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Mother Nature's Garden
Latest Mother Nature's Garden
Speedwell, a beautiful weed
Hiking in late winter or very early spring requires an open mind about the plants that can be found. Sure, there are always Christmas ferns, ... Read more
4 weeks ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
Hiking can be a voyage of discovery
Spending time outside, whether gardening or hiking, is just plain good for you. Hiking and walking have been called moving meditations because they enable people ... Read more
2 months ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
New apps for field work
Not too many years ago, hiking meant carrying a heavy backpack filled with my favorite field guides – some for plants, some for mushrooms and ... Read more
3 months ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
The aftermath of finding a rare plant
A good part of last year was spent hiking with a list of plants that needed to be documented in various counties. For example, common ... Read more
3 months ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
Torrey’s mountain mint: A rare find
It’s been so hot and dry that I decided Oct. 4 would be my last major hike before the skunk cabbages emerge in late December. ... Read more
6 months ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
A tale of persistence and what grows in the swamp
While mucking about in a swampy area at Holliday Lake State Park last month, I stumbled upon an odd looking little plant that I had ... Read more
6 months ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
Long-lobed arrowhead: An uncommon plant
In the early days of the commonwealth, the naming of rivers was arbitrary. Settlers along a particular waterway named it whatever they pleased. For example, ... Read more
7 months ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
The difference in buttonweed
It’s been so hot that my hikes have been reduced to half-hearted slogs up and down the back roads near my farm. No enthusiasm and ... Read more
8 months ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
Wood Betony: an interesting hemiparasite
There are some native plants that I just can’t keep straight in my head unless I see the leaves and the flowers together. Wood betony, ... Read more
9 months ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
Slipper Orchids: Love and obsession
Wildflower people are both incredibly generous and seriously obsessive. This spring I’ve been the recipient of untold generosity. It’s common knowledge that everyone loves lady’s ... Read more
10 months ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
The thrill of the find
In my ongoing rambles in the woods, I visit new places every year, but I also return to the same areas over and over every ... Read more
12 months ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
Lyre-leaf sage: An assertive native
Walk across any unkempt lawn (mine!), waste area or woodland clearing this month and you’ll find basal rosettes of dark green and purple leaves that ... Read more
12 months ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
Coltsfoot: an early sign of spring
By late February, most of us are so desperate for early signs of spring that we’re overjoyed to find henbit and purple dead nettle infesting ... Read more
1 year ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
Naming plants
When people on my Facebook wildflower page talk about plants, there can be massive confusion. Many of them are intimidated by scientific names so they ... Read more
1 year ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
Virginia Creeper: vibrant color to brighten a fall day
Visit that massive stone heap, Blenheim Palace, in October and you’ll find the walls near the main entrance and clock tower glowing red in the ... Read more
1 year ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
Blue Mushrooms and Hens for Dinner
When I was a kid, about a 1,000 years ago, mushrooms were an exotic food that came in small cans. They were precooked, brownish gray ... Read more
1 year ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
The Wild Onion Controversy
As many of you know, I manage a Virginia Wildflower Community Page on Facebook. It has just under 2,000 members, many of whom are very ... Read more
1 year ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
Dodder: An interesting parasite
Yesterday I was driving on the Powhite Parkway, getting ready to merge onto 288 S. when something bright orange caught my eye. There in some ... Read more
2 years ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
Thugs and potential thugs
I’ve been searching for wildflowers since I was about 12 years old. It’s what my dad and I did on Sunday afternoon. One summer when ... Read more
2 years ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
Species of roses
Roses are very old flowering plants. Fossil evidence shows that they’re around 35 million years old. The cultivation of roses probably began in China over ... Read more
2 years ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
The mystique of lady’s slippers
Virginia has quite a few species of native orchids. Some are showy, while others are almost drab by comparison; they don’t look the way most ... Read more
2 years ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
Yellow confusion in Mother Nature’s garden
It all began with a series of posts on my Facebook wildflower community page. There was a flurry of photos of plants with yellow blooms ... Read more
2 years ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
A tale of two plants
Walk through just about any wooded area in Prince Edward or surrounding counties and you’re likely to find a short perennial plant with thick, dark ... Read more
2 years ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
Old friends rediscovered in new places
Nearly 10 years ago, I found some trailing arbutus (Epigaea repens) at Holliday Lake on the Lakeshore Trail. It was more than halfway around the ... Read more
2 years ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
Consider the dandelion
Dandelions. Children are endlessly fascinated by them. They’re often the first flower that kids can identify, and probably the only one that they can pick ... Read more
2 years ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
Native Plants for winter interest
It’s still cold in the woods, so February is the perfect time to take a leisurely stroll through your home garden to see how it ... Read more
2 years ago by Dr. Cynthia Wood.
Thugs and potential thugs
Just like people, plants manage to slip into our country uninvited; they hitchhike in packing materials or grain, for example. Some are well behaved and ... Read more