Book Review: About Fish
Karen If you are lucky enough to have a stream or pond on your property you might have fish that add to the life and interest of the place. Fish certainly…
Plant Combination: Blue Oat Grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens) ‘Saphirsprudel’ and Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’
For a combination that last all through the growing season consider blue oat grass ‘Saphirsprudel’ and Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’. The pair get going early in spring as new growth emerges.…
Thornless Roses
Roses that lack thorns (actually, prickles) are rare but very desirable. They are especially good choices for areas where children play and along walkways and paths where people pass by.…
Plant Profile: Caracalla Bean (Vigna caracalla)
A native of South America, this tropical vine is also known a corkscrew vine, climbing shell vine, and snail vine. It is a tender perennial, tropical vine that climbs by…
Book Review: The Wild Trees: A Story of Passion and Daring
The coastal redwoods of Northern California inspire awe in those who have seen them because of their incredible height and size. What we see are tall wide trunks that soar…
Plant Combination: Verbena canadensis ‘Homestead Purple’ and Frikart’s Aster (Aster x frikartii) ‘Monch’
Here are two long blooming perennials that will bring color to the border throughout the summer. Verbena ‘Homestead Purple begins flowering in spring with its rich purple phlox-like flowerheads and…
Plant Profile: Rose ‘Mme. Alfred Carriere’
Considered by many to be one of the best noisettes, ‘Mme. Alfred Carriere’ is a vigorous climber that blooms twelve months of the year in warm climates. Its long, elegant…
Botany for Gardeners: Taxonomy of Pteriodophytes-Horsetail Family (Equisetaceae)
As a member of the Pteriodophyte Divison of plants, the horsetail family has vascular tissue to conduct water and nutrients like flowering plants but reproduces by means of spores rather…
Plant Profile: Mickey Mouse Bush (Ochna serrulata)
This semi-evergreen shrub is a native of subtropical South Africa where it grows in a variety of habitats ranging from disturbed areas, such as roadsides, to forested areas and grasslands.…
Book Review: About Insects
Whether a child finds insects fascinating or scary Cathryn Sill’s non-fiction book, About Insects, will and provides a more detailed look at eighteen specific ones. Written for young children, it…