Shakspeare’s Garden: Myrtle
Karen Common myrtle (Myrtus communis) is an evergreen shrub native to the Mediterranean area. It grows up to fifteen feet high but takes well to shearing and so is often kept…
Plant Profile: Rose Felicite Parmentier
Round buds with long sepals open to lightly cupped flowers that are usually quartered and may have a button eye. As the flowers mature they go from light pink to…
Book Review: Lily
Reading a whole book called Lily may not intrigue you at first glance but take a look and you will be amazed at how interesting the subject is. Author, Marcia…
Edible Flowers: Lilac (Syringa vulagaris)
Syringa vulgaris is a deciduous shrub in the olive family (Oleaceae) and is native to the Balkan Peninsula but is widely grown in Europe and the US. It can grow…
Plant Profile: Plectranthus argentatus
Silver spurflower is a tender evergreen subshrub in the mint family (Lamiaceae) and native to eastern Australia. The downy pink-purple stems carry gray-green ovate leaves up to six inches long…
Six Best Narcissus for the South
Call them narcissus, daffodils, or jonquils, if you want them in your garden and live in the South you have to pick carefully. Not all narcissus grow well in South…
Plant Profile: Eastern Goat’s Rue (Galega orientalis)
This herbaceous perennial is a member of the legume family (Fabaceae) and native to the meadows and open forests of the Caucasus but is grown elsewhere as a fodder crop.…
Book Review: The Spice and Herb Bible
As more and more people become interested in the diverse foods available around the world the need for a knowledge of spices and herbs becomes more important. Ian Hemphill’s book,…
Plant Profile: Yellow Butterflybush (Buddleja x weyeriana) ‘Sungold’
B. weyeriana ‘Sungold’ is the result of a cross between the familiar B. davidii and B. globosa ‘Orange Ball’. It has long arching branches with gra-white stems that bear eight…
Growing Plants from Seed: Bachelor’s Button (Centaurea cyanus)
Bachelor’s button is a cool weather annual native to Europe where it was a common weed in corn fields and hence acquired the common name cornflower. The species is has…