Book Review: 'The Home Place Memoirs of a Colored Man’s Love Affair with Nature'

 

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In his debut memoir, self-described “eco-addict” J. Drew Lanham explores the connection between trees and family trees, birds and brethren, and most importantly of all, the place where mother nature and human nature meet. Taken together, it makes for a unique reading experience; one in which the book’s meditative qualities far surpass any semblance of a conventional plot. Let the reader be warned, there are no fireworks here—simply the musings of an African-American naturalist who, throughout his lifetime, has trained himself to marvel at the minor. Trust me, that is enough.

"In me, there is the red of miry clay, the brown of spring floods, the gold of ripening tobacco. All of these hues are me; I am, in the deepest sense, colored.” From these fertile soils of love, land, identity, family, and race emerges The Home Place, a big-hearted, unforgettable memoir by ornithologist and professor of ecology J. Drew Lanham.

Read more: AmyLouJenkins.com

Going Native with the Red Buckeye

Plant from my first Buckeye seed

The red buckeye (Aesculus pavia) delights nature lovers. People love them for their striking foliage and blooms. Is it a tree or a shrub?  The answer lies in the conditions the plant grows in. In rich soil and sunshine, it’s likely to become a small tree, growing over 15 feet tall. In poorer soil or shadier conditions, it’s likely to be more shrub-like. The stunning, bright red flowers bloom in late spring. Planting this buckeye in your yard offers a wide range of benefits including improved soil fertility, increased wildlife activity, as well as providing habitat nectar for pollinators. Like most native plants, this lovely shrub has a relationship with its landscape. There are many reasons to plant and nurture the red buckeye, sometimes called scarlet buckeye, in your garden.

The lovey buckeye trees are considered toxic to humans and animals if ingested. While dogs don’t tend to find it enticing, some pets will eat anything. If your pet chews on objects that are not obviously food;

 supervise them around your landscape, or consider not adding this tree to your yard. As for kids, tell them the tree and seeds are toxic. Keep little ones away from danger.

The red buckeye is a deciduous shrub/tree that blooms in mid-spring. It's a hardy plant in Zones 4b to 8.  With waxy green leaves and clusters of bright red flowers, it grows best in full to partial sun and can thrive in acidic and alkaline soils. The red buckeye gets its name from the seeds that resemble the eye of a deer.

I look to the shrub in spring for its first flush of growth, fast-growing spikes of palmate leaves, and the flower buds that draw the season’s first pollinators and hummingbirds.  Read more