Every year I'm stunned by my neighbor's Ginkgo biloba trees. These two trees put on a beautiful show just when most deciduous trees and shrubs have dropped their leaves. I've been admiring them for over 28 years (that's when we moved in, and they were full grown then).
If you haven't introduced a Cineraria into your flowerbed, you're missing an often overlooked plant that is truly amazing. This non-native to the United States is easy to grow in USDA Hardiness Zones 9 to 11, actually preferring our low humidity.
We have an enchanting little plant that sits on our kitchen counter. This plant has many common names, such as Thanksgiving cactus, crab cactus, Easter cactus, and holiday cactus, but is most known as the Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera).
Though we think of our country's capitol as a place of constant change, with Congress and the administration making grand entrances and exits every two and possibly every four years, there is one place that continues to be relatively stable the pristine grounds of the White House.
As a child in California, rainbows were a common occurrence during the winter. We had plenty of rain. California was the bread basket of our country; our primary source for tomatoes, almonds, grapes, cotton, and dozens of other products.
