Book Review: Garden Wild
Karen Meyers Andre Baranowski’s book, Garden Wild, celebrates the aesthetic of the the new movement in contemporary landscape design that rejects manicured lawns and tightly pruned hedges and embraces the wilderness. The…
Plant Profile: Willowleaf Sunflower (Helianthus salicifolius)
Karen Willowleaf sunflower is a clump forming perennial native to south-central US, primarily in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas where it grows in limestone prairies and rocky outcrops. It is a…
Plant Profile: Common Blanket Flower (Gaillardia aristata)
Common blanket flower is a herbaceous perennial native to northwestern and north central US where it grows in meadows. It is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also…
Book Review: Tiny + Wide
In his book, Tiny + Wild, author and landscape designer Graham Laird Gardner provides a guide for turning a small part of a yard into a mini-meadow. The area can…
Plant Profile: Yellow Bedstraw (Galium vernum)
Native to grasslands and meadows of Europe, North Africa and southwestern Asia, this rhizomatous, herbaceous perennial is a member of the coffee family, Rubiaceae, that also includes gardenia and Pentas.…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Quaking Grass ( Briza media) Our Lady’s Tresses
At the time of Christ, women’s hair fashions were determined by both cultural practices and religious laws. Covering the hair with a scarf, veil or other fabric was considered a…
Plant Profile: Common Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale)
Sneezeweed is a clump-forming herbaceous perennial in the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, yarrow, and lettuce. It is native to eastern and north central North America where it…
Plant Profile: Quaking Grass (Briza media)
Native to meadows and pastures of Europe and Asia, this creeping perennial grass is a member of the grass family, Poaceae, that also includes wheat, rice, and bamboo. It is…
Plant Profile: Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa)
Also called noble goldenrod, this rhizomatous herbaceous perennial is native to central and eastern US where it grows in open woods and fields. It is a member of the aster…
Plant Profile: Stiff Sunflower (Helianthus rigidus aka H. pauciflorus))
Also known as prairie sunflower this herbaceous perennial is native to central US and is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, yarrow, and lettuce. It…