Perennial Cornflowers (Centaureas) for the Garden
Karen 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…
Plant Profile: Rose Lamarque
Starting early in the spring and blooming sporadically until late fall, this climber is especially suited to warm climates. The flowers are creamy white fading to pure white on the…
Biltmore International Rose Trials
Biltmore International Rose Trials, held at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina are the first international trials on the East Coast and one of two in the whole US.…
Plant Profile: Alpine Barrenwort (Epimedium alpinum)
A native of southern and central Europe, alpine barrenwort is a low growing herbaceous perennial that forms attractive clumps of foliage. The medium green leaves are compound and each leaflet…
Book Review: Nature Photography Complete Guide Professional Techniques for Capturing Digital Images of Nature and Wildlife
The beauty of the natural world and the desire to preserve it in a picture have inspired people for decades to create photographs of nature. Recent developments in digital photography…
Plant Combination: Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla mollis) and Coral Bells (Heuchera) ‘Black Beauty’
The foliage of these two herbaceous perennials make a lovely pair but there is more. Lady’s mantle bursts into bloom in late spring to early summer with a billowing mass…
Plant Profile: Leopard’s Bane (Doronicum caucasicum/D. orientale)
Native to woodlands of Europe, North Africa, and temperature Asia, this short-lived herbaceous perennial is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes sunflower, yarrow, and lettuce. The…