Plant Profile: Bell Pepper ‘California Wonder’ (Capsicum annum)
Karen Bell peppers are a staple in my garden and I have grown ‘California Wonder’ for over 40 years. It is an heirloom cultivar dating back to 1928 when it was…
Plant Profile: Siberian Squill (Scilla sibirica)
Whether growing along the edge of a deciduous woodland or under shrubs with daffodils, Siberian squill is a welcome sight in spring. The bright blue color brightens up any landscape…
Plant Profile: Radish (Raphanus sativus) ‘Cherry Belle’
There is nothing as rewarding in the spring as harvesting the crop of vegetables and radishes are usually my first crop. The heirloom cultivar, ‘Cherry Belle’ is still my favorite…
Plant Profile: Summer Snowflake (Leucojum aestivum)
In spite of its name, summer snowflake appears in early spring with the daffodils. They do well under deciduous trees where they can get sun in late winter and spring…
Plant Profile: Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
There are few flowers that can light up a their surroundings like nasturtiums can. Their intensely colored flowers in red, yellow and orange add zip to any garden border and…
Plant Profile: Crown Imperial (Fritillaria imperialis)
If you want an unusual flower for your garden in late spring, try crown imperial. At 3 feet tall it is no shrinking violet and with its whorl of downward…
Plant Profile: Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica)
Every year I have a private little war with the stinging nettles that grow in both my rose garden and formal garden. No matter how many I pull up, there…
Plant Profile: Grape Hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum)
One of the earliest bulbs in my garden to emerge in the spring is grape hyacinth. The dense spikes of fragrant cobalt-blue urn-shaped flowers resemble upside down bunches of grapes…
Plant Profile: Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus gunnii)
There are many different species of eucalyptus but this one is a good choice because it is more frost tolerant than most and can be kept as a shrub if…
Plant Profile: Japanese Primrose (Primula japonica)
Picture a shady glen with lots of moisture. Then put a large drift of Japanese primroses into the picture and you have created a beautiful scene. Japanese primroses are not…