February is the shortest month, so if you are having a miserable month, try to reschedule for February.

~Lemony Snicket

A Plant - Barrenwort, Epimedium

Here is a plant that provides hardiness, floral beauty, foliar interest, and a great story, all in one place. Plants can be evergreen, although not particularly handsome. I usually cut off all the “evergreen” leaves in late fall or early spring and let new growth appear.

The flowers are outstanding and really worth bending down to admire them. They require 2-3 years for maturity and abundant flowering, but then you will be sharing them with your neighbours. My favorite is ‘Pink Champagne’, but there are dozens out there.

The common name is barrenwort; I wonder what that is all about.

A Garden - Bartram’s Garden, Philadelphia, PA

If you have ever done any studying of botany or horticulture, or if you are simply a plant lover, you have likely heard of John Bartram. If not, perhaps you have read about Carl Linnaeus, the renowned taxonomist. He called John Bartram “the greatest natural botanist in the world”. John Bartram started what is known as Bartram’s Garden in 1728 and is considered the first botanic garden in the United States. Still open to the public. It is well worth a visit, if for no other reason, to pay homage to one of the “Gods of Botany”.

The garden is more than interesting. You can see his original stone house built c. 1730, his original garden (1728), and extraordinary tree species. Three of particular interest are Franklinia, planted in 1777, and named for his friend Benjamin Franklin. An exceptionally wonderful yellowwood (Cladastris kentuckea) and a male gingko, believed to be the oldest ginkgo in North America.

Winter always wins, but a clever gardener knows how to negotiate the terms.

~Empress of Dirt

A Book

The Correspondent,

Author: Virginia Evans

Fiction

A friend of a friend of a friend recommended this book about a lady who wrote letters to friends and family. I can’t say I was full of anticipation, but after about the first 30 pages, I was hooked. The septuagenarian protagonist, Sybil Van Antwerp, writes letters to her brother, her best friend, the department head of a University who won’t allow her to audit classes, and even to well-known authors.

As she writes, we meet characters in her life and interactions with her son, her husband, and her daughter, Fiona, with whom her relationship has become strained. We meet her best friend Rosalie, godmother to Fiona, and the events that tie them together. And lastly, as if there are not enough characters to enjoy, we meet Hattie, from England, who may be her biological sister.

Even after completing The Correspondent, I was not really able to summarize it; I simply know I came away having been very happy I read it. It is a book with endless story lines.

BTW, I also wanted to get back to writing letters.

A Show/Movie- The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

I could have also chosen this as a book, so either read it or watch the movie. Regardless, it is a wonderful story of a very ordinary man married to Maureen, who seems irritated by nearly everything Harold does. After receiving a letter from Queenie, an old acquaintance who is dying in a hospice, he leaves the house to mail a letter of condolence – and keeps on walking. He decides that he must see his old friend again and asks her to stay alive until he reaches her. The hospice and Queenie are 450 miles away.

Along his long and weary pilgrimage, Harold interacts with many people, all of whom see him as an inspiration and want to be part of his passage. Sometimes, this is a good thing, and at others not so much.

The book is far more than just a journey; however, it is one of redemption, looking back on the past and coming face to face with failures and regrets. While there are certainly unhappy moments, for me, it is not at all a sad tale (others in my book club disagreed). And even though Maureen is left behind, she is very much part of Harold’s pilgrimage.

Our book club loved it.

Watch Here

A Place - The Arches National Park, Utah

When I began writing Favorites, one of the first places I recommended was Bryce Canyon National Park. At the time, I debated between Bryce and other parks I had visited in the area, one of them being Arches National Park. Now that travel season is almost here, it is time to extol the fascination of this park.

“Just a bunch of rocks”, I overheard a sweating overweight walker mutter. I recommend good walking shoes, proper walking clothes and losing weight. Hiking is highly recommended, but not if ill prepared.

Arches is many things, and wait until you see those bunches of rocks. To hike to the Landscape Arch or to see the Balanced Rock – there are truly no words to describe them. “Wow” just doesn’t seem enough.

The “Mighty 5” national parks - Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef and Zion - are a fabulous vacation trip. You will never look at rocks quite the same again.

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Anyone who enjoys reading, traveling, and gardening could write a column like this. So, if you're keen, please send me feedback on your favorites and include a book, place, plant, or garden you recommend.

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I Simply Remember These Favorite Things with Dr. A ~February 2026