Monologue Archives

Did You Know Tarragon is an Artemisia?

Like all plants in the Artemisia (“AR-tah-MEE-zee-ah”) genus, Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) casts a gray and silvery foliage (although these pictures don’t reflect that.) Artemisia’s were sacred to Artemis, and there are over 180 species – all of them are ornamental, most are medicinal, and of course, some are culinary. Tarragon is…

St. Swithin’s Day

Today is St. Swithin’s Day. (Every July 15th) St. Swithin is the patron saint of rain. And, the saying goes, if on St. Swithin’s Day it rains, it will rain for another forty days. St. Swithin was a beloved English monk and he lived during the last half of the 9th…

What’s Green and Sings?

Such an intriguing title, isn’t it? The title of this post is the opening question to a joke I recently heard. I’ll tell you the answer at the end of this post about Parsley (Petroselinum crispum “Petro-sah-LIE-num”). That sounds like a spell from Harry Potter. Petroselinum crispum. Parsley. Now I have to ask: Are…

A Review of Hamilton for Gardeners

Like the rest of the world, the kids and I watched Hamilton on July 3rd. And, yes, it blew us all away. We loved it. And, if YOU watch it, your gardener ears will delight to hear that Hamilton liked to garden. There’s so much about the musical still swirling in my head… and…

No Independence Day for Gardeners

Today we celebrate what I’m calling Dependence Day for Gardeners, and here’s why… Gardeners are a passionate lot. They are some of the best people I know. Maybe it’s because gardening requires so much patience, hope, and love – characteristics of good people. And although gardeners enjoy puttering about in their…

Let the Dog Days Begin

Although there’s a case to be made that every day of 2020 has been a dog day, nonetheless, the official Dog Days truly start Today. Despite everything that’s happened this year, the Dog Days are just beginning. July 3rd always marks the beginning of the Dog Days. As with Lent, the dog…

You Can’t Plant Flowers If You Haven’t Botany

This clever play on words has a message that rings true. If your garden is lacking color, it’s time to increase your plant diversity and go shopping. And luckily, thanks to so many nurseries, we shop for plants safely outside. Now, in terms of color, what gardener doesn’t appreciate stunning blue blossoms? Blue…

Welcome July in the Garden

Welcome July and all that you may bring us. For gardeners, July hosts a riot of color in our gardens. History tells us that many flowers have claimed to be the birth flower for the month of July – which, by the way, the Roman Senate named to honor Julius Caesar. In China, July’s birth…