Book Review: Waiting for Wings
Karen 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 Profile: Coyote Brush (Baccharis pilularis)
This evergreen shrub is native to coastal California and Oregon and is found in chaparral but is often used as a ground cover and to stabilize slopes. It is a…
Plant Profile: Rock Rose (Cistus x purpureus)
Rock rose is an evergreen shrub from the Mediterranean region from Portugal to Italy that boasts large beautiful flowers in spring and outstanding drought tolerance once established. Even if the…
Six Purple-Flowered Plants that Attract Hummingbirds and Butterflies
A garden a flutter with butterflies sipping nectar from the flowers on a sunny day is a beautiful sight. A visit of a hummingbird to the garden is a treat.…
Plant Profile: Ornamental Oregano ‘Rotkugel’ (Origanum x ‘Rotkugel’)
The name “oregano” may conjure up visions of pizza or Greek salad but after you grow this ornamental form you will find a whole new place in your life for…
Plant Profile: Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpureum)
Purple praire clover is a herbaceous perennial and a member of the pea family, Fabaceae, that also includes lupines, mimosa, and black locust. It is native to central North America…
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…
Plant Profile: Dill (Anethum graveolens)
Dill is a cool weather annual and a member of the carrot family, Apiaceae, that also includes celery, sea holly, and Queen Anne’s lace. It is native to northern Africa…
Plant Profile: Spider Flower (Cleome hassleriana)
Also called pink queen and grandfather’s whiskers, this annual is a native of South America and a member of the Cleomaceae, a family closely related to the mustard family. The…
Plant Profile: Cherry Laurel (Prunus lauroceraus aka P. officinalis)
Native to southeastern Europe and the Middle East this evergreen shrub or small tree is a member of the rose family, Rosaceae, that also includes, apple, lady’s mantle, and pyracantha.…