landscape reshapes daily. New blooms pop out and are soon followed by fruit, seeds or nuts. Some are useful to the human residents, but many are eaten by insects. As with people, there are some bugs that are picky about their meals. Panhandle Florida has some native…Read more
Problem Grasses in the Sunshine State
The year’s fourth month is the time for grasses to emerge and expand their respective territories. Some are native and well behaved, but others are not and will grow aggressively, if conditions meet their needs. Torpedograss (Panicum repens) is a perennial grass with a creeping but forceful growth pattern and sharply pointed rhizomes. Stems are…Read more
A Beautiful Surprise in the Home Garden
A familiar face in an unfamiliar setting can often cause confusion. This understandable reaction can happen with gardeners and their plants just as easily as with any other scenario. Currently with so many exotic and seasonally showy horticultural products in the environment, it is challenging to keep up with all the blooms. Even so there…Read more
An Enduring Part of Florida’s Natural Beauty
There is something to be said for being a longtime area resident. The geographic familiarity helps promote focus on perfecting the traits which are applicable and close to home. The unique, and very pleasant, environment of north Florida is an excellent example of near perfection, on a localized basis. The weather (within reason), the fauna…Read more
A Problem Plant That Isn’t Worth It
Two for the price of one is a popular marketing tactic. It leaves the buyer with the sensation of getting a real bargain. In landscaping this concept is usually seen by the homeowner as getting blooms and foliage from plants. If searching for a border plant this combination is challenging, except for fishermen. There is…Read more
The Natural Beauty Hidden Among Winter’s Muted Shades
The winters in north Florida are always (relatively) pleasant, especially when compared to the rest of the country. While ice-age conditions may be inflicting a polar environment on the Midwest and New England, here in the panhandle the season of short days and long nights only means the lawnmowers get a rest. Even with the…Read more
An Ancient, Tough Tree With Many Uses
There is a lot to be gained from having a tough reputation. Only those with an excessively stalwart disposition or lack of good sense will dare to make a challenge to the individual who holds this distinction. Unbending, rigid and durable are descriptors which invoke a firm, if not dogmatic, state of resiliency. With this…Read more
Squirrels Pine for This Tasty Meal
Many native plants and trees have finished their assigned annual task in the closing days of 2023 and are now in a state of rest. Their ultimate job is to produce seeds which will hopefully continue the species. While a majority of the seeds are small and easily overlooked, there is one “seed pack” which…Read more
Natural Help Against a Tricky Pest Plant
Sometimes surprises can puzzle and perplex, and yet be pleasant. Finding a twenty-dollar bill, for example, in a parking lot would certainly be a positive experience. The occurrence would likely be tinged with pity for the person who lost it, though. Even if they were totally careless with their financial resources, the discovery would make…Read more