Plant Profile: Golden Marguerite (Anthemis tinctoria )
Karen A staple in English borders, golden marguerite is a workhorse as well as a bright star. In spring the finely divided, toothed leaves emerge from the soil with their downy…
Plant Profile: Beebalm ‘Petite Wonder’ (Monarda didyma ‘Petite wonder’)
One of the workhorses of my garden is the diminutive beebalm ‘Petite wonder’. My five plants occupy a sunny moist (but well drained) spot in a border and have bloomed…
Plant Profile: Pink ‘Firewitch’ (Dianthus gratianopolitanus) ‘Firewitch’
‘Firewitch’ is a good example of the adage that good things come in small packages. Of all the pinks in my garden this one is the most attractive throughout the…
Plant Profile: Hosta ‘Patriot’
‘Patriot’ has had a prominent place in my garden for over 10 years and I never fail to enjoy it. The outstanding characteristic of this “Hosta of the Year” for…
Plant Profile: Hosta ‘First Frost’
Chuck Hostas come in many shades of green, blue, white, yellow and blends of these. ‘First Frost’ combines them all with blue-green leaves edged with gold that turns white later in…
Plant Profile: Missouri Primrose (Oenothera macrocarpa aka O. missouriensis )
A native of southern and central US, Missouri primrose is also called Ozark sundrops. It is a herbaceous perennial and member of the willowherb familiy, Onagraceae, that also includes Fushia,…
Plant Profile: Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana, syn. Cochlearia armoraci)
This herbaceous perennial is a member of the mustard family, Brassicaceae, that also includes broccoli, alyssum, and stock. It’s origin is obscure but it is believed to be native to…
Plant Profile: Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla)
The small sky-blue flowers of Brunnera are one of the most endearing sights in the spring garden. They look like the flowers of forget-me-nots with their yellow eyes and are…
Plant Profile: Japanese Primrose (Primula japonica)
Picture a shady glen with lots of moisture. Then put a large drift of Japanese primroses into the picture and you have created a beautiful scene. Japanese primroses are not…
Plant Profile: Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare aka F. officinale)
Fennel is a herbaceous perennial and a member of the carrot family, Apiaceae, that also includes celery, sea holly, and dill. It is native to the shores of the Mediterranean…