Wicked Plants Entertain and Delight

Algonquin Books will release Amy Stewart's
highly anticipated new book in May.


I just received a preview copy and read most of it. What a trip it is to read: The history of poisonings, murders and plant-induced hallucinations.

Many of us avid readers know that the women of Salem would have been spared the witch trials if science had prevailed. The rye had spoiled and they were poisoned, leading to erratic behavior.

But many of the stories, Stewart has pulled into this great little volume, were new to me.

In addition to the pure fun of the information for plant people, there is a serious warning to parents and pet owners: The careless eating of many plants can be harmful to health.

Leaves, berries, roots, sap and brushing up against some plants will cause problems from itchy rashes to nausea and worse. As a poison ivy rash sufferer I understand that problem. Euphorbia sap does not bother my skin though I know it does bother others.

I do not indiscriminately eat things in a park or in the woods and I always wonder who is.

Amy Stewart's "Wicked Plants: A Book of Botanical Atrocities" is 256 pages packed with information that is a delight to read and good to know.

If Stewart's name is new to you, here is a link to her site. There you will find a link to her blog and more examples of her down to earth wit and wisdom.

Green Thougts

The Rage Diaries has list after list of possibilities for anyone who wants to be more green in their daily life. The link above is to the entry called, "Is the color of your burnout green?"

Another site to check out is Green as a Thistle. The author is a writer in Toronto. The blog is about " living as green a lifestyle as it gets. I hope, in the end, this proves that being an environmentalist doesn't necessarily have to require massive change, compromise or Greenpeace levels of dedication — it can be simple, and inspiring."

You can get plenty of inspiration from both of these blogs to make a difference.

In a post called Wiggly Wigglers, Amy Stewart writes in SF Gate that going to iTunes and doing a search for the word gardening in the podcast section yields some amusement for this holiday weekend.

Gardening Blogs

When we have worn ourselves out gardening, it's time to do something else. Clicking around the Internet can be a great non-television way to relax and rest.

If you plan to go to the opening of Moonshadow Herb Farm this weekend, here's a link to a blog about scented geraniums - check out Geranium Blog before you go to Moonshadow to buy Sharon Owen's selections.

The photo is native plum blossoms.

Are you a tree lover and hugger or just in the market for tree-talk? Here is a blog that waxes poetic about trees and has photos of trees so you can see what they look like. Click here for the link to "A Tree Grower's Diary" with writing and photos by Julie Walton Shaver.

And, since it is time to start working on the lawn, click on the Lawn Care blog for an expert's advice.

Earth Friendly Gardening is a writer's blog that is focused on sustainable gardening for a healthy planet.

An acknowledged expert in treading lightly on the earth, Henry David Thoreau, has his own blog with entries dated during his lifetime.

Other famous people in the gardening world have blogs. For example, author Amy Stewart has a highly regarded blog called Dirt. Stewart's blog has lists upon lists of links to other blogs. The categories include: Chicken gear, chicken info, chicken blogs, garden blogs, earthworm links, i.e. something for everyone interested in the earth.