Plant Profile: Clary (Salvia sclarea)
Karen Clary is a biennial or short lived perennial native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean region but has been introduced to a variety of locations around the world and naturalized…
Plant Profile: Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Buttonbush, also called honey-bells and button-willow, is a deciduous shrub or small tree native to wetlands such as swamps, marshes, riverbanks, and floodplains from New Brunswick and Minnesota south to…
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…
Plant Profile: Sweet Pepper bush (Clethra alnifolia)
This suckering deciduous shrub is native to eastern North America where it may form dense colonies in moist to wet areas in woodlands and along the sea coast from Maine…
Plant Profile: Silver Wattle (Acacia dealbata)
Also called blue wattle and mimosa, this flowering evergreen shrub or small tree is native to southeastern Australia including Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania . It is a member…
Plant Profile: White Forsythia (Abeliophyllum distichum)
Native to a small area in central Korea, this deciduous shrub is considered “critically endangered’ in the wild but is a popular garden plant in cultivation. It produces clusters of…
Plant Profile: Sweet Olive (Osmanthus fragrans)
For fragrance, sweet olive ranks with jasmine, gardenias, and honeysuckle. A native of eastern Asia, it is a member of the olive family, Oleaceae, that also includes jasmine, lilac, and…
Plant Profile: Spike Winter Hazel (Corylopsis spicata)
Native to Japan, this flowering deciduous shrub is in the witch hazel family, Hamamelidaceae, that also includes fothergill and loropetalum. The unusual fragrant flowers that appear in late winter to…
Plant Profile: Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis)
Lily of the valley is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial native to the temperate parts of the Northern Hemisphere and grows best where summers are warm but not hot. Each plant…
Tips for Having Fun in the Garden with Preschoolers
Suggestions are made for sharing your garden with young children. Plants of special interest are listed and tips for making your garden more critter friendly are given.