Plant Profile: Tree Mallow ( Lavatera martima aka L. bicolor)
Karen Tree mallow is a semi-deciduous shrub probably from the western Mediterranean where it inhabits dry rocky places often along the coast. It is a large loose shrub with an abundance…
Book Review: Waiting for Wings
When the summer days are filled with butterflies feasting on garden flowers, you have an ideal time to introduce young children to the mysteries of a butterfly’s life cycle. What…
Plant Combination: Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana) and Rue (Ruta graveolens)
For late spring into summer the blue flowers of spiderwort and the yellow flowers of rue are especially pleasing in a perennial grouping. The spiderwort can bloom for up to…
Plant Profile: Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)
The sacred lotus, also known as Indian lotus, is an aquatic perennial native to tropical Asia and Australia. It is one of two extant species in the Nelumbonaceae family and…
Five Roses to Use in the Garden as Edgings
An edging along a flower bed gives structure and definition to the bed. It also has the practical purpose of helping to keep the grass in its place on one…
Plant Profile: Golden-Rain Tree (Koelreuteria paniculata)
Native to China, Japan and Korea, golden-chain tree is a small deciduous tree with a rounded outline, wide-spreading branches, and a fabulous display of yellow flowers all over the tree…
Book Review: The Wine Curmudgeon’s Guide to Cheap Wine
Every wine drinker likes to get good value for his/her money when buying wine but doing so can be confusing and frustrating especially when funds are limiting. Jeff Siegel’s book…
Plant Combination: Blanket Flower (Gallardia x grandiflora ‘Goblin’) and Golden Barberry (Berberis thunbergii ‘Bonanza Gold’)
The bright gold of the barberry is echoed by the golden yellow edges of ‘Goblin’s’ flowers to make a pleasing combination all summer in a hot border. The scarlet of…
Plant Profile: Pride of Madeira (Echium candicans)
This bushy evergreen flowering shrub is a native of the island Madeira as the common name suggests but is popular along the coast of California where it tolerates drought and…
Red Flowered Perennials for the Rock Garden
There are many shades of red from crimson to scarlet and they all can be used effectively in the garden. Combine dark burgundy with pink or light yellow for a…