“Magic is afoot!” says Witch Hazel, which is fun to say when I see it in a reading. Witch Hazel is a generous, multi-trunk shrub, unusual for its colorful, citrus-scented flowers in late fall and even into winter. The leaves are reddish when they emerge in spring, then golden in the autumn. It’s a very low-maintenance plant that’s resistant to most pests and diseases. Witch Hazel extract, an astringent, is a time-tested remedy with medicinal and cosmetic properties. That quality makes it easy...

from January 19, 2026 (Reminder: these messages go out to subscribers first, then they go up on the blog about a week later. Subscribing is easy and free, with links at the bottom of most pages on this website!)    Overall Theme: Aspen , for courage. Naturally, we can only truly tap into courage when we’re afraid – trembling, even, like the silver leaves of aspen in the breeze. There’s a lot happening around us these days, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t ever afraid, especially when I...

How much do I love this ogham? It’s tattooed on my skin. Sure, as a gardener who focuses on native plantings, honeysuckle is a bane. I’ve hired people to help me pull it out, but I can still appreciate how pretty the flowers are, how nice it smells when it’s in bloom, and how GOOD it is at thriving. It isn’t the plant’s fault. All the qualities that make it invasive are advantages: leafing out earlier than anything else in the understory, climbing for sunshine and nutrients, and twining...