Lora Gauss

“A thing of beauty is a joy forever.” – John Keats I would like to think that beautiful things are timeless. Though the memory of them may be, the […]

“Every great drink starts with a plant.” – Amy Stewart It seems particularly appropriate at this festive time of year to pay homage to the central role plants play […]

Nothing adds warmth to the December holiday season like the poinsettia plant. I recall seeing them only in the color red when I was young, but a recent trip […]

“Green fingers are the extension of a verdant heart.” – Russell Page It is not easy to have a green thumb, but many fall gardeners certainly qualify. This time […]

Pumpkins seem to be lurking all around us these fall months. They are seemingly everywhere, such as in lit displays at the Penn State Arboretum Pumpkin Festival or as part […]

“Nature is a haunted house.” – Emily Dickinson   Dickinson, the reclusive American poet, felt the world of nature to be a hauntingly mysterious place, and what better […]

 Ever wondered where that supermarket bouquet of mums comes from? How about the lovely arrangement of yellow roses available at the florist for Mother’s Day or the six-pack of purple […]

John Muir is a common name in my mother’s family. My grandfather, uncle and cousin all lay claim to that name, as well as our distant ancestry in Scotland. It’s easy to imagine, then, why I felt a connection to the famous John Muir while growing up.

Garden environments have long been suspected to have restorative value. Ancient peoples used sacred groves, special rocks and caves for this purpose.