Book Review: America’s Cottage Gardens: Imaginative Variations on the Classic Garden Style
Karen The charming image of an eighteenth century English cottage garden is a dream to most gardeners in North America but not a reality for most of us. We have a…
Plant Profile: California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)
California poppy is one of the toughest, easiest to grow plants. It is native to the west coast from southern Washington to Baja California and east to Nevada, Arizona, and…
Plant Profile: Lily Leek (Allium moly)
A native of southern Europe, lily leek has long enjoyed a rich past. It is said to be the “Moly” that saved Ulysses from the charms of Circe as described…
Characteristics of Informal Gardens
Chuck The carefree relaxed look of an informal garden is very appealing. But don’t be deceived into believing that this look comes naturally. The best informal gardens are carefully planned, executed…
Plant Profile: Brazilian Vervain (Verbena bonariensis)
This is not a plant that will catch your eye the first moment you look at a garden but it creates a subtle mood especially when planted as a “see…
Plant Profile: Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus)
Sweet William has charmed flower lovers for centuries and even in modern times Kate Middletown included it in her bridal bouquet to honor her groom. The fringed and toothed flowers…
Plant Profile: Winter Heather (Erica carnea)
Winter heather is a low growing compact evergreen shrub that gets up to 12” tall and up to 24” wide so makes a very good ground cover. It grows slowly…
Plant Profile: Granny’s Bonnet/ Garden Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris)
With a name like “granny’s bonnet” this plant is bound to raise the curiosity of any gardener. As one of 65 species of columbine, this is not the best known,…
Spring Blooming Bulbs for the Cottage Garden
Bulbs always play a big role in the spring garden providing bright color to a gray landscape that has been resting for several months. Many bulbs that we grow for…
Plant Profile: Snapdragon ‘Twinny Peach’ Hybrid (Antirrhinum majus ‘Twinny Peach’ hybrid)
‘Twinny Peach’ snapdragon is a very unusual snapdragon. It’s flowers don’t resemble the traditional ones in form or color. First, there is no jaw to the flower; instead the flowers…