Genus Aloe for the Garden
Karen Aloes are succulents in the Asphodelaceae family that also includes daylily (Hemerocallis), red hot poker (Kniphofia), and foxtail lily (Eremurus) The genus includes over 500 species in that are native…
Plant Profile: Blue Grama (Bouteloua gracilis)
Blue Grama (Bouteloua gracilis) Also called mosquito grass, this warm-season tufted perennial is native to southern and western US where it was the dominant grass in the short grass prairie…
Herbaceous Perennials for Wall Gardens in Partial Shade
Plants that prefer good drainage are excellent subjects for inclusion in wall gardens especially if they are small so they can be tucked into crevices. The plants soften the look…
Drought Tolerant Plants: Herbaceous Annuals and Perennials Grown for Foliage
Foliage can add both texture and color to the landscape to create a mood and enrich the visual quality of the garden. Leaves may be glossy, matte, large, small, leathery,…
Plant Profile: Diascia integerrima
This clump-forming, stoloniferous, evergreen perennial is native to South Africa where it grows in mountainous areas along streamsides, on cliffs, and in rock crevices and gravely areas. It is a…
Evergreen Perennials for Dry Shade
Dry shade is one of the most difficult sites for growing plants. Whether it is on a hill side, under the eves of a house, or under trees where roots…
Plant Profile: Rock Spirea (Holodiscus dumosus)
Rock spirea is a deciduous shrub also known as mountain spray, rock spirea, bush oceanspray, and glandular oceanspray, and is a member of the rose family, Roseaceae, that also includes…
Genus Columbines (Aquilegia) for the Garden
Aquilegia is a genus of herbaceous perennials in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that also includes monkshood, anemone, and delphinium. It is native to many areas of the Northern Hemisphere including…
Plant Profile: Trailing Snapdragon (Asarina procumbens)
Native to the Spain and Portugal, this procumbent perennial, often grown as an annual, is a member of the plantain family, Plantaginaceae, that also includes turtlehead, foxglove, and Veronica. It…
Plant Profile: Rock Knotweed (Persicaria vaccinifolia)
An Himalyan native, this semi-evergreen perennial is also called whortleberry-leaved knotweed and creeping fleeceflower and is a member of the knotweed family, Polygonaceae, that also includes dock, rhubarb, and buckwheat.…