A common sight along roadside ditches, as well as in carefully tended residential flower gardens, is the Day Lily, known to the botanist as (Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus).

This time of year one can see along roadsides, in and on both public and private lands, a beautiful wildflower, commonly called Yucca, Adam's Needles, or Spanish Bayonet. It is Yucca filamentosa L. and every single part of the plant is said to be useful.

Long, green sword-like leaves 12-32" in length, 1-3.5" wide, comprise most of the green portion, while the flower stalk arises centrally, erupting in a tall and beautiful display of large white blossoms having plenty roomy for a bumblebee. The plant may reach 4-5' in height.

Growing one's own lettuce at home is relatively easy. This year our garden hosted three varieties of absolutely delicious and beautiful lettuces.

Forellenschluss is a hardy one that has survived, uncovered, the entire winter, when a late summer or fall planting was made so that the plants reached an edible stage by September or October. It has beautiful burgundy swirls throughout each leaf.

A truly delicious wild green, similar in taste to spinach or lambsquarter, was pointed out by a neighbor who has eaten it in season for as long as he can remember. It is called Shawnee. It is cooked in the same manner as spinach or lambsquarter, and the main difference in taste is more of a texture, as it is "grainier" than the other two, yet still delicious steamed with a little butter or olive oil.

One of the most delicious foods this writer knows is Lambsquarter, Chenopodium album L. This tasty green is related to spinach, beets, and Swiss chard, and compared to spinach, this one is tastier in the opinion of many.

Ozark Chinquapin Tree Deserves Protection After 35 Years

When snow is on the ground, the sun is hiding, and the days are dreary, ponder this. Many people can grow a couple of tomato plants all winter long inside their homes. Of course the key is size and variety.

Most tomato varieties I've ever grown will tower over a human, and will climb up tall trellises, if they are tied securely enough. But sometimes (in the winter) we might not want a behemoth of a plant inside our house. Last year we grew, by accident somewhat, a tomato variety that is absolutely PERFECT for the south window in wintertime.

One of the most difficult-to-grow food crops for those living in mountainous areas such as the Ozarks regions of Arkansas and Missouri is grain. Because most of us who live on "Billy goat land" do not farm row crops in large quantities, we rarely grow much of our own wheat, barley, oats, etc. And in fact, when some of us try to grow corn, wildlife gets 99% of it.

This is a good time of year to check out the woods and meadows for mushrooms. It just so happens within 3 days of each other, I found two edible and beautiful specimens.

Remember those large, black and yellow garden spiders (Argiope aurantia) that seemed so scary when you were a child? Fortunately they are still around, although some reports state they are declining in numbers like just about every other form of wildlife.

It is important to keep in mind that by mowing large swaths of tall wildflowers, grasses, and what-have-you, in the later summer or early fall, you could be disrupting the life cycle of these beautiful and beneficial creatures.