February may still be in the midst of winter, but some plants are beginning to awaken! On warmer days, make it a point to walk through your garden, enjoying its beauty and giving thought to exciting new spring improvements. For major design renovations it is time to finalize those designs since March becomes busy with outdoor gardening activities. Early this month is also the time to complete the ordering of seeds, since many of the more popular varieties will soon, or already are sold out….
February 2025 Plant of the Month – Sciadopitys
Sciadopitys – A Beautiful Plant That May Fool You
I cannot recall how many times I have failed to understand the very basic parts of plant anatomy, even when it appeared so obvious! For example, I once thought Asters had petals typical of most flowering plants. I was wrong. With Dogwoods, I mistakenly thought the showy flowers had petals and I was only partially correct in thinking Magnolia flowers had petals. Yes, it no longer comes as a surprise when I am wrong. However, I was totally surprised to learn the beautiful, glossy ‘foliage’ of the Japanese Umbrella Pine, botanically known as Sciadopitys verticillata is not true foliage at all!…
Gardening Notes for January 2025
January always begins with the festivities surrounding the Holiday Season, but reality soon returns as gardeners face short and often cloudy days, cold temperatures and a sleeping garden. Looking on the positive side, we now have the leisure of working in the Garden when our time or the weather suits our schedule, since the garden is in a state of suspended animation so to speak. In addition, the days are getting longer!…
January 2025 Plant of the Month – Iberis sempervirens – Candytuft
Candytuft – A Smart Evergreen for Generations to Come
The qualities of what makes a plant garden worthy are always changing and my personal sentiments are certainly no different! As a beginning gardener, I was drawn to the ‘latest and greatest’ and discounted the more ‘seasoned plants’ at my grandparent’s home as no longer garden worthy. As I have watched plants come and go over the decades, I am continually frustrated by the disappearance of some great, garden-worthy plants to make way for the next round of the ‘latest and greatest’…
Gardening Notes for December 2024
The hustle and bustle of the Holiday Season is finally upon us but fortunately, there is always a little time to squeeze in a few gardening chores! Without doubt, this has been a very dry fall and recently installed plants will still need extra attention. Early December is the time to finish the last of the autumn chores before the sub-freezing temperatures of winter arrive in earnest. As time permits between baking and shopping, continue your ledgers, recording the weather and how your plants are performing…
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