Plant Profile: Lamb’s Ear (Stachys byzantina aka S. lanata)
Karen Lamb’s ear is a herbaceous perennial native to Turkey, Armenia, and Iran, and is a member of the deadnettle family, Laminaceae, that also includes mint, basil, and beebalm. It forms…
Plant Profile: Japanese Anemone (Anemone x hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’)
The bright blossoms with their bright gold stamens atop tall stems grace my garden during late summer and last until fall. The simple elegance of the plants is perfect in…
Plant Profile: Russian Sage (Pervoskia atriplicifolia)
When the tall, powder blue spikes of Pervoskia come into my garden I know that the garden is complete. This beautiful back of the border plant is a must for…
Plant Profile: White Gaura (Gaura lindheimeri) ‘Whirling Butterflies’
Native to Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas, this herbaceous perennial is a member of willowherb family, the Onagraceae, that also includes evening primrose, fushia, and clarkia. Plants have a taproot and…
Plant Profile: Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea ‘Peter Pan’)
I love all kinds of goldenrod; the kinds that grows along the roadside, or the cultivars you buy in the garden center, but this one is one of the best…
Plant Profile: Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii ‘Goldsturm’)
There is nothing quite like the look of a mass of black-eyed Susan flowers. Their dark green foliage looks good as the plants grow through the blooming size and the…
Plant Profile: Hardy Hibiscus (Hibicus moscheutos)
The very large flowers of this plant make it a showstopper! The saucer shaped flowers are up to 10” across and are composed of 5 petals in shades of white…
Plant Profile: Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca aka F. cinerea aka F. ovina)
Also known as sheep’s fescue, this cool season perennial grass was orginally native to Europe but has been bred for color, texture, flowering habit, and size and now is represented…
Plant Profile: Globe Thistle (Echinops ritro) ‘Taplow Blue’)
Globe thistle is a clump forming herbaceous perennial native to Asia and central to eastern Europe. It is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, yarrow…
Plant Profile: Balloon Flower (Platycodon grandiflorus ‘Sentimental blue’)
The unusual buds of balloon flower would earn the plant a place in my garden even if ithad no other virtue. They are shaped like a hot air balloon and…