Plant Profile: Cootamundra wattle (Acacia baileyana)
Karen Native to scrub and chaparral of New South Wales, Australia, this evergreen shrub or small tree, is a member of the legume family, Fabaceae, that also includes pea, lupines and…
Book Review: The Herb Gardening Handbook
Author Andrew Perry in his book The Herb Gardening Handbook, presents a beginner’s guide to growing and harvesting herbs. As founder of Urban Herbs, an online retailer of unusual and…
Plant Profile: Oven Wattle (Acacia pravissima)
Also known as wedge-leaved wattle and Tumut wattle, this evergreen shrub or small tree is native to southeastern Australia where it grows near streams or in moist sheltered sites, often…
Genus Witch Hazels for the Garden (Hamamelis spp)
Witch hazels, Hamamelis spp., are deciduous shrubs or small trees native to eastern North America and eastern Asia. They are in the witch hazel family, Hamamelidaceae, that also includes lorpetalum,…
Genus Winter Hazels (Corylopsis sp)
The genus Corylopsis consists of about 30 species in the witch hazel family, Hamamelidaceae, that also includes loropetalum and fothergill. They are native to eastern Asia, mainly China, but with…
Plant Profile: Japanese Star Anise (Illicium anisatum)
Native to Japan and Korea, this broadleaf evergreen shrub or small tree is a member of the starvine family, Schisandraceae, consisting of 3 genera and 92 species. The plant grows…
Book Review: Growing Flowers
Karen Meyers In her book, Growing Flowers, flower farmer and florist, Niki Irving, shares her expertise on creating a cutting garden and using its bounty to make beautiful arrangements. Aimed a newbies,…
Plant Profile: Hydrangea paniculata ‘Tarvida’
Hydrangea paniculata is a deciduous woody shrub growing up to 12′ tall. It is native to eastern and southern China, Japan, Sakhalin, Taiwan, and Kuril Island and belongs to the…
Genus: Illicium for the Garden
Illicium is a genus of 40- 50 species of broadleaf evergreen shrubs and small trees and belong to the the starvine family, Schisandraceae. They are found principally in east and…
Plant Profile: Littleleaf Lilac ‘Superba’ (Syringa pubescens subsp microphylla ‘Superba’)
Native to China, this flowering deciduous shrub is a member of the olive family, Oleaceae, that also includes privet, jasmine and forsythia. The shrub is bushy, grows up to 7′…