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The Eponymous Garden Rides Again!The green industries embrace many careers and companies that could be described as “a hobby that got out of hand.” You may know – or be – one of those ex-hobbyists.One such entity gave the world a popular herb: Lavandula ‘Otto Quast’. Let’s meet its namesake.Born in 1924 in Hamburg, Germany, Otto Quast emigrated to California. He worked as a shipyard carpenter and dabbled in gardening. When an accident ended his woodworking career, he turned his pastime into a fu

Yes, it’s Lavandula, all right. Nothing else can match the fresh, clean fragrance of this legendary herb. We know that fragrance well, since we grow 12 varieties in several species. Let’s look at four of them, shall we?L. angustifolia The specific epithet means “narrow-leaved.” Which is much more accurate than the common name “English lavender”, since it’s of Mediterranean origin. It acquired its nickname because it grows great in Great Britain.Big Time Blue PP24827 Wider than it is tall at ma

When the color experts at Pantone announced their Color of the Year for 2021, they gave us a rare double-header. Illuminating is a cheerful yellow. Ultimate Gray is exactly what it sounds like. They complement one another beautifully: Yellow for sunny optimism, gray for rock-solid reliability. We looked at yellow last time, so let’s go gray again!Obviously, gray – even Ultimate Gray -- is not sexy. Let’s call it silver. Either way, there’s a place for it in nearly every border. Colors

Answer:Duct tape. A screwdriver. Bacon. Acorus gramineus.Question:What are four versatile home problem-solvers?Acorus can’t patch your canoe, open paint cans or make everything it touches delicious.But it can beautify just about any moist spot in your garden -- sunny, shady or in-between. Duct tape can’t fix that.It looks great in containers, too. How pretty is a pot full of screwdrivers?The common name “sweet flag” refers to the scent given off when the foliage is bruised. OK, bacon wins this o