Favorites: Paghat's Garden

AKA In the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl

This site seems pretty strange at first.  The combination of font color and background color is different.  Some of the articles meander off into odd directions.  I've never actually heard the term "Ratgirl" before, and I'm not quite sure what it means.

This is what I am sure of: Paghat's Garden is one of the best gardening resources out there.  Since it was moved to its own domain in 2002, it has grown to be the largest temperate gardening website in the world and contains over 1,600 articles and 3,500 photographs.  The amazing part is most of the plants highlighted are from Paghat's own garden, which overlooks the Sinclair Inlet of Puget Sound. 

I remember reading once that the Pacific Northwest is the only area in the US with a climate similar enough to Great Britain to be able to copy some of the great English gardens.  This might be true, but Paghat has a wide variety of plants.  Although her zone is very different from my East coast 7b, I still find sound advice on her site.

Each article is different, but they usually give the scientific and common name for the plant, the species' origin, where the specific plant was purchased, and where it is currently growing (including soil and light conditions).  There are typically one or more pictures, showing details and habit.  Sometimes, there are pictures to show growth over the course of several years or to show the plant in fall or winter.

Frequently, the articles will discuss folklore, myths, or legends associated with the plant and origins for the plant's common name(s).  Paghat cites many historical sources, ranging from the Bible to the Doctrine of Signatures.  She has a interest in the human health benefits of herbs, but cannot tolerate "quackery" and is not shy about pointing out the plants (*cough* echinacea *cough*) that have been scientifically proven to be no better than a placebo.

Most of her site is broken up by plant type: Shade Perennials, Ferns, Sun-garden Herbs, Evergreen Shrubs, etc.  There is also an index by scientific name, which is useful if you're looking for something specific.  Finally, there is a Miscellaneous section which contains some really great garden "tours" and other gardening-related essays.  I'm actually late posting this today because I was reading an essay on the harmful affects of earthworms.  That is what I love most about this site: every time I visit, I find something interesting to read.

I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes from Paghat:

"There's also just no such thing as "finishing" a garden & saying, "there, that'll last forever." The garden also imposes its own changes."

What are some of your favorite gardening websites?