ANN ARBOR, Mich. — An 80-year-old American agave plant that will flower once then die is about to do the former. Probably. Housed at the University of the Michigan since 1934, the plant has grown so rapidly since the spring that at more than 27 feet it is now too tall for the Ann Arbor…
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Originally published July 3, 2014 at 6:20 AM | Page modified July 3, 2014 at 2:58 PM Gardening Events Ciscoe’s Picks Heronswood Garden Open, Plant Sale and Tour: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. July 12. Free lectures by Dan Hinkley and Richie Steffen. 7530 N.E. 288th St., Kingston; $10 donation to tour garden (www.heronswood.com). Seattle Tilth Chicken…
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CARLO AND Lalie Scandiuzzi have renovated their garden and 1947 stucco home in Madison Park several times over the more than two decades they’ve lived there. A 1995 kitchen addition wings out to create a sheltered courtyard that catches the morning sunshine. Fragrant Daphne odora ‘Marginata’ makes sitting outside and sipping coffee on a warm…
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SOMETIMES WE just want showstopping flowers, as grand as we can grow them. Like towering sunflowers that turn their seed-laden heads to follow the path of the sun through the sky. Like exotic canna lilies, and waxy white magnolia flowers opening above our heads to waft their lemon-scented perfume around the garden. Sound sensual? No…
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Do you remember voting for the president in a mock election in elementary school or junior high? Maybe you selected your candidate at random because you didn’t really know the difference between the two (or care). Well, now you’re older and wiser and know that who you vote for does make a difference. Or does…
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You don’t need a garden to succeed as a home brewer, but growing your own ingredients is a flavorful step up. Much of the creativity involved in crafting a custom-made beer starts with the plants you select. “The modern palate pretty much demands some hops in beer, but beyond that, there’s a lot of choices…
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Originally published June 26, 2014 at 6:21 AM | Page modified June 27, 2014 at 9:53 AM Gardening Events Ciscoe’s Picks Interbay P-Patch Lavender U-Pick Sale: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. July 5-6. 2451 15th Ave. W., Seattle (206-999-9677). Yoga for Gardeners at Swansons Nursery: 11 a.m. July 6. Yoga instructor and gardener Theresa Elliott will teach…
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What? Scientists get things wrong? We know. It’s shocking to hear, but science isn’t always an exact science. Mistakes do happen — and they often lead to great scientific discoveries. So, grab your safety glasses and see if you can identify the most embarrassing scientific moments ever.

THERE’S AN old story, no doubt apocryphal but grounded in truth, about an English designer who was asked by a dissatisfied gardener to diagnose what was wrong with her place. The designer looked around, then down his nose, and declared to the hand-wringing gardener, “The problem is, dear lady, that all your leaves are the…
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AS YOU PASS a palm tree on the dry slope leading up to the front door of Tory Galloway’s stucco house you might think you’re in the California desert. Round the corner of the veranda and change continents. Now you’re gazing down on a valley of eucalyptus groves and semi-exotic-looking plants. You’d never guess you’re…
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