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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 gray last time, so let’s get sunny and optimistic again! In this episode, we shine an Illuminating beam on the golden blades of two grasses and a Carex (a grass like sedge, not a tru

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

Mystified by Latin plant names? We hear you, and we’re here to help. Once deciphered, those tongue-twisters can actually tell us a lot. For example:Lavandula angustifoliaThis classic species charms both the optical and olfactory senses. Even before the eye spies it, the nose knows lavender lurks nearby. While it comprises familiar favorites like ‘Munstead’ and ‘Hidcote’, it’s also home to some exciting newcomers. But first, what can its name tell us? Simple: angustifolia is Latin for “narrow lea