A patch of dirt shouldn't be expected to compete with a pharmacy shelf. However, there is a biological network hidden beneath our feet that could subtly change the way we…
A few decades ago, measurements of blood pressure, cholesterol, and calories burned or consumed were used to define wellness. A new type of language is emerging today. One that emphasizes…
When I first noticed my shoulders relaxing while watering a plant I had almost forgotten about, my belief that gardening was primarily about aesthetics—keeping something alive long enough to look…
Creating a backyard haven doesn't start with a shopping list; rather, it starts with identifying the things that compel you to spend time outside when you don't need to. The…
It was in a backyard, not a therapy session, that I witnessed grief begin to ease in real time for the first time. Rather than offering words of comfort, my…
A flower surpassing years of pharmaceutical research is not something that happens often. But when the Firefly Petunia blossomed, both literally and figuratively, that's exactly what happened. Not because it…
Herbal medicine occupied an uncomfortable niche in the medical field for many years. Seldom invited to the main table, but not completely rejected. Physicians put up with it. Scientists were…
It's easy to forget how commonplace wellness used to be because the discourse surrounding it has changed so much to emphasize luxury. You were supposed to outsource taking care of…
A row of mismatched porcelain pots growing purple sage, lemon balm, and holy basil are situated on a small patio in the Wicker Park district of Chicago. The purpose of…
A lone pot of rosemary extends sideways along the path of the late morning sun on the ledge of a walk-up on the fourth floor in Brooklyn. A faded tomato…