Everyday exotics: The time has come to rethink the orchid's diva reputation

They're beautiful. They're exotic. They're available at your supermarket, for Pete's sake! With orchids popping up at practically every turn, we couldn't help wondering if we had been too hasty in dismissing this perpetual prom queen as too fussy, too high maintenance - too much trouble for our busy modern lives.

Orchids need the right light touch

Want great blooms from your orchid? Be sure it gets enough light. Here are tips from "Bloom-Again Orchids":

* Use this rule of thumb: Look at the leaves. If they are a dark, lush green, your orchid needs more light. A lighter, grassy green signals sufficient light.

The armchair gardener: lore and legend

A new book by Diana Wells "Lives of the Trees: An Uncommon History" (Algonquin, 2010, $19.95) can help while away a gardener's midwinter.

The tome is a compendium, from acacia to yew, of uncommon tree tales - enough esoterica and darn-good yarns to chew on for quite some time.

How to make the most of Valentine's Day flowers

There may be cheaper ways to declare your love on Valentine's Day than by saying it with flowers, but that doesn't mean having to forgo a bouquet. Just put more thought into the presentation.

Get Growing: University Gallery spotlights green buildings

Sustainable architecture is surely the wave of the future and much of it is happening right here in the Pioneer Valley. A semester-long exhibition of green buildings opens Wednesday at the University Gallery in the Fine Arts Center at the University of Massachusetts. It highlights the local work of architects, interior designers, regional planners and community groups.

Real Estate Matters: Right-sizing your finances - the first step is the hardest

Right-sizing your finances probably isn't your idea of the best way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon. And it certainly doesn't seem like the thing you'd want to do over your cup of morning joe.

Gardener's Checklist

Save the trimmings from onions, celery, carrots and parsley when making salads or other dishes. Freeze the trimmings for later use in soup stock. When making stock, I sauté the trimmings in olive oil for a few minutes to release the flavors of the vegetables before adding water. After a few hours of simmering, the end result is a great-tasting vegetable stock.