Book Review: Finding Spring
Karen Spring is a beautiful time of year full of anticipation and promise. Carin Berger’s book, Finding Spring, takes a new look at this popular time of year by including winter…
Native Flowering Perennial Climbers
There are many beautiful perennial native vines that can be useful in the garden. They can be used as a screen, to stabalize an embankment, add a vertical element to…
Plant Profile: Moonflower (Ipomea alba)
m This perennial flowering vine is native to tropical and semi-tropical regions of the New World in South, Central, and North America. A member of the morning glory family (Convolvulaceae)…
Botany for Gardeners: Desmanthus
Desmanthus Des MAN thus: from Greek desmos meaning a bundle and anthos meaning a flower Desmanthus is a genus in the bean family (Leuminosae/Fabaceae) and consists of twenty four species…
Plant Profile: Balm-Leaved Red Deadnettle (Lamium orvala)
Also called balm-leaved archangel,, this clump forming herbaceous perennial is native to central and eastern Europe. The heart-shaped leaves are up to six inches long, softly hairy and have serrated…
Book Review: Groundbreaking Food Gardens
As more people want to grow their food the need for new methods and garden designs become more pressing. Niki Jabbour’s book, Groundbreaking Food Gardens, presents a collection of essays…
Growing Plants from Seed: Marigolds (Tagetes spp.)
Marigolds are mostly warm weather annuals native to the Americas with yellow, orange, and rusty red flowers and finely cut pungent foliage. They may be small (six inches), medium (twelve…
Plant Profile: Allegheny Fleece Vine (Adlumia fungosa)
Also called climbing fumitory, this herbaceous climber is native to North America where it grows on wet wooded slopes and is considered an endagered species in some of its range.…
Roses for Hips: Large Hipped Rosa rugosas
Native to northeastern Asia, Rugosa roses are known for good hips but also make excellent garden plants. They offer unique bristly pleated foliage, disease resistance, shade tolerance, thorniness (good for…
Plant Profile: Borage (Borago officinalis)
Borage is an annual herb native to south eastern Turkey but has naturalized in the Mediterranean area, North America, and parts of Europe. The Romans fed it to gladiators and…