Five Flowering Perennials for Coastal Gardens
Karen Coastal gardens present plants with two major problems: wind and salt spray. The wind not only dries out the plant but also dries the soil. In addition it can shred…
Plant Profile: Carob Tree (Ceratonia siliqua)
Carob tree, also called St. John’s-bread and locust bean, is a member of the pea family (Fabaceae) and native to Southern Europe, Northern Africa, the Levant, Middle East and Macaronesia…
Aconitums (Monkshoods) for the Garden
A member of the buttercup family, this genus includes over 250 species and is known by many names including monkshood,wolfsbane, and devil’s helmet. These common names refer to the fact…
Plant Profile: Rosa ‘Pink Pet’ (aka Caldwell’s Pink’)
Also known as the polyanth ‘Cladwell Pink’ ‘Pink Pet’ bears lilac pink flowers in large clusters. The upright bushes are compact and carry medium green glossy foliage with pointed tips.…
Book Review: Butterfly Counting
Butterflies are captivating and always seem to attract the attention of children and adults alike. Jerry Pallotta’s book, Butterfly Counting, brings the subject of butterflies to a whole to height…
Collecting Seed: Spider Flower (Cleome hasslerana)
Spider flower is an annual native to southern South America but grown widely in the US for the large unusual flowerheads that feature long stamens that give a spider web…
Plant Profiles: Kafir Plum (Harpephyllum caffrum)
Kafir plum is an evergreen tree native to Eastern parts of Southern Africa from the Cape through Mozambique and Zimbabwe where it is found on forest river banks. It is…
Gardens of Spain: Paseo del Parque, Malaga
The ancient Phoenicians founded the city in 770 BC, the Romans and Arabs subsequently occupied it, and now all of Europe knows of the delights of Malaga. Sad to say,…
Plant Profile: Cupids Dart (Catananche caerulea)
Cupid’s dart is a herbaceous perennial belonging to the aster family,Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, yarrow and lettuce. It is native to Mediterranean Europe and northern Africa where it grows…
Book Review: Starting Out with Native Plants
Growing native plants even in a small urban garden can benefit wildlife and significantly contribute to biodiversity. Author, Charlotte de la Bedoyere, in her book, Starting Out with Native Plants,…