Plant Profile: Corncockle (Agrostemma githago)
Karen Corncockle is an upright annual belonging to the carnation family, Caryophyllaceae, that also includes pinks, baby’s breath, and campion. It is native to Europe where it grows in disturbed sites…
Growing Plants from Seed: Bachelor’s Button (Centaurea cyanus)
Bachelor’s button is a cool weather annual native to Europe where it was a common weed in corn fields and hence acquired the common name cornflower. The species is has…
Plant Profile: Honesty (Lunaria annua)
This biennial often grown as an annual is native to the Balkans and southwest Asia and is also called money plant, silver dollars, Chinese coins, and similar, because of its…
Plant Profile: Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum var. heptalobum)
There are many beautiful Japanese maples and this is one of them. With its elegant form and superb autumn coloration it is a fine choice for a courtyard, cottage garden,…
Plant Profile: Golden Columbine (Aquilegia chrysantha)
This herbaceous perennial is a native of southwestern United States including parts of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah were it grows in moist places in sheltered canyons. It…
Plant Profile: Wall Germander (Teucrium chamaedrys aka T. x lucidrys)
This broadleaf evergreen, creeping shrub is native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean. Its attractive aromatic foliage forms a low mound of dark green oval leaves with scalloped margins on…
Plant Profile: Autumn Pineapple Lily (Eucomis autumnalis)
Neither a pineapple nor a true lily, this native of South Africa is related to hyacinths and asparagus but has a tuft of leaves above the flowers that gives them…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Columbine
Columbine belongs to the genus Aquilegia that has over 65 species, many of which are good garden plants. The columbine of Shakespeare was probably Aquilegia vulgaris, an excellent garden plant…
Plant Profile: Morning Glory (Ipomoea tricolor)
Native to the New World tropics this tender perennial vine is a member of the Convolvulaceae family that also includes sweet potato, cypress vine, and dodder. The plant grows up…
Plant Profile: ‘Coconut Punch’ Dianthus
Full, double, clove-scented, deep red and white flowers bloom on compact mounds of grey-green foliage in early summer and may continue sporadically until fall when another flush occurs. This cultivar…