Lemon Herbs Add Zest

By Vicki Blachman Contributing Writer “It’s a lemon!” Funny how a phrase used to curse a malfunction could also describe some of the herb gardener’s most treasured plants. With uncanny mimicry, a wide variety of herbs begs to be identified with the bright, refreshing scents…

Echeverian Beauty among the Rocks

By William Scheick Contributing Editor The skeptical look on my neighbor’s face expressed even more than she had said. She had briefly wondered aloud whether the in-ground echeverias we were observing could survive local outdoor conditions. Apparently, their dainty rosettes seemed to her a bit…

Five Reasons to Love Fall Gardener

By Skip Richter Contributing Editor Ask most any Texan and they’ll tell you that fall means it’s football season. Many will also point out that fall brings hunting season. But fall is also gardening season! Spring arrives with an epidemic of gardening fever as we…

Black Plants for Texas

By William Scheick Contributing Writer The Black Rose — a book title that stirs the imagination. While Thomas Costain’s 1945 bestselling historical romance is actually far tamer than my childhood memory of its earliest paperback cover, its title promises an enticing concoction of exoticness and…