In an earlier episode, Dennis from New Smyrna Beach, Florida, was having trouble recalling a word that denotes the interval between the end of an event or of someone’s life and the death of the last person that has a meaningful memory of it. We had...
Grant quizzes Martha about some odd terms: three sisters garden, weak-hand draw, and strimmer. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Three Sisters Garden” You’re listening to A Way with Words. I’m Martha Barnette. And I’m Grant Barrett...
heaving n.— «The changing temperature of our winters causes garden soil to expand and contract. This process can literally lift a plant out of its planting hole in the garden. This process is known as heaving. Many newly planted perennials succumb...
When is a mango not a mango? Why, when it’s a bell pepper, of course! An Indiana listener says she and her Kentucky in-laws have entirely different names for this vegetable. She wants to know why, so we help her sort it out.
carpet planting n.— «The Garden’s Cocos used “carpet planting” as another term for the pincushion gardens, because of their intense, dense planting.» —“Victorian garden steps into heyday” by Janice Denham Suburban Journals (Town and Country...
How do you pronounce eco, as in eco-friendly? Is it EE-koe or EK-koe? A seller of environmentally friendly products learns whether she can tell her teenage son to go spread his pronunciation in the garden. This is part of a complete episode...
