Plant Profile: Blanket Flower (Gaillardia aristata ‘Fanfare’)
Karen There are many kinds of blanket flower but ‘Fanfare’ is one of the most unique. The fluted orange petal-like flowers flaring out around the burgundy center give the flowerheads the…
Plant Profile: Great Masterwort (Astrantia major)
Popular in Britain but little known in the US, greater masterwort is a stoloniferous herbaceous perennial native to central and eastern Europe where it grows in mountain meadows, grasslands, woodland…
Plant Profile: Yellow Flag Iris (Iris pseudacornus)
Also called water flag, this herbaceous perennial is a beardless rhizomatous iris native to the wetlands of Europe, western Asia and northwest Africa. It is a member of the iris…
Plant Profile: Woolly Yarrow (Achillea tomentosa )
This semi-evergreen, mat-forming perennial is native to the lowlands of Europe and western Asia and is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, goldenrod and lettuce.…
Flowers for Arrangements: Leptospermum rotundifolium
Often called “lepto” in florist shops, this Australian native is a favorite around Valentine’s Day. The woody stems bearing clusters of small white, pink, or red flowers, complement the beauty…
Plant Profile: Dusty Miller (Senecio cineraria)
Dusty miller is a half-hardy perennial native to the Mediterranean area and a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, yarrow, and lettuce. It grows 12-24″ tall…
Plant Profile: Peacock Lily (Gladiolus murielae)
Also known as Abyssinian gladiolus and peacock orchid, this perennial corm is native to mountainous areas of eastern Africa and is a member of the iris family, Iridaceae, that also…
Plant Profile: Calla Lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica)
Calla lily is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial native to southern Africa in Lesotho, South Africa, and Eswatini and is in the arum family, Araceae, that also includes jack-in-the pulpits, anthurium,…
Plant Profile: Pampas Grass (Cortaderia selloana)
Native to Brazil, Argentina and Chile, this perennial grass is a member of the grass family, Poaceae, that also includes bamboo, rice, and corn. Plants form large clumps of arching,…
Plant Profile: Globe Amaranth (Gomphrena globosa) ‘Strawberry Fields’
Globe amaranth is an annual in the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae, that also includes Russian thistle, beet, and spinach. Native to Texas and Mexico, it grows 1-3′ tall, depending on the…