Dorothy Gilman, Author at The Belmont Voice

Garden Gems: A Drought-Tolerant Shade Tree

November 18, 2024

As dry weather persists nationwide, nurseries are turning their attention to drought-tolerant plants. On a list extolling the virtues of five drought-tolerant trees, I was pleased to see a favorite denizen of my garden, Acer rubrum, the red maple. Previous Columns Red…

Opinion

Garden Gems: Purple Love Grass is the Perfect Perennial

August 26, 2024

In this summer of extremes—drench, drought, horrible heat—many plants in my garden have struggled. But one of them, purple love grass, Eragrostis spectabilis, has taken it all in beautiful stride. Purple love grass is an easy to grow, low-maintenance, perennial bunchgrass. It…

Opinion

Garden Gems: You Can Grow Cactus in New England

August 9, 2024

Years ago, when shopping for rock garden plants at my local nursery, I was surprised to find a cactus, eastern prickly pear, Opuntia humifusa, on offer. The notion of growing cactus in my east coast garden, some 2,500 miles from the nearest…

Opinion

Garden Gems: Mayapples, Bumblebees, and Box Turtles

June 9, 2024

Mayapples, Podophyllum peltatum, are an interesting native woodland plant. Their wide (around one foot) deeply lobed leaves are carried singly or in pairs on 12 to 15-inch stems; a group of them resembles an encampment of green umbrellas, rather like an illustration…