Pine Trees for Containers
Karen Pines in containers provide year round greenery. Some have attractive bark and cones as well as unique growth habits. Some can even be used as Christmas trees indoors for a…
Plant Profile: Bahia Grass (Paspalum notatum)
A native of Mexico and South America, Bahia grass is a coarse, open warm-season grass that produces a low to medium quality turf. It is widely grown for forage in…
Book Review: Designing with Succulents
Succulents are the plants that my grandmother grew in pots on the stairs in the front of her house. She hardly ever watered them and or paid much attention to…
Interesting Facts about Rusts Affecting Garden Plants as an Aid to Control
Rusts are considered one of the most harmful diseases of plants. They are caused by fungi that can infect the leaves, stems, fruits, or seeds of plants, producing pustules on…
Plant Profile: Great Masterwort (Astrantia major)
Popular in Britain but little known in the US, greater masterwort is a stoloniferous herbaceous perennial native to central and eastern Europe where it grows in mountain meadows, grasslands, woodland…
Garden Hedges: Flowering Shrubs-2
Flowering shrubs can add color and fragrance to a garden hedge and be a great addition to the garden. They can create garden rooms, screen out an unattractive view, or…
Plant Profile: Broad leaved Shooting Star (Dodecatheon hendersonii)
Growing from a tuft of basal leaves, a slender shoot bears clusters of nodding magenta flowers with reflexed petals around a dark column of stamens and style. A native of…
Book Review: Attracting Butterflies and Hummingbirds to Your Backyard
One of the great pleasures of having a garden is watching the butterflies and birds that come to live there. Their beauty alone makes them desirable guests but added to…
Basic Types of Potting Soil for Containers
One of the most important factors affecting success with container grown plants is the choice of potting soil. The potting soil should be light weight, provide the roots with air…
Plant Profile: ‘Read Head’ Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Red Head’)
The large plumes of ‘Red Head’ fountain grass are 8-10” long and 3” wide. Pink when they first appear, the plumes mature to smoky purple. They appear in mid- to…