Plant Profile: Scrub Oak (Quercus gambelii)
Karen Also known as gambe oak, oak brush, and Rocky Mountain white oak, this deciduous small tree or large shrub is native to the foothills and lower mountains elevations of western…
Plant Profile: Copperleaf (Acalypha wilkesiana aka Acalypha tricolor)
Also known as Jacob’s coat, this broadleaf evergreen shrub is native to tropical and subtropical areas of New Guinea, Malaya, Fiji and nearby South Pacific islands. It is a member…
Plant Profile: Fairy Foxglove (Erinus alpinus)
Native to Cenral and Southern Europe, this semi-evergreen perennial is also known as alpine balsam, starflower, and liver balsam. It is a member of the plantain family, Plantaginaceae, that also…
Book Review: Container Gardeners Handbook
If you like plants you will probably need or want at least a few containers filled with plants no matter where you live. Francis Tophill’s book, Container Gardener’s Handbook presents…
Plant Profile: Canna warscewiczii
This herbaceous perennial is a member of the Cannaceae family that is most closely related to banana, ginger, and bird of paradise. A native of Brazil and Costa Rica, it…
Plant Profile: Canna glauca
Canna glauca is a herbaceous perennial in the Cannaceae family that is most closely related to ginger, bird of paradise, and banana. It is native to the West indies and…
Plant profile: Alpine Wallflower (Erysimum linifolium)
Native to Spain and Portugal this herbaceous perennial is a member of the mustard family, Brassicaceae, that also includes cabbage, broccoli, and alyssum. The species forms loose mounds of wiry…
Book Review: Gardening the Mediterranean Way
A mediterranean garden has mild, relatively wet winters and long, hot dry summers which offer unique challenges to gardeners that live in such climates throughout the world. Heidi Gildenmeister’s book,…
Plant Profile: Angels’ Trumpets (Brugmansia suaveolens aka Datura suaveolens)
Also called angel’s tears, this tender perennial is a semi woody shrub or small tree and a member of the nightshade family, (Solonaceae) that also includes potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants and…
Book Review: The Ultimate Guide to Gardening
Whether you are an experienced gardener or a novice having a new garden project is fun and can generate enthusiasm for everyone involved. Lisa J. Amstutz ‘ book, The Ultimate…