Plant Profile: Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus)
Karen Sweet William has charmed flower lovers for centuries and even in modern times Kate Middletown included it in her bridal bouquet to honor her groom. The fringed and toothed flowers…
Plant Profile: Baby’s Breath (Gypsophila paniculata)
Baby’s breath is a herbaceous perennial and a member of the carnation family, Caryophyllaceae, that also includes pinks and campions. It is native to central and eastern Europe but is…
Plant Profile: Japanese Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis cinnamomea aka A. yedoensis))
Native to India, this herbaceous perennial is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, yarrow, and lettuce. It grows 2-3″ tall from a rhizomateous rootstock and…
Plant Profile: Cinderella Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima)
Whether you want to make pie or a flower arrangement, the Cinderella pumpkin is a good choice. It gets its name from its resemblance to the carriage that Cinderella’s fairy…
Plant Profile: Diamond Frost Euphorbia (Euphorbia graminea ‘Inneuphe’ Diamond Frost)
Diamond Frost (trade name for ‘Inneuphe’) looks so delicate that you would never know what a tough little plant it can be. From spring until fall it blooms without a…
Plant Profile: Mexican Sunflower ‘Fiesta Del Sol’ (Tithonia rotundifolia ‘Fiesta del Sol’)
‘Fiesta del Sol’ is the first truly dwarf Mexican sunflower topping out at 2½’ instead of 5-6’ like other varieties. The plants thrive in heat and humidity, are drought tolerant,…
Plant Profile: Snapdragon ‘Twinny Peach’ Hybrid (Antirrhinum majus ‘Twinny Peach’ hybrid)
‘Twinny Peach’ snapdragon is a very unusual snapdragon. It’s flowers don’t resemble the traditional ones in form or color. First, there is no jaw to the flower; instead the flowers…
Plant Profile: Calla Lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica)
Calla lily is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial native to southern Africa in Lesotho, South Africa, and Eswatini and is in the arum family, Araceae, that also includes jack-in-the pulpits, anthurium,…
Plant Profile: Chinese Snowball Viburnum (Viburnum macrocephalum)
I grow one of these wonderful plants for the chartreuse flowers that are produced in early spring. There presence in a flower arrangement is awe-inspiring and I combine them with…
Plant Profile: Bridal Wreath (Spirea vanhouttei)
The graceful, sprays of small white flowers make this a favorite both in my garden and spring bouquets. Blooming with the flowering cherries and iris it gives old-fashioned charm to…