By Tamara Galbraith

"Even a man who is pure in heart
And says his prayers by night,
Could become a wolf when the wolfsbane blooms,
And the autumn moon is bright."
- THE WOLF MAN (1941, Universal Pictures)

Ok, it's safe to say that most gardeners probably don't have a problem with werewolves in their landscape. But since it's the Halloween season, let's pretend the snarling you hear from the other room isn't your spouse snoozing away in the recliner, but a vicious wolfman you can only ward off with magical herbs! But which ones?

Well, the most obvious choice is Wolfsbane, also known commonly as Monkshood. Although there are several varieties of this plant, the two that are most popular for the garden are aconitum carmichaelii and aconitum napellus. Carmichaelii is a little over 3 ft. and is sometimes sold as a. fischeri. Aconitum napellus is about 4 ft. tall with more finely divided leaves. Native throughout Europe, including Britain, it can be found growing wild in shady places such as stream courses, ditches, or in highland meadows. The fleshy taproot puts out new daughter roots annually. The erect stem is covered with soft down; the leaves are dark green and glossy above, whitish green beneath. The purple or blue flowers are borne in June and July.

Wolfsbane is used by werewolves to cure themselves of their affliction. Also, if you wrap an aconitum seed in lizard skin, it will apparently allow you to become invisible at will. (Now, wouldn't that be handy!?!) Medieval witches were reputed to have used chips of flint coated in the plant extract to throw at intended victims, who at first would probably not notice anything except a scratch, but would shortly become ill and die. These darts were known as 'elf-bolts'. Some also believed wolfsbane would neutralize the poison of scorpions, and that just the smell would kill rats and mice from a distance.

The actual history of wolfsbane is much darker than mystical lore, however. The name wolfsbane comes from the fact that is was used as a poisonous bait to eradicate wolves from the European continent. In ancient times, it was used as a human poison, either to taint the water supplies of enemies or in the euthanization of older citizens who had "outgrown their usefulness."

This is not a plant you will commonly find in nurseries, as it is notoriously difficult to grow from seed and is also temperamental about being transplanted. We do carry a small quantity of Wolfsbane in the spring. And, as you've probably surmised from the above, wolfsbane is extremely toxic. But sometimes the lore behind a plant is fun to know, whether it's in your yard or not. Whatever the case, please don't feed it to your snoring husband, even if it sometimes seems like he has, um..."outgrown his usefulness."

By Tamara Galbraith

Despite its somewhat scary name, Witch hazel (Hamamelis) is a lovely, diminutive, cool season blooming tree native to damp woodlands in eastern North America.

There are actually four species, two in North America (H. virginiana and H. vernalis), and one each in Japan (H. japonica) and China (H. mollis). When everything else in the garden is colorless, witch hazel takes the spotlight with her clusters of rich yellow to orange-red flowers that continue throughout the winter. The fragrant, inch-wide yellow or mahogany colored flowers appear in February after the coldest days of winter are past. The petals are strap shaped and open on warm days, closing at night and on cold days.

So why the spooky common name?

Well, the word "witch," has its origins in the Middle English term "wiche," from the Old English "wice," meaning "bendable." Supposedly, though, the plant really got its name from the use of the twigs as divining rods. Just as hazel twigs were used in England for dowsing or "water-witching," early Americans used witch hazel twigs in the unscientific practice of locating such things as underground water, hidden metal, etc.

A green forked branch in the shape of a "Y" was removed from the tree and stripped of leaves and sometimes the bark. The arms of the Y were held with the palms upward and the base of the Y straight up. As the dowser crisscrossed the fields, the branch was supposed to twist until it pointed to wherever water, ores, or valuable treasures were hidden under the soil.

Give it a try the next time you lose your trowel in the front yard or launch a golf ball into the woods. Or, maybe not. But do put a witch hazel tree in your landscape if you're looking for a small carefree tree that provides gorgeous winter color!

By Tamara Galbraith

The temperatures are getting cooler, and your herbs are slowing down. Time to harvest, enjoy...and prepare for next season where possible.

Pull off and dry all the leaves you can from parsley, French sorrel, coriander/cilantro, and basil.

For woody perennial herbs such as thyme, rosemary, lavender, savory, and tarragon, don't cut too much off. A few sprigs is okay, but discontinue heavy pruning of woody herbs before you expect the first fall frost.

To overwinter non-hardy herbs indoors, dig up the plants before the first fall frost. Put each one into a pot that's slightly bigger than its rootball, and then let them rest in a partly shaded outdoor location for a week or so before bringing them indoors. (Chives are an exception, however; leave them outside to enjoy a little of winter's brisk temperatures before potting up and bringing in.)

Whiteflies and spider mites can be a problem for indoor herbs. Spray with an insecticide and try to increase the humidity around your plants by spraying plants often with a mister.