Tag Archives: Native Plants

Winter: A Time for Beauty and Work

January 20, 2026 DaveOC Leave a comment

Winter reminds me of the Greek myth about Persephone, the beautiful daughter of gods Demeter and Zeus.

Persephone was picking flowers when Hades, God of the underworld, saw her and took her to be his bride.

When Demeter, goddess of the earth and harvest, discovered what happened, she was beside herself. She cursed the earth. Plants withered and died.

Long story short, since Persephone had eaten six seeds of a pomegranate, she had to spend six months of the year in the underworld with Hades but could return to earth for the remainder of the year.

Demeter brought the earth back to life each spring when Persephone reemerged, hence the origin of our seasons.

I look forward to the return of spring and the liberation of Persephone, but winter has its own charms.

Falling snow creates a magic all its own. Layers of snowflakes transform barren trees, shrubs, stems, and stalks giving them a unique beauty. Winterberry bushes and holly trees provide a backdrop of green and red to landscapes while untrimmed switchgrasses provide soft stalks that soften the edges. Pines and evergreen magnolias offer a welcome touch of green and shelter for wildlife.

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A Strong Season Finisher: White Turtlehead

August 10, 2025 DaveOC Leave a comment

As summer days grow shorter, gardens often flag unless you have some strong season finishers. White turtlehead, Chelone glabra, is just such a plant.

This perennial offers a lovely touch of white that looks elegant when paired with blue lobelia, Lobelia siphilitica; Joe-Pye weed, Eutrochium purpureum; asters; grasses; and other plants that like moist soil.

A native of Maryland, it brings a fresh touch of cool white color to gardens, woods, stream banks, and swamps during the hot days of August and September.

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Ten Students, 1,200 Plants & 1 Exhibit in 4 Days

March 4, 2025 DaveOC Leave a comment

Ten undergrads had been prepping for months for the Philadelphia Flower Show (PFS).

This was their big moment. The exhibit was part of a design and build course they were taking at Tyler School of Art and Architecture (TSAA) at Temple University Ambler.

First, a load of materials had been dropped off at the Convention Center a week before the show would open to the public March 1.

Then the clock would start on Monday. The students would have four days, and only four days, to assemble their exhibit and install the plants, more than 1,200 of them.

Judging would begin at 7am on Friday and no exhibitors would be allowed on the floor. From that point forward, their exhibit would be on display to PHS members, the press and, most importantly, the public.

From Sat., March 1, to Sun., March 9, about 250,000 people would see their display.

What could go wrong?

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