Plant Profile: Oleander (Nerium oleander)
Karen Oleander is an evergreen shrub or small tree and a member of the dogbane family, Apocynaceae, that also includes blue star (Amsonia), periwinkle (Vinca), and milkweed (Ascelpius). Its native range…
Book Review: We Are the Gardeners
Karen Meyers We Are the Gardeners, written by Joanna Gains of HGTV’s Fixer Upper fame, is a story about a family starting their backyard garden. Written for children 4-8 years old in…
Meadow Garden: Mid-Sized Native Flowering Perennials for Mesic to Wet Soil in Sun
The use of mid-sized native flowering perennials in a meadow garden adds color, texture, and biodiversity while blending well with the grasses that characterize a meadow. In addition, the plants…
Plant Profile: Feathery Cassia (Senna artemisioides aka Cassia artemisiodes)
Endemic to Australia, this compact evergreen shrub is also known as silver senna, wormwood senna and silver cassia. It is in the pea family, Fabaceae that also includes beans, lupine…
Plants for a Mary Garden: English Holly (Ilex aquifolia) Mary’s Sorrow
The association between English holly and the Virgin Mary has its origins in pagan times. The ancient Romans used holly in their celebration of the Saturnalia, a festival honoring Saturn,…
Plant Profile: Perennial Flax (Linum perenne)
Native to Europe, this semi-evergreen short-lived perennial is a member of the flax family, Linaceae, that includes 250 species. It grows 1-2′ tall from a deep taproot and has thin…
Book Review: Garden Wild
Andre Baranowski’s book, Garden Wild, celebrates the aesthetic of the the new movement in contemporary landscape design that rejects manicured lawns and tightly pruned hedges and embraces the wilderness. The…
Meadow Garden: Tall Native Flowering Perennials for Mesic to Wet Soil in Full Sun
Including tall plants into a meadow garden enhances its ecological value, aesthetics, and functionality, while also supporting local biodiversity. Tall plants add visual interest and texture, create depth and dimension,…
Plant Profile: Chinese Anemone (Anemone hupehensis)
Also called Japanses anemone, this herbaceous perennial is a native of central China where it grows in scrub, grassy slopes, and streamsides. It is a member of the buttercup family,…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Common Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) Mary’s Bedstraw, Mary’s Humility
For thousands of years thyme has enjoyed great respect and usage. As early as 2750 BC the ancient Sumerians used thyme as a poultice and antiseptic and the Egyptians used…