Plant Profile: Pigsqueak (Bergenia cordifolia)
Karen Native to Russia, this herbaceous perennial is a member of the Saxifragaceae family that also includes foam flower, coral bells, and astilbe. The plants form a rosette of shiny, heart-shaped…
Plant Profile: Dwarf Chinese Astilbe (Astilbe chinensis var. pumila)
I used to think of astilbes in general as needing shade and moisture until I met this one. It thrives in shade and moist soil but it tolerates considerably more…
Plant Profile: Artemesia ‘Powis Castle’
I am inordinately attracted to plants with silver-gray foliage and I am in love with Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’. The finely divided foliage is exquisite and provides a lovely contrast to…
Plant Profile: Gooseneck Loosestrife (Lysimachia clethroides)
Native to moist soils of China and Japan, this clump-forming herbaceous perennial is a member of the primrose family, Primulaceae, that also includes cyclamen. It grows up to 3′ tall…
Plant Profile: Hollyhock (Alcea rosea)
There are few plants that create old-fashioned charm better than hollyhocks. I don’t have a wall or picket fence to set them off but they still bring the suggestion of…
Plant Profile: Rose Balsam (Impatiens balsamina)
When you saw the genus name Impatiens you probably thought of the bedding impatient (Impatiens wallerianna) and it is not that one. This impatient is also called touch-me-not from its…
Plant Profile: Butterfly Bush (Buddleja davidii )
Some common names of plants are misleading but the common name of Buddleja, Butterfly bush, is not. If you have a butterfly garden this is a must. This shrub is…
Plant Profile: Ladybells (Adenaphora lilifolia)
When I first introduced this plant into my garden I was delighted. It grew form a rosette of leaves and bore blue bell shaped flowers on a 24” stem for…
Plant profile: Dead Nettle ‘White Nancy’ (Lamium maculatum ‘White Nancy’)
The white flowers of this fabulous ground cover are charming but the foliage makes it outstanding! Plant it in a shady spot and both the flowers and foliage will brighten…
Plant Profile: Spider Flower (Cleome hassleriana)
Also called pink queen and grandfather’s whiskers, this annual is a native of South America and a member of the Cleomaceae, a family closely related to the mustard family. The…