Indoor plants have gotten a bad rap and are often associated with dusty and dowdy African violets, languishing philodendrons, and bloom-free orchids. No longer! It’s time for plant lovers to dust off their houseplants, update their image, and discover just how exciting, trendy, and crucial plants can be in the home.

The Unexpected Houseplant isn’t your typical, old-fashioned, dowdy houseplant book. Martin’s approach is revolutionary—picture brilliant spring bulbs by the bed, lush perennials brought in from the garden, quirky succulents in the kitchen, even flowering vines and small trees growing beside an easy chair. Along with loads of visual inspiration, readers will learn how to make unusual selections, where to best position plants in the home, and valuable tips on watering, feeding, grooming, pruning, and troubleshooting, season by season.

Comprehensive, up-to-the-minute, and illustrated with gorgeous photography by Kindra Clineff, The Unexpected Houseplant is for beginners, green thumbs, decorators, and anyone who wants to infuse a bit of surprising green into their décor.

Wassail Ponies

The town of Woodstock Vermont celebrated it’s 28th “Annual Wassail Weekend” over the past 3 days.  Yesterday, December 10th was the highlight of the weekend festivities, the 27th “Annual Equestrian Parade”. The parade was coordinated by the Green Mountain Horse Association, High Horses Therapeutic Riding Program and the Chamber of Commerce.

Contrary to the Chambers promotional material the Green is not the best place to view the parade. I find the best viewing is any where along Pleasant Street  and Central Street up to High Street.  So next year dress warmly, bring your camera and come on up to Woodstock.

A trogger (Scottish) is a travelling hawker or packman. While neither quite a hawker or packman, Burgess hawks the many the beautiful, the not so beautiful, the interesting and not so interesting, people, places and things found around New England.

Follow Burgess as he packs up his camera bag, pad n’ pencil and maybe notebook and hits the road. He has waited years to discover and re-discover New England.

Burgess invites you to submit you your comments or thoughts on where you think Burgess night visit.