Plant Profile: Spanish Lavender (Lavandula stoechas)
Karen Spanish lavender is a bushy evergreen shrubs and native to the Mediterranean area. The pink to purple flowers of are produced in spring and early summer in terminal spikes on…
Book Review: The Perennial Care Manual
Some people may think that perennials are carefree but they are not. To have a well tended perennial garden is a labor of love and help is always welcome. Nancy…
Weeds and Their Control: Yellow Woodsorrel (Oxalis stricta)
A common weed in gardens and potted plants, yellow woodsorrel is native to North America and is known throughout continental United States. It is an herbaceous perennial that prefers full…
Plant Profile: Sapphire Tower (Puya alpestris)
Sapphire Tower is a succulent native to the Chilean Andes and in the pineapple family. It produces a rosette of arching gray-green leaves with backward pointing spines on their margins.…
Five Spring Blooming Perennials with Yellow Flowers for the Rock Garden
The bright yellow flowers of spring brighten the landscape like no other flower can, signaling that life is beginning anew and the gardening season is commencing. Yellow is the color…
Plant Profile: Purple Poppy Mallow (Callirhoe involucrata)
Native to the fields and prairies of central US, this mat-forming herbaceous perennial is a member of the mallow family, Malvaceae, that also includes hollyhock, hibiscus, and coffee. It grows…
Book Review: Oliver’s Vegetables
Vegetables can be a hard sell to a toddler so any little help can be welcome. Vivian French’s book, Oliver’s Vegetables, can be just such a help. Written for children…
Five Fragrant Jasmine Vines for the Garden
There are over two hundred species of true jasmine belonging to the genus Jasminum, a member of the olive family. They are tropical and subtropical vines or shrubs with only…
Plant Profile: Umbrella Bamboo (Fargesia murielae)
One of the most beautiful of all bamboos, umbrella bamboo is non-invasive and features a weeping habit. The arching stems (culms) are blue green at first but mature to yellow-green…
Five Perennial Vines to Attract Butterflies
When planning a garden to attract butterflies it is important to consider both the adults and the larva. We all love to see butterflies landing on flowers to sip their…