First published 4/9/20 Dr. Jan Haldeman takes viewers through a walk in the Pressly Gardens and explains the Christian symbolism associated with several plants.

Written 4/1/25 Yes, it's wisteria again at the peak of its blooming now in town and along roadsides. These beautiful cascading bunches of fragrant purple blooms burst from a vine that is a good example of an invasive plant species…

Written 12/16/24 Wintertime gives our evergreen trees the chance to stand out among a crowd of bare branches on their deciduous neighbors such as oak, maple, and elm. One of Erskine’s most beautiful evergreens is our biblical Cedar of Lebanon,…

Written 2/26/25 Each spring it’s easy to notice flowers of showy trees like cherries, pears, and dogwoods. Less apparent are flowers of even earlier “bloomers” like elms, maples, and oaks. Consider our native Winged Elm (Ulmus alata) as an example…

Written 3/17/25 What is a shamrock? And what's its connection with Ireland and St. Patrick's Day? The word "shamrock" comes from Irish "seamrog," meaning "little clover," but since there are nearly 300 species of "clovers," it's difficult to pinpoint one…