It’s Valentine’s Day, and no better time to tell someone you love them. The history of Valentine’s day has roots in ancient Rome with the legend of Saint Valentine, a priest who performed secret marriages for young couples against the decree of Emperor Claudius II. &

On average, heating and cooling together account for over half of a typical home’s energy use.  The E Source Advisor website offers some great information on both residential and commercial energy consumption.   One of the most common recommendations made, in terms of

I just finished reading Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeper, by C. Marina Marchese.  It is a beautifully written and illustrated book about the author’s journey from a corporate career in NYC to building a company (Red Bee) and lifestyle around beekeepin

I love getting outside in winter.  As long as you bundle up, it’s a beautiful time of year to explore the outdoors.  This past weekend I went to the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain for a long walk.  The Arboretum is a fantastic natural resources, right in Boston

Though winter is a quiet time in the garden, it can still be interesting.  It’s a time when we’re not distracted by the ephemeral beauty of spring, the riotous color of summer, or the fiery fall foliage.  You may have to look a bit closer in winter to find plants

It’s cold out there!  And, sunlight is at a premium during these short winter days.  It’s a perfect time of year to tuck in by a warm fire;  but as heating bills climb, it’s also a good time to consider how your landscape can help you stay warm. Yep, t

It seems like, this time of year, everyone is doing some best of, or worst or, or year in review type of list.  So, I thought I would follow suit and think about my top 5 inspirations/ accomplishments for 2012. 1. From a design perspective, I was fortunate to work with some great

I recently discovered that Somerville (the town next to where I live) is home to Taza, an amazing chocolate factory.  I went there last weekend for a tour of their facility and to sample some of their wonderful, stone ground, organic chocolate. I’ve had a number of people a

When the weather gets cold, it can take a bit more motivation to go outside and explore nature.  Fortunately, Wellesley College offers a warm and interesting excursion for plant lovers!  I trekked out to the campus last week and had a great time wandering through their expan

Mistletoe is one of those plants that we only think about during the holiday season.  The tradition is, if caught beneath a bough of mistletoe with another, you are supposed to kiss.  After each kiss, a berry is to be plucked off the bough, when no berries remain the kissing