Supporting Our Local Garden Clubs
Grape Hyacinths – Time for a Fresh Look
At no fault of their own, some plants develop a love/hate relationship with gardeners. They are very deserving garden plants, yet after years of being heavily used our interest in the plant simply dwindles. We also fail to take note of any new and interesting selections, as we peruse nursery lists. For me, Grape Hyacinth or Muscari, as it is known botanically typifies this problem…
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!…
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’…
Very Curious Shrubs!
December is not a month known for colorful foliage among deciduous and semi-deciduous plants. Typically, plants are now nearly bare, although with the advent of the Holidays and family get-togethers, the lack of garden interest is probably little noticed. Yet, for those looking for seasonally appropriate garden color, there are a few semi-deciduous plants suitable for Holiday cheer…
Worthy Plants for Remembering Worthy Friends
How often have you looked at a plant and the memory of a friend suddenly comes to mind? Most likely, it is the person who gifted you the plant, first told you about its virtues or perhaps even disliked the plant! In a similar vein, many plants have botanical or common names that pay tribute to an honorable friend or perhaps a ‘botanical dignitary’. Such is the tale of Amsonia tabernaemontana, commonly known as Eastern Bluestar….
