Weeds and Their Control: Barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli)
Karen Barnyard grass is a summer annual native to tropical Asia but is widespread now in Europe as well as the United States. It grows in all states except Alaska and…
Plant Profile: Tree Peony (Paeonia suffrcticosa)
For large beautiful flowers it is hard to beat the tree peony. Grown in China for over a thousand years, tree peony is a deciduous shrub with spreading branches growing…
Plants with Summer Interest for a Cottage Garden Wall
Some plants thrive in the cracks and crevices of wall. Traditional cottage gardens often had plants that seeded themselves into crumbling areas of walls where they grew and bloomed, adding…
Plant Profile: Trailing Lantana (Lantana montevidensis)
A butterfly magnet, trailing lantana is a low woody shrub with vine-like stems that can grow up to six feet long. A member of the verbena family, Verbenaceae, it is…
Book Review: Birds
One of the most welcome visitors to a garden are birds. Adults and children love them and Kevin Henkes’ book Birds inspires the same kind of feelings. If you have…
Botany for Gardeners: Taxonomy of Dicots – Identifying the Magnolia Family (Magnoliaceae)
The large white or pink flowers on the various kinds of magnolia trees are a welcome sight in the garden. Although less showy, the flowers of the tulip tree (Liriodendron)…
Plant Profile: New Zealand Tea Tree (Leptospermum scoparium)
This evergreen shrub or small tree is upright, fine textured, and has dense branching. The narrow leaves are fragrant, dark green to bronze and prickly; the five petaled flowers are…
Blue flowered Perennials for the Rock Garden
Blue is always a welcome color in the garden. It brings calmness and serenity; can cool down reds and orange or provide contrast with yellow. Blue flowers go well with…
Plant Profile: Pearlbush (Exochorda racemosa)
Pearlbush is a large, spreading deciduous shrub native to China but adapts well to a variety of conditions. In spring the bush is covered with white flowers that emerge from…
Book Review: Natural Gardening in Small Spaces
An increasing number of gardeners are interested in making their gardens environmentally friendly but many assume that they need a lot of space. Not true. Noel Kingsbury’s book, Natural Gardening…