Plant Story--Fennel, Foeniculum vulgare, the Original Marathon

Fennel, Foeniculum vulgare, was called márathon in Greek. 

In the late summer of 490 BCE, a small army from the Greek City-State of Athens defeated a much larger Persian army on the plain of Marathon. This plain had abundant wild fennel, which is why it was called Marathon. Then a messenger from the Greek army ran 26.2 miles without stopping, to bring the news of the victory to Athens. The battle was a major event in the wars between Greece and Persia and commoration by running the distance from Marathon to Athens became a common celebration, called a marathon. You doubtless know that story, but not that marathon means fennel. (Many of the details are unclear see for example link).

Fennel, Foeniculum vulgare

Thoughts on Native Plants

"What's native to my area?" Gardeners are asking that a lot these days.

It says a lot about how thoroughly we have changed the landscape that many people have almost no experience with the plants that are native where they live.

historical back yard, no natives

Travel Story--The Isle of Guernsey

Guernsey is a small island in the English Channel between England and France. Although closer to France, it is a dependency of the English Crown. I visited in September (2026), here is some of what I saw

Guernsey landscape

Plant Story--Four o'clocks, Mirabilis; Watch For Them

 Hiking through the grassland, you see a plant with pretty pale flowers. But you can't match it in the plant book.

four o'clock plant

It is a four o'clock, genus Mirabilis (Nyctanginaceae, the family of bougainvillea) and the problem is, those white "flowers" are not flowers but bracts that surrounded the base of the flowers. 

Travel Story--The Isle of Jersey

 We flew to Jersey, between England and France, on a very short flight from Southampton, England. 

Jersey from the air

Plant Story -- Beautiful Butterflybush, Buddleja davidii

 Butterflybush, Buddleja davidii is a shrub from China. It has long clusters of flowers, purple or rose, lavender or white. They attract butterflies, hence the common name.

butterflybush, Buddleja davidii

Plants You Meet Everywhere. My New Book

Plants You Meet Everywhere, Their Stories is the title of my new book, available on Amazon and from me. As a person who notices plants wherever she goes, I have stepped off airplanes far across the globe and felt lost. Often there are strange-shaped trees, unfamiliar shrubs, and flowers I've never seen before. I am uneasy when I don't know the plants. So when I spotted a dandelion or a marigold, it was a comfort. 

marigolds, Tagetes, growing in a garden in Cornwall 10/1/26