According To This Indian Study: These Indoor Plants Are Best Air Purifiers

It’s well known that the housing market is so competitive right now, but prospective home buyers aren’t the only ones hurting—renters are, too. According to personal finance website WalletHub, inflation has impacted rental prices, and 2022 saw the second-highest price growth in decades with a 6.2% year-over-year increase. 

Some trees are named to confuse. The Indian Bean Tree is not from India and it doesn’t grow beans. As a native of north America it is named for a North American native Indian tribe. The seeds are produced in long bean like pods.

Lavender fields are impressive, not just because of how incredible they look, but because of the feeling of calm and peace they create that is so hard to find elsewhere. That relaxing property is just one of the many reasons why we love to grow this plant at home, but lavender is also wonderful when used ornamentally. Couple this with its soothing effect and charming aroma, and you start to scratch the surface of its many, many uses.

Pencil cactus plants look like they would be fussy, but they’re actually very easy to grow and care for.

Did you know that South Carolina has an official state grass? Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) was named the state grass in 2001. This native, warm-season, perennial grass originally grew in the natural prairies found in South Carolina four centuries ago. It was an important food source for buffalo and elk that roamed our area during that time. Years of farming and cultivation have destroyed these natural prairie habitats.

Indian pink (Spigelia marilandica) has trumpet-shaped red flowers with a star-shaped yellow center and blooms in June. The oval-shaped leaves are bright green and are oppositely arranged on the stem. A native perennial to the Southeast, Indian pink is a smaller grower with a height of 1 to 2 feet and width of ½ to 1½ feet. It tolerates average, well-drained soil but will grow best in moist, rich soils. This deer-resistant plant is a great addition to a shady garden, and best of all, hummingbirds and butterflies love it.

Many years ago, while attending a winter gardening symposium at Calloway Gardens in Georgia, I first observed paperbush (Edgeworthia chrysantha) in full bloom. While exploring the gardens during a break between sessions, I discovered a huge paperbush flowering near the butterfly house. I was amazed by the beauty and fragrance of the flowers and immediately fell in love with the plant.

Are you looking at plants in your garden and wondering why they aren’t flowering?

WE’RE LIVING ON THE EDGE HERE at A Way to Garden, literally: the edge of seasonal change. These two youngsters sat on the lip of one of the water gardens all day yesterday, sunning themselves like it was summer, taking the occasional lap around the pool.

FEBRUARYMonday, February 13, 11:30 AM: lecture for Farmington Garden Club Founders’ Fund Celebration meeting, at Hill-Stead Museum Makeshift Theater, 35 Mountain Road, Farmington, CT; free admission.Saturday, February 25, 1 PM: lecture for Germantown Public Library, Germantown, NY, at 31 Palatine Park Road.MARCHThursday, March 1, 9:30 AM: lecture for Pleasantville Garden Club, in the social hall at Presbyterian Church, 400 Bedford Road, Pleasantville, NY.We

LISTEN IN to my chat with WNYC’s Amy Eddings, on their “Last Chance Foods” segment that aired today. Their whole season of “Last Chance Foods,” part of WNYC’s version of “All Things Considered,” is archived here.tomato junk recipeingredients:olive oil garlic onion 1 teaspoon to 1 ton anything edible left in your garden or at the farmer’s market, including herbs such as parsley and basil tomatoes, equal to at least one-third the total volume of ingredients water salt and pepper to taste Especially good vegetable choices include: summer squash such as zucchini; green beans; brassicas such as kale or broccoli; chard.Trickier choices: cabbage, or beet or mustard greens, and other distinctive-tasting vegetables, including roots such as turnip; hot peppers; or eggplant, that might overtake the flavor or texture of the Junk.Celery and carrots work well in batches that will become soup. Include spicier peppers

Reserve a free ticket below (space is limited!) to Update 7/1: Response to this even has been fantastic, so we are close to capacity. Put your name on the waitlist to come see moths and other flying creatures of the night on white sheets at special blacklight and mercury-vapor light stations set up for us in the Park, including perhaps the giant pandorus sphinx (above) from last year’s walk, who really liked resting on my neighbor’s shirt or Brigette’s nose (below).Before dark, we’ll first examine and release the live catch from special blacklight traps set the night before, to get acquainted with some of the local species. At dark, we’ll venture along Park trails to the various light stations to see the night’s diversity of visitors. We’ll continue till 10 or so, as long as there are moths, and participant interest.The mothing event begins at 8:15 PM at the historic Copake Iron Works, located ad