wicked green

Aloe barbadensis…….aka Aloe vera These ornamental succulents look great in small masses, especially when flowering. They need little maintenance or water and even have medicinal uses. They are fairly common, making them easy to find. Best Feature:  bright yellow flowers in spring and summer, low maintenance, drought tolerant From :  South Africa Preferable Places : [...]

Lots of us will be entertaining in the next couple of weeks. In the past, I’ve always felt that tinge of guilt throwing away all those paper plates. Even though they are paper, when they have absorbed food, they can’t be recycled. So here are some other options for wicked green entertaining. One way to [...]

Agave Geminiflora….aka Twin-Flowered Agave This is a great for a small garden focal point, alone or a small cluster of them. They are (usually) symmetrical spheres and add texture and interest.  A living sculpture. Best Feature:  green and some red/purple (when young) evergreen foliage, nice round shape, low maintenance, drought tolerant From :  Mexico Preferable [...]

I came across these while shopping in Crate and Barrel the other day. They are very attractive and made from recycled glass. I really like the chunky feel to them and the thick, colored glass. They’re also very affordable. There’s the Miguel Barware (above).  There are also storage jars and a cruet jug, good for [...]

It’s that time…..time to wrap lots of gifts and watch people open them and throw the paper on the floor, and right into the trash, or possibly a recycling bin. But there are quite a few options to “green up” gift wrap. Saving and reusing the paper is one option. I have been using brown [...]

Santolina virens A great flowering ground cover that is also drought tolerant. Santolina chamaecyparissus or Lavender Cotton, is also a great option with gray foliage and lighter yellow flowers. Best Feature:  dark green, evergreen foliage and masses of small button-like bright yellow flowers, low maintenance, drought tolerant From :  Mediterranean Preferable Places : Sunset Zones [...]

I know, another reusable bag, but this is pretty much the mother load. Baggu has bags for shopping (that are $8 or less if you buy more),  everyday totes and produce bags. The shopping bags come in sacs or pouches in sets of 3 or 5 – great for grocery shopping. Did someone say gift? [...]

Senecio vitalis aka  Narrow Leaf Chalk Fingers (sometimes called Senecio cylindricus) This is a succulent perennial plant but I think that the delicate texture of the foliage make it more appealing and approachable than other succulents. It can cover an area as a high ground cover or can even be used as a houseplant. Best [...]

These are really cool, green, unique bags that are made from reclaimed materials- mostly t-shirts.  The company that makes them , i2we, has a bigger purpose to help and empower women. You can find their story and the bags at their shop at etsy.com. You will need to register with them to purchase anything, but [...]