Plant Profile: Fern Bush (Chamaebatiavia millefolium)
Karen Also known as desert sweet, this sweetly-aromatic semi-deciduous shrub is native to western US from Oregon to California, east to Idaho, Utah, and Arizona where it grows in scrub, woodland,…
Plants for a Mary Garden : Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia) “Our Lady’s Thimble”
Karen Meyers The association between harebell and the Virgin Mary is the result of medieval Christian traditions and folklore. Although the Bible makes no mention of Mary’s domestic skills, the veneration of…
Plant Profile: Oleander (Nerium oleander)
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
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,…