Plant Profile: Viola labradorica
Karen Native to moist woodlands in Canada, northern United States and Greenland, Labrador violet does well even in much of the South. It is a low growing herbaceous perennial and spreads…
Genus Adenophora (Ladybells) for the Garden
Ladybells are herbaceous perennials in the bellflower family, Campanulaceae, that also includes balloon flower and lobelia. The genus has about 50 species most of which are native to Asia, some…
Plant Profile: Indian Pink (Spigelia marilandica)
Indian Pink is a clump-forming perennial native to southeastern US and parts of the Midwest where it thrives in moist woodlands. The glossy green leaves are lance-shaped to ovate, one…
Book Review: Garden Design
Whether you want an English style garden, a Japanese garden or a prairie garden there are certain underlying design principles that will lead to success. Sylvia Crowe, a distinguished and…
Plant Combination: Flower of an Hour (Hibiscus trionum) and Purple Basil (Ocimum basilicum purpurescens)
A lovely echo is set up in this combination between the purple eyes of Hibiscus trionum and the purple leaves of the basil. The effect is ephemeral, however, because the…
Plant Profile: Southern Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla sessilifolia)
This low growing deciduous shrub is native to southeastern United States where it grows in woodlands, bluffs, roadways and stream banks. The glossy dark green leaves often have red veins,…
Perennial Cornflowers (Centaureas) for the Garden
The genus, Centaurea, belong to the aster family, Asteracea, and contains about five hundred species and including both annuals and perennials that are useful garden plants. They can all be…
Plant Profile: Lamb’s Tail (Chiastophyllum oppositifolium)
Native to limestone outcroppings in shady mountin areas of the Caucasus, this rhizomateous perennial succulent slowly grows to form a low mound of large fleshy ovate leaves with scalloped edges.…
Book Review: Snakes
Snakes are not beloved by most gardeners but they play an important part in the natural world including our gardens. Gail Gibbons’ non-fiction book, Snakes, presents an abundance of information…
Heirloom Japanese Anemones
The common name, Japanese anemone, is used to refer to more than one kind of anemones but all of these plants have similar flowers that appear in late summer or…