Plant Profile: Honesty (Lunaria annua)
Karen This biennial often grown as an annual is native to the Balkans and southwest Asia and is also called money plant, silver dollars, Chinese coins, and similar, because of its…
Book Review: In Search of Remarkable Trees
AAuthor and photographer, Thomas Pakenham searches for “wow trees” like others search for gold or adventure. In his third book on amazing trees he goes to South Africa, Botswana, Namibia,…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Box (Buxus sempervirens)
Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens), as it is called in America, is a slow growing evergreen shrub or small tree (15-30 feet tall) native to North Africa, western Asia, and Europe where…
Plant Profile: Pot Marigold (Calendula officinalis)
This short-lived tender perennial is native to southern Europe and North Africa but has naturalized in much of Europe where it is grown as an annual. It is a member…
Growing Plants from Seeds: Scarification
Seeds need water in order to germinate yet some seeds have tough seed coats that prevent moisture from penetrating. The tough seed coat is a protection against early germination that…
Plant Profile: Lemon Grass (Cymbopogon citratus)
Lemon grass is an evergreen, clump-forming perennial native to southern India and Sri Lanka where it grows in dry stony areas. The bulbous lower leaf section of the plant is…
Book Review: How to Create a Wildlife Garden
The “back to nature” trend has made gardeners more aware of the role of wildlife in the garden and increased their desire to live in harmony. How to Create a…
Weeds and Their Control: Spreading Wallflower (Erysimum repandum)
A native of Eruasia, this annual weed is also known as treacle mustard and bushy wallflower. It is wide spread through out most of the US where it grows on…
Plant Profile: Crucifixion Thorn (Colletia hystrix)
Crucifixion thorn is a deciduous large shrub or small tree native to Chili and Argentina where it grows in poor dry soils. It belongs to the buckthorn family ( Rhamnaceae…
Birds in the Garden: Plants that Attract the Swallow Family (Hirundinidae)
Don’t expect to see a lot of the swallow family feeding in your garden. They are birds of the sky and are not easily lured down to a backyard. This…