Plant Profile: Chinaberry Tree (Melia azedarach)
Karen Chinaberry tree is a deciduous tree native to Asia and Australia that was brought to southern United States as an ornamental but has become a nuisance in some places. It…
Book Review: Tops and Bottoms
If you like the trickster tradition of storytelling, stop right now and read this book. Janet Stevens borrows from European folktales and the slave stories of the American South to…
Beneficial Insects and How to Attract Them: Trichogramma Wasps
Found throughout the world, the 800 species of Trichoigramma feed on the insect eggs especially moths and butterflies. Several species feed on the eggs of over 200 different garden pests,…
Plant Profile: Rose Root (Rhodiola rosea aka Sedum rosea)
Rose root, also known as golden root, is a herbaceous perennial native to cold regions including the Arctic, Scandinavia and the mountains of central Asia, central Europe, and eastern North…
Five Summer Blooming Perennials with White Flowers for the Rock Garden
There are many shades of white and there are flowers in almost all of them. Think about cream, antique white, pearl, chalk, and snow white. Each varies from the others…
Plant Profile: Tree Mallow ( Lavatera martima aka L. bicolor)
Tree mallow is a semi-deciduous shrub probably from the western Mediterranean where it inhabits dry rocky places often along the coast. It is a large loose shrub with an abundance…
Book Review: Waiting for Wings
When the summer days are filled with butterflies feasting on garden flowers, you have an ideal time to introduce young children to the mysteries of a butterfly’s life cycle. What…
Plant Combination: Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana) and Rue (Ruta graveolens)
For late spring into summer the blue flowers of spiderwort and the yellow flowers of rue are especially pleasing in a perennial grouping. The spiderwort can bloom for up to…
Plant Profile: Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)
The sacred lotus, also known as Indian lotus, is an aquatic perennial native to tropical Asia and Australia. It is one of two extant species in the Nelumbonaceae family and…
Five Roses to Use in the Garden as Edgings
An edging along a flower bed gives structure and definition to the bed. It also has the practical purpose of helping to keep the grass in its place on one…