#2 (Summer 2007)

Columnists:
Daniel J. Gilbride, Donna McDonald-Bailey, Gordon Bower, Mark Hooten, Michelle Healy, Sadhu Govardhan, Tatiana & Mike
(See more info about our columnists)

• Five Battles for the Colors of Summer
  • From the authors of the project
    • ...Our own garden is full of colors now – blossoms and butterflies is what you see around. After our big move last year, this colorful kaleidoscope is truly awarding: it’s been quite a challenge for us!..
      
      
• Zone-Pushing
  • Temperature drops – an alert or a rehearsal?
    • ...What tropical perennials to choose for planting this summer season? Can you plant tropicals and expect them to make it through winter?...
      
      
• Wildlife Habitat
  • Donna's Reborn Garden: "Rebuilding our lives and Wildlife Habitatafter Hurricane Katrina"
• ...Donna's garden and house were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina during the New Orleans tragedy in 2005... She's recovered, re-built her home and a beautiful habitat better than it was before!..
  
  
• From Gordon – The Palmaholic
  • Fooling Mother Nature - at least for a while... (Palms you are not supposed to grow)
    • ...Don't give me no stinkin' zone limits! Once you start growing palms, you are going to lust for those that aren't supposed to grow in your area. You'll be surprised at how irrelevant zone limitations are if you follow a few simple rules...
      
      
• Legendary Plants
  • Cinnamon as is
    • ..."Only one out of five ships from Magellan's fleet returned - the "Victoria". However, the hold carried 26 tons of spices, sufficient to cover the losses of the expedition and to actually make a profit for the investors..." An exciting story of Cinnamon - the most famous world's spice... This historical plant can be easily grown in your garden...
      
      
• Do-It-Yourself Projects
  • Indoor lighting for tropical plants – PART 1
    • ...Indoor plants are very unlucky: they have to grow in "caves," and everybody knows that plants don't grow in the caves. No light - no growth, no flowering. So, plants need extra light to compensate the lack of illumination in the "room-cave" conditions...
      
      
• Growing Outdoors
  • Sprouting off: Surrounding yourself with tropical lusciousness.
    • "...You can either be used by your yard, or you can use your yard. Whatever I plant in my yard has to GIVE ME something back! Most everyone in my neighborhood wastes lots of money on nearly vacant property, while mine gives me HUGE offerings in return..."
      
      
• Plant School and Clinic
  • Qualitative research approach to CIRKON and EPIN in Supporting Plant Health In Tropical US Territories.
    • ...Virus Runs Rampant in the USVirgin Islands. Two Chemical Treatments Developed in Russia Offer Hope...
      
      
• Nature’s Food and Pharmacy
  • The Amazon Fountain of Youth - Assai
    • ...Only recently has this fruit caught the attention of health-conscious people around the world. From a medicinal perspective, assai’s importance lies in the fact that it is very high in antioxidants. The fruit itself is so nourishing that it sustains millions of people in the Amazon region...
      
      
• New introductions
  • Parade of the Enchanting and Sacred
    • ...A spiritual and sensual symbol of Thailand, a “country of all flowers” really should be Wrightia religiosa – sacred Buddhist flower. This pretty shrub, with fine structure, delicate foliage and heavily perfumed white flowers, presents everywhere – on the streets as hedges, in every garden and of course around Buddhist temples, where it is considered a sacred flower. The perfume of the sacred Wrightias follows you for your entire trip like a magic spirit...
      
      
• Exotic Kaleidoscope
  • Eye-catching pictures of tropical plants. Curious Flowers.
    • ...Some flowers may look inconspicuous or plain when hidden in lush foliage, others perform a spectacular view of massive, multiple clusters or spikes. In both cases, the flower itself can be fully appreciated when encountered tete-a-tete...

 

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