Plant Profile: Mint (Mentha spp.)
Karen Mint is not for the faint of heart. It is a garden thug and needs a stern hand to keep it under control. I thought I could control it by…
Plant Profile: Climbing Hydrangea ( Hydrangea anomala)
If you like to watch grass grow you might find this vine fascinating. It is a good plant and I have grown it in two different gardens but it is…
Plant Profile: Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus and A. dracunculoides)
For me, tarragon is an illusive herb; it comes and goes in my zone 7 garden with a mind of its own. I keep replacing it, but lose it rather…
Plant Profile: Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)
We bought our first trumpet honeysuckle vines when we wanted to attract hummingbirds to our yard and we were not disappointed. It acts like a hummingbird magnet and we can…
Plant Profile: Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
This evergreen shrub is native the Mediterranean area where it grows on dry rocky hillsides. It is a member of the mint family, Lamiaceae, that also includes beebalm, basal, and…
Name This Plant Game: Culinary Herbs 2
Chuck This simple game tests your gardening knowledge by identifying five plants shown in photos from a list of possible names. Photos of each plant are accompaned by a clue describing…
Plant Profile: Firethorn (Pyracantha coccinea)
For bright orange colored berries in the garden during the fall and winter you can’t beat firethorn. The berries (actually a fruit related to an apple) can persist into winter…
Plant Profile: Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
The culinary herb, chives, is a bulb-forming herbaceous perennial native to temperate areas of Europe, Asia, and North America. It is a member of the Amaryllis family, Amaryllidaceae , and…
Plant Profile: American Bittersweet (Celastrus scandens)
A fall visit to our nursery in New Jersey is always a treat, offering an opportunity to collect an abundance of greens, cones, twigs, and other items for the holidays.…
Plant Profile: Parsley (Petroselinum crispum [curly]; Petroselinum neapolitanum [Italian parsley])
I am especially fond of parsley for both its flavor and its use in my flower garden. I am the type of (rude?) person that always eats the parsley garnish…