Seedbox, also known as rattlebox, is a herbaceous perennial native to eastern North America where it is found in wet areas such as swamps and marshes. The common names come from the characteristics of the seed capsule which is shaped like a cubical box and contains numerous seeds that rattle when shaken. The bright yellow flowers are solitary, three quarter inch across, and consist of four petals that quickly fall off. Each flower is borne on a short stem (pedicle) in the axils of the upper leaves over a long bloom period during the summer. The slender dark green leaves are up to four inches long and are borne on reddish stems. Seed box is an excellent plant for use in the wet zone of a rain garden or other wet areas with full sun or light shade. [click to read full post]
{ 0 comments }
This evergreen shrub or small tree is native to the Mediterranean where it is cultivated as an ornamental and for its resin. The resin, called mastic, is harvested primarily from trees on the Greek island of Chios. It has been used as chewing gum for over two thousand years and is still used as a spice to flavor a variety of food and beverages. The dark green leaves are leathery and 
Position: Although the plant will tolerate some shade it does best in bright light with plenty of humidity. In summer it can be moved outdoors, to a lightly shaded area. In winter it should be brought indoors and kept at temperatures around 64o F.
This relative of ivy is the only member of the family (Araliaceae) that is a large hardy tree. A native of China, Korea and Japan this deciduous tree has a tropical appearance with its large, lobed leaves that resemble those of the castor plant or maple tree. The leaves are glossy dark green in summer and turn dull yellow or reddish in the fall but are not considered showy. During the summer flowers are produced in showy, cream-colored, angelica-like heads that are followed in the fall by small black fruits that are attractive to birds. When the tree is young it is not particularly attractive due to its coarse, open appearance but with time it develops a round to oval shape with a pleasing crown. The branches are coarse and heavily armed with prickles that disappear on the older branches and trunk as the tree matures. The dark gray bark of the trunk develops ridges and furrows with age. This unusual tree is useful as a specimen or shade tree valued especially its lovely summer time bloom. Although easy to grow, castor tree does not tolerate the heat and humidity of the Deep South. 
If you are overwhelmed by the prospect of selecting a wine when confronted with a huge choice in the market place, Tom Stevenson’s book may offer you a viable solution. In Buy the Right Wine Every Time, Stevenson focuses on branded wines that are widely available and consistently good. A large variety of wines are included from champagne to chardonnay, malbec, and Gewürztraminer and from cheap to expensive. 
If you have ever had gophers in your garden you know what a terrible menace they can be. They dig extensive tunnels, eating roots as they go, even pulling plants down into the tunnel to devour them. Eliminate the pesky rodent and another one is likely to move into the vacant territory so they are very difficult to eliminate. Sometimes moles or ground squirrels are mistaken for gophers but true pocket gophers have fur-lined cheek pockets that open to the outside and are used for carrying food and nesting materials. In the United States there are thirteen species in three genera that differ in the size of their forefeet, claws, and front surfaces of their incisors. Gophers are more common west of the Mississippi River where they can be found in low coastal areas or at altitudes up to 12,000 feet. Although they can tolerate a wide variety of soils they prefer a friable, light-textured soil with good drainage where garden plants can thrive and offer them tasty roots and shoots. 
This handsome low-growing suckering shrub is a native of Northeastern United States where it is found growing in poor gravelly or sandy soil along roadsides and similar waste areas. The plant forms a dense mound of multiple stems with spreading branches that are shiny or bear resin dots. The deciduous leaves are up to four inches long, light green at first changing to dark green as they mature, but are not attractive in autumn. They are deeply notched, fern-like and aromatic when crushed. Small yellow green male and female flowers are produced in 
Celosia thrives in the heat and humidity of a Southern summer and produce some beautiful combinations. One of my favorites is a crimson flowered celosia like ‘New Look’ with bronze purple tones in the leaves grown in front of ‘Crimson Pygmy’ barberry. By mid-summer the barberry leaves are many shades of crimson to purple and echo the color of both the flowers and leaves of the celosia. The barberry leaves are very small and contrast nicely with the coarse leaves of the celosia. The berry provides color from spring until late fall while the celosia adds its color echo during most of the summer. Both plants do well in full sun and average, moist, well-drained soil, although the celosia will appreciate regular applications of fertilizer to sustain flowering. 
Bush clover is a loose deciduous medium sized shrub native to eastern Asia but introduced into the United States in the mid 1800′s as an ornamental. Later used for erosion control, revegetation of strip mined lands, and the improvement of wildlife habitats, it escaped cultivation and now has become invasive in parts of the Southeast. As an ornamental, bush clover offers dark green 
Have you ever considered being a tree watcher? People watch birds so why not trees? Nancy Ross Hugo’s book, Seeing Trees, will give you all the information needed to spark your interest in this fascinating activity. After reading it you will never see trees the same way again. Hugo introduces you to all sorts of intimate details about trees that you have probably never noticed but that will amaze and delight you. Hugo’s stated aim is to get people outdoors to look at the various parts of trees up close and observe the detailed features that make each kind of tree unique; her book does this in spades! 
The aggressive behavior and painful sting of the red imported fire ant (RIFA) makes it an unwelcome guest in gardens, woods, and fields. In addition to the pain the RIFA can inflict on humans it causes considerable damage to crops as well as livestock and can bring about serious damage to electrical systems resulting in short circuits and fires. Once in an area the RIFA is almost impossible to eradicate but can be controlled. 
