Plant Profile: Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius)
Karen Scotch broom is a deciduous to evergreen, nitrogen-fixing shrub growing 4-8’ tall and is member of the pea family, Fabaceae, that also includes lupine, mimosa, and black locust. It is…
Facts about Thrips that Eat Roses
There are many different kinds of thrips; some are beneficial (can you believe it?) others are not, and this post is only on the destructive kinds, that feast on rose…
Plant Profile: Japanese Iris (Iris ensata syn. kaemperi)
The Japanese have spent over 500 years breeding this beardless iris and have created a spectacular flower that are very different from those of the more familiar German or Siberian…
Garden Journal: May 30, 2010
After days of clouds and rain the sun finally came out bringing warm to hot temperatures and lots of flowers in all parts of the garden. This was a week…
Plant Profile: Annual Cornflower aka Bachelor’s Button (Centaurea cyanus)
Also known as bluebottle, bluet, and bluecap, this cool weather annual is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, sunflower, and lettuce. It is native to…
Four Roses Join the Earth-Kind Roses List
Four roses have recently met the standards established by the Texas AgriLife Extension to join the list of Earth-Kind roses bringing the total number of roses on the list to…
Plant Profile: Lobelia (Lobelia erinus)
The bright indigo blue flowers of bedding lobelia in six packs at garden centers always catch my eye and dance in my mind in images of the splendid border I…
Garden Journal: May 23, 2010
Rain, rain, rain, and still more rain; that is what this week has been about. We can always use the rain, of course, so I am not really complaining, but…
Plant Profile: Purple Rock Cress (Aubrieta deltoidea)
A wildflower native to the Mediterranean and Asia Minor, purple rock cress is a member of the mustard family, Brassicaceae, that also includes cabbage, broccoli, and stock. It grows 4-6″…
Perennial of the Year (2011) :Arkansas Blue Star (Amsonia hubrichtii)
Arkansas Blue Star (Amsonia hubrichtii) has been named the Perennial Plant of the Year by the Perennial Plant Association, a trade organization established to promote the use and sale of…