Plants for a Mary Garden: Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis)
Karen Meyers Also known as “Candlemas bells” and “Mary’s tapers”, snowdrops are a symbol of hope, new beginnings, and purity. Their early bloom date is usually near February 2, the date of…
Plant Profile: Sharon Tulip (Tulipa agenensis aka T. sharonensis)
Karen The Sharon tulip is a perennial bulb and member of the Lily family, Liliaceae, that also includes dog’s tooth violet and fritillaria. It is native to the Middle East where…
Plant Profile: Tiger Lily (Lilium lancifolium aka L. tigrinum)
Native to China, Japan, Korea and far eastern Russia, this vigorous, easy to grow perennial bulb is a member of the Liliaceae family that also includes tulip, crown imperial, and…
Plant Profile: Foxtail Lily (Eremurus robustus)
Also known as giant desert candle, this perennial bulb is native to central Asia and is a member of the Asphodelaceae family that also includes daylily (Hemerocallis), red hot poker…
Plants of the Bible: Mountain Tulip (Tulipa montana)
Native to rocky and stony areas in the mountains of Iran and northern Iraq, mountain tulip is a bul-forming herbaceous perennial and a member of the lily family, Liliaceae, that…
Plant Profile: Mountain Tulip (Tulipa montana)
Native to rocky and stony areas in the mountains of Iran and northern Iraq, mountain tulip is a perennial bulb and a member of the lily family, Liliaceae, that also…
Shakespeares Garden: Harebell
The harebell of Shakespeare has been identified as the wild hyacinth, Hyacinthoides non-scripta (syn. Scilla nutans), called English bluebell in modern times. It is a perennial spring blooming bulb native…
Plant Profile: Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum)
This perennial bulb goes by many common names including bird’s milk, grass lily, nap-at-noon, summer snowflake, starflower, and ten-o’clock lady. It is native to damp habitats in Europe, northern Africa,…
The Language of Flowers: Aztec Lily (Sprekelia formosissima aka Amaryllis formosissima)
In spite of its name, Aztec lily is not a lily and belongs to the amaryllis family, Amaryllidaceae, that also includes snowdrops, narcissus, and crinum lily. It is native to…
Plant Combination: Armenian Cranesbill (Geranium psilostemon) and Star of Persia (Allium cristophii)
Two shades of purple make this a striking combination border during late spring and early summer. Armenian cranesbill produces dark magenta-purple cupshaped flowers with black centers on a large loose…