Edible Flowers: Chinese Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa sinensis)
Karen Chinese hibiscus is a tropical evergreen shrub or small tree belonging to the mallow family (Malvaeceae) along with hollyhock, cotton, okra, and cacao. It is a popular landscape plant in…
Plant Profile: Sea Kale (Crambe maritima)
Sea kale is herbaceous perennial and a member of the mustard/cabbage family ( Brassicaceae) that also includes wallflowers, stock and horseradish. It is native to Europe and since the 18th…
Narcissus for Shady Sites
Daffodils do not like shade. They may bloom well the first year but if they do not have sufficient sun they can not store enough energy to keep on producing…
Plant Profile: Bonnet Bellflower (Codonopsis clematidea)
Bonnet bellflower is a herbaceous perennial climber in the bellflower family (Campanulaceae) and native to eastern and central Asia. It has brittle slender stems and pale gray-green leaves that are…
Book Review: The Joy of Pickling
If you have a vegetable garden you are bound to have more produce than you can eat at times so pickling it might be of interest. Linda Ziedrich’s book, The…
Plant Combination: Canna ‘Australia’ and Coleus (Solenostemon scutellariodes) ‘Rustic Orange’
You don’t have to wait until fall to wallow in the luscious black and copper colored combination. The tall canna ‘Australia’ provides deep burgundy black leaves that contrast with its…
Plant Profile: New Zealand Laurel (Corynocarpus laevigatus)
Also known as karaka, this narrow upright evergreen tree grows in coastal and lowland forests of New Zealand. It a shrubby habit with erect or spreading branches. The large leathery…
Garden Plants for Flower Arranging: Wolfsbane (Aconitum lycoctonum)
A native of southern Europe, this herbaceous perennial grows in mountain woods and meadows, often near streams, in moist peaty soils. Although there is a purple flowered variety, the primrose…
Plant Profile: Kaffir Lily (Clivia miniata)
Also known as Natal lily, fire lily, and bush lily, Clivia is a clump forming herbaceous perennial belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family. It is native to South Africa and Swaziland…
Book Review: Grow, Cook, Eat
The joys of growing your own food are great but are enhanced when the fruits of your labor grace the table with a flare. Willi Galloway’s book, Grow, Cook, Eat,…