Gardens in Art: Nebamun’s Garden
Karen A wall painting from the Tomb-chapel of Nebamun in Thebes (present day Luxor), Egypt, gives us a look at the kind of garden the ancient Egyptians enjoyed at the time.…
Plant Profile: Rose ‘Smooth Prince’
With small clusters if large-medium reddish pink flowers produced in flushes all season, ‘Smooth Prince’ is an outstanding thornless rose. The petals have a thick texture and are satiny inside…
Plant Profile: Costmary (Tanacetum balsamita aka Chrysanthemum balsamita aka Balsamita vulgariata)
Costmary is a herbaceous perennial native to the Mediterranean and also known as alecost, balsam herb, bible leaf, and mint geranium. It is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae,…
Edible Mushrooms: Cauliflower Mushroom (Sparassis crispa)
This large mushroom has fleshy cream to pale yellow-brown fruiting body consisting of a multitude of lobes and looks like a brain or sea sponges well as a head of…
Evergreen Perennials for Dry Shade
Dry shade is one of the most difficult sites for growing plants. Whether it is on a hill side, under the eves of a house, or under trees where roots…
Plant Profile: Rock Spirea (Holodiscus dumosus)
Rock spirea is a deciduous shrub also known as mountain spray, rock spirea, bush oceanspray, and glandular oceanspray, and is a member of the rose family, Roseaceae, that also includes…
Plant Profile: Ozark Sundrops (Oenothera missouriensis)
The huge (4-5” across) flowers of this plant are spectacular. They are a clear lemon yellow, cup shaped, and made of the most delicate tissue. The buds are also beautiful;…
Plant Profile: False Mock-Orange (Fandlera rupicola)
Also known as cliff fendlerbush, this deciduous shrub is native to the mountains of Texas, Arizona, New Mexico,Colorado, and Utah where it grows on dry rocky slopes, cliffs, mesas, and…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Strawberry
The strawberry of Shakespeare was probably the woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca), an herbaceous perennial and a member of the rose family (Roseaceae) that can be found in through out most…
Drought Tolerant Plants: Ornamental Grasses
Ornamental grasses are versitile and can soften the look of a garden as well as give a naturalistic feel. They are valued for their different textures and colors and the…