A few years ago, if someone had suggested that I would be brewing tea from orange peels, fig leaves, and the assortment of wild plants flourishing in my yard, I would have giggled in disbelief. My perception of tea was limited to the neatly packaged bags sold at the store, each little bag a promise of convenience.
I still vividly recall a few memorable trips to Great Britain, where I savored the robust flavor of a PG Tips tea bag—moments like that felt exquisitely sophisticated to me! The British, with their ritual approach and passion for creating the perfect cuppa, truly have mastered the art of tea.

Read the full On The Table column in your Thursday Bowie News.

We are all familiar with the term surprise lilies. This name is mostly attributed to members of the Lycoris genus.
In the south the red Lycoris radiata and yellow Lycoris aurea are two of the most treasured surprise lilies.
We are approaching their season of bloom. If you aren’t familiar with the term surprise lily the descriptor is common as we forget about them, including where they were planted but suddenly as school approaches they begin to bloom in glorious displays.

Read the full Garden Guy column in your Thursday Bowie News.

If you’ve been looking for a plump 24-30-inch tall and wide white lantana then you are about to have a new ingredient for all your mixed container and border designs. This breakthrough variety is called Luscious Vanilla Breeze.
The flowers open a soft yellow but as The Garden Guy watches them every day white is the color—or should I say lack of color—that I see. It is truly a beautiful selection. Luscious Vanilla Breeze will be the flowers you see on your patio or deck at dusk and the look on a moonlit night will be magical.

Read the full Garden Guy column in your Thursday Bowie News.