Plant Profile: Japanese Kerria (Kerria japonica)
Karen This deciduous shrub offers masses of yellow flowers on upright and arching green stems for two or three weeks in April or May and may rebloom in the summer. The…
Book Review: The Brother Gardeners: A Generation of Gentlemen Naturalists and the Birth of an Obsession
If you envy English gardeners, take a look at the entertaining yet scholarly book by Andrea Wulf that will change your thinking about plants and garden history. It tells the…
Botany for Gardeners: Taxonomy of Monocots-Identifying the Lily Family (Liliaceae)
Traditionally, the Lily Family (Liliaceae) is huge and made up of diverse plants. It includes many ornamentals such as true lilies, tulips, agave, lily-of-the-valley, and amaryllis, as well as a…
Plant Profile: Carolina Allspice (Calycanthus floridus)
The reddish-brown flowers of this deciduous bush are loaded with a spicy fragrance that will fill the air with their pleasant aroma when they open in late spring. A native…
Gardens of Pompeii: Water Features
In the early days of Pompeii, the grand houses of the wealthy residents did not have an easy source of water and the gardens in the center of the houses…
Plant Profile: Natal Plum (Carissa macrocarpa)
This evergreen shrub has shiny dark green leaves, sharp spines, and fragrant white or pink fragrant flowers that are followed by edible red fruit. The sweet cranberry flavored fruits are…
Book Review: Green Thumbs: A Kid’s Activity Guide to Indoor and Outdoor Gardening.
Sharing something you love with people you love is what makes life so worthwhile so what could be more rewarding to a gardener than introducing children to gardening? Laurie Carlson’s…
Weeds and Their Control: Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium)
The origin of jimsonweed is unclear; it may have come from tropical Asia or America but is now found throughout the world including most of the United States. It is…
Plant Profile: Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne)
You can’t beat perennial ryegrass for quick germination, when you want to start a new lawn or fix holes in an old one. Added to that, it is easy to…
The Story of the Common Hyacinth
The familiar hyacinth plant appears in spring with its heady fragrance and is loved by some, scorned by others. It became very popular in Holland during the 18th century and…