Plant Profile: Pearlbush (Exochorda racemosa)
Karen Pearlbush is a large, spreading deciduous shrub native to China but adapts well to a variety of conditions. In spring the bush is covered with white flowers that emerge from…
Book Review: Natural Gardening in Small Spaces
An increasing number of gardeners are interested in making their gardens environmentally friendly but many assume that they need a lot of space. Not true. Noel Kingsbury’s book, Natural Gardening…
Insects and Their Control: Common Asparagus Beetle ( Crioceris asparagi)
Brought to North America from Europe, the common asparagus beetle was first observed in the United States on Long Island in the mid 1800s. It spread rapidly and by the…
Plant Profile: Sand Myrtle (Leiophyllum buxifolium)
Sand myrtle is a small wide-spreading evergreen shrub native to the East coast of North America from New Jersey to Georgia. It has a rounded habit, fine texture, and tiny,…
Five Late Spring to Early Summer Pink Blooming Perennials for the Rock Garden
There are many shades of pink and all can enhance a rock garden. Pair pastel pink with white for a soft look, hot pink with medium blue to suggest playfulness,…
Plant Profile: Hollyhock ‘Queeny Purple’ (Alcea rosea ‘Queeny Purple’)
If you have a small garden or are tired of staking hollyhocks, consider ‘Queeny Purple’, a dwarf hollyhock standing only 36” high. ‘Queeny Purple’ has large purple-magenta flowers with fringed…
Book Review: Bountiful Container: Create Container Gardens of Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Edible Flowers
McGee’s and Stuckey’s book, Bountiful Container, is about growing edibles including vegetables, fruits, herbs, or flowers. Whether you live in an apartment, townhouse, or condominium and have limited space or…
Weeds and Their Control: Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans)
Poison ivy is a perennial native to eastern, and mid-western United States and is found in all U.S. states east of the Rocky Mountains. It grows well in shaded areas…
Plant Profile: Slender Deutzia (Deutzia gracilis)
Slender deutzia is a low, broad, deciduous shrub native to Japan and popular in many parts of the world. In spring it produces a lavish display of small white flowers…
Five Summer Blooming Perennials with Yellow Flowers for the Rock Garden
Yellow flowers are bright and perky. They stand out in the garden and can easily be seen. They also go with many other colors and so are easy to use…