Book Review: Container Gardeners Handbook
Karen If you like plants you will probably need or want at least a few containers filled with plants no matter where you live. Francis Tophill’s book, Container Gardener’s Handbook presents…
Weeds and Their Control: Broomsedge (Andropogon virginicus)
Also called whiskey grass, broomsedge is bunch grass native to southeastern US but has expanded its native range and can be found in the Midwest, Northeast, California and Hawaii. The…
Plant Profile: Giant Larkspur (Consolida ajacis aka C. ambigua))
Also called doubtful knight’s spur, rocket larkspur, this herbaceous cool weather annual is a member of the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that also includes anemone, hellebore, and columbine. It is native…
Plants of Colonial Williamsburg: Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Also known as swine’s snout, Irish daisy, puffball, and peasant’s cloak, dandelion is a herbaceous perennial and a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, yarrow, and…
Plant Profile: Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia)
Also known as the bluebell of Scotland, harebell is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial and a member of the Campanulaceae family that also includes ladybell (Adenophora), balloon flower, and Lobelia. It…
Book Review: Bugs!
From the What on Earth? Explorer series comes this fascinating book on bugs that is sure to capture the attention of any bug lover. It is set up as a…
Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives: Butterfly Bush (Buddleja davidii)
Butterfly bush is a deciduous medium to large shrub native to central China where it forms thickets along waterways. It is naturalized in the US, readily colonizes natural and disturbed…
Plant Profile: Threadleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata)
Threadleaf coreopsis is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial and a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, sunflower, and lettuce. It is native to southeastern US where it…
Genus Dianthus for the Garden
Dianthus is a genus in the carnation family, Caryophyllaceae, and includes sweet william and pinks. Most of the species are annuals , biennials, or herbaceous perennials and are native to…
Plant Profile: American Alumroot (Heuchera americana)
Also called rock geranium, this evergreen, clump-forming, herbaceous perennial is a member of the saxifrage family, Saxifragaceae, that also includes astilbe, bergenia, and tiarella. It is native to the eastern…