Plants are the original chemists. Their sophistication makes DuPont and Monsanto look like little kids with chemistry sets.

When I need to be precise about a plant, I use its Latin name, even if my nongardening friends sometimes look at me a little funny for using big words in a dead language - or in the kind of horticultural Esperanto that botanical names make up.

I suppose that for most people one of the darker joys of gardening is that once you've got started it's not at all hard to find someone who knows a little bit less than you.

Am I accurately reporting what I see in such a blossom? The answer is no ... and yes.

I cannot walk into our garden without constantly being reminded of the friends who have shared their plants.

We quickly discovered that two kittens were much more fun than one.

Crabgrass is aptly descriptive of this hated weed, for it does scuttle quickly through a lawn.