Plant Profile: Jacobinia (Justicia carnea)
Karen Jacobinia, also known as flamingo plant, is an upright evergreen shrub native to Brazil. It has coarse, dark green, heavily veined leaves, and produces plumes of tubular flowers in white,…
How to Care for Bonsai: Fukien Tea (Carmona microphylla)
This tropical evergreen shrub is native to southern China and is a good subject for bonsai. The brownish red trunk becomes thick and attractive with age and the small leaves…
Plant Profile: Rosa ‘Reve d’Or’
Given the top rating for Old Garden Roses by American Rose Society (ARS), Reve d’Ore’ is a fast-growing, vigorous, healthy Noisette especially appreciated in warm climates as a climber. The…
Book Review: Jack’s Garden
In spring when you want to interest a young child in planting a garden reach for Henry Cole’s book, Jack’s Garden. It provides step by step directions for planting and…
Weeds and Their Control: Canadian Thistle (Cirsium arvense)
The attractive flowers on Canadian thistle belie the fact that this plant is one of the most persistent weeds that can come into the garden. A native of Eurasia, it…
Plant Profile: Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia soulangiana)
A hybrid of Magnolia heptapeta x Magnolia quinquepeta, saucer magnolia is probably one of the most widely planted and best known of the magnolias. Its popularity may be due to…
Characteristics of Old Garden Roses: Noisette
Noisettes are America’s claim to fame in the rose world. They are the only old garden rose that originated in the United States. The story goes that about 1811, John…
Plant Profile: Giant Reed(Arundo donax)
This warm season, clump-forming, perennial grass is a native of the Greater Middle East but is wide spread in both the Mediterranean area and United States where it is considered…
Book Review: Secrets to Great Soil
If you are reading this book review you probably already appreciate the importance of soil to growing plants and feel there might be something more you could do in regard…
Weeds and Their Control: Fuller’s Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum)
Brought to North America from Europe in the early 1700’s to raise the nap of wool cloth, fuller’s teasel naturalized and is now considered a weed in many parts of…