Winter Blooming Shrubs
Karen Winter can be bleak but it doesn’t have to be. With judicious planting a winter garden can provide welcome relief from the gray cold day that plague most of during…
Genus: Clethra for the Garden
Clethra is a genus 75 species of flowering shrubs and small trees in the Clethraceae plant family, in the order Ericales that includes azaleas. There are two recognized species native…
Plant Profile: Sternbergia candida
Native to the edges of cedar woods in south-west turkey, this herbaceous perennial is a member of the Amaryllis family, Amaryllidaceae, that also includes agapanthus, daffodils and onion. The plant…
Plant Profile: Spring Starflower (Ipheion uniflorum aka Brodiaea uniflora aka Triteleia uniflora)
Also known as springstar, Mexican star and starlikes, this herbaceous perennial is native to Argentina and Uruguay and is a member of the amaryllis family, Amaryllidaceae, that also includes onion,…
Plant Profile: Winter Flowering Clematis (Clematis cirrhosa)
Native to scrubby woodlands of the Mediterranean area, this delicate evergreen to semi evergreen woody vine is a member of the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that also includes delphinium, columbine, and…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Carrot (Daucus carota)
The carrot is a herbaceous biennial in the parsley family, Apiaceae, that also included celery, anise, and parsnip. It is probably native to Persia where it was cultivated for its…
Plant Profile: Algerian Iris (Iris unguicularis aka I. stylosa)
Also known as winter iris, this evergreen herbaceous perennial is native to north Africa, Greece, Turkey and Syria. It is a member of the iris family, Iridaceae, that also includes…
Book Review: The Very Lazy Ladybug
Isobel Finn’s book, The Very Lazy Ladybug, tells the story of a ladybug that likes to sleep all day and all night so never learns to fly. One day the…
Genus: Bottlebrush (Callistemon spp)
Native to Australia, these broadleaf evergreen shrubs or small trees are members of the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, that also includes clove, allspice, and eucalyptus. The common name, bottlebrush, comes from…
Plant Profile: Winter’s Bark (Drimys winteri aka Wintera aromatica)
Also known as canelo, this evergreen large shrub or small tree is native from Tierra del Fuego to Mexico, and is a member of the Winteraceae, a primitive plant family…