As Lovely As Asparagus

As Lovely As Asparagus

It was so hard to come up with a pun for asparagus–you know, one that might be family friendly rather than raunchy, but I managed to do so after sleeping on it overnight. Asparagus officinalis (see, even they couldn’t come up with a better name) 

Japanese Spikenard

Japanese Spikenard

I tried to come up with a clever pun for the title of this post, but failed miserably. It’s sad because this is such an awesome plant that I managed to get a hold of here in the United States. Japanese Spikenard (Aralia Cordata), also 

Raspberry Rumble

Raspberry Rumble

Raspberries (rubus idaeus) belong to the rubus family which includes blackberries, thimbleberries, brambleberries, tayberries, etc. and can readily cross breed with them, so new varieties are constantly coming out. Some people find them invasive–but honestly, what’s so bad about a fruit that vigorously propagates itself? 

Hosta La Vista, Baby!

Hosta La Vista, Baby!

I hate ornamentals that have no utility other than looking pretty. I’m sorry, but in the event of the zombie apocalypse, everything on my property better have a use so that myself and my family can survive, and tulips and daffodils definitely won’t help on 

Sweet (Alpine) Strawberry

Sweet (Alpine) Strawberry

Regular strawberries are nice, but sadly we neither eat enough of it, nor have the patience to really protect it from all the creatures that want to devour it. The fruit sizes are varied, some years giving large ones, other years giving rise to strangely 

A Clear Blueberry Sky

A Clear Blueberry Sky

I must admit, I was very daunted by the prospect of blueberries (vaccinium cyanococcus), as people complained all over the internet about issues afflicting them and the difficulty in their care. But my hoarding instinct got the better of me and whenever a blueberry bush 

Cherry Cheeks

Cherry Cheeks

There was a cherry tree at my grandparent’s house that gave tart, dark red fruits that weren’t good for eating directly but made for some fun times when me and my sister would sit on our dad’s shoulders and pick them. I have a very 

In Currant News

In Currant News

Some time ago, when I had been earnestly following bento blogs and the like, one particular poster always had these beautiful, tiny red or white berries that she arranged in the bento she made for her children. I always wondered what they were, looking almost 

Garlic Chives, A Staple Story

Garlic Chives, A Staple Story

Every Chinese family I know has garlic chives (allium tuberosum) in their garden. It’s a species of onion that hails from China, and is one of the earliest spring vegetables to come out, harvested beginning of March here on Long Island so that they are 

Have A Berry Happy Birthday: Juneberries

Have A Berry Happy Birthday: Juneberries

My birthday is in June, and I’ve been wanting a Juneberry (also called serviceberry, or saskatoon) for my edible landscape. As luck (or bad luck) would have it, my husband, in his over-excitement at using a chainsaw to do yard work, accidentally chopped down my