Growing Plants from Seed: Spider Flower (Cleome hasslerana)
Karen Spider plant is an annual that heavily self-sows so once a few plants established more plants are likely to follow in the following years. The flower color is variable and…
Plant Profile: Two-Winged Silverbell (Halesia diptera var. magniflora)
Two-winged silverbell is a deciduous small tree or large shrub native to southeastern US where it grows in moist woodland edges, streamside’s, and swales from South Carolina and Tennessee south…
Beneficial Insects and How to Attract Them: Tiger Beetles
There are over two thousand species of tiger beetle worldwide and over one hundred in North American where they can be found in sandy areas such as beaches and sand…
Plant Profile: Dusty Miller (Artemesia stellerana)
Also known as beach wormwood, and old woman, this evergreen perennial or subshrub native to China, Korea, Siberia, and Japan where it grows in sandy soil, including sand dunes and…
Book Review: A Butterfly Is Patient
As a gardener I rejoice at seeing butterflies in my garden and love to share my experience with my grandchildren. Dianna Hutts Aston’s book, A Butterfly Is Patient, is the…
Explorer Series: Pink Roses
The Explorer roses were developed at the agriculture research station in Ottawa, Ontario and l’Assumption, Quebec to withstand the cold Canadian winters. Using Rosa rugosa, R. kordesii, Hybrid Teas, and…
Plant Profile: American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana)
Also called musclewood, this small to medium sized deciduous tree is native to Eastern US from Maine to Florida, west to Minnesota and Texas where it grows as an understory…
Gypsophilia for the Garden
The generic name Gypsophila is derived from the Greek words Gypsos meaning lime and philos meaning love. Commonly known as baby’s breath, they derive their generic name from the fact…
Plant Profile: Lesser’s Anemone (Anemone x lesseri)
Lesser’s anemone , also called rose windflower, is a herbaceous perennial hybrid produced from a cross between Anemone multifida and A. sylvestris. It is a member of the buttercup family,…
Book Review: Shroom
If you look carefully at the mushroom offerings in grocery stores you have probably noticed that there are more and more varieties offered for sale either fresh or dried. Button,…