Would you like to grow a tuberous rooted plant native to Indochina in your window garden or greenhouse? Hydrosme (he-DROSme) is a member of the arum family and sits on a family tree with the calla lily, jack-in-the-pulpit, skunk cabbage, and many other familiar plants. Hydrosme Rivieri Hydrosme rivieri (sometimes listed as Amorphophallus rivieri) is … Read more
Why wait for spring when bleak winter clays can be bright with early flowering bulbs? Designed for busy people and limited window space, these cool-flowering bulbs, often called “the minor bulbs” are easy to grow indoors. Small bulbs are inexpensive too, but for best results avoid bargain leftovers from outdoor planting. Only plump healthy bulbs … Read more
Perhaps you’ll want most of your bulbs in the flower garden with other flowers. Daffodils are pretty there, in clumps of named varieties set midway across a border—although the tiniest kinds belong right at the front. Tulips too in clumps of six to 12 alike make fine garden color early in the year. When tops … Read more
Planting a bulb is one of the simplest procedures in gardening. Most planted this fall will respond and bloom next spring even if you plant them upside down (but please avoid that if you can). Our drawings show the correct positions. Several Factors How To Plant Bulb Hinges In heavy clay soil, you would not … Read more
The stiff 10-inch columns of red, pink, blue, purple, yellow, and white of the Dutch hyacinths make a good early spring color where you want formality. Hyacinths are also an easy subject to force into winter-time bloom in pots. Certain varieties are especially good for this, although almost any kind may be used. Another form … Read more
As I look out my study window and across the neighboring field, I can see the signal flags of the red maples that line the woodland border flashing in the bright September sunshine. Summer is on the wane, and before many more days have passed Autumn, with all its colorful splendor and pageantry, will be … Read more
As lilies become more beautiful, they become tougher also. This happy situation puts them in the front running for flower popularity in the near future. As soon as gardeners discover that these glamorous flowers are also vigorous (hardy to cold, heat- and disease-resistant), prolific, and able to withstand neglect, the lily stock is bound to … Read more
Summary: Discover the rich history and unique beauty of aril irises, including Oncocyclus and Regalia species, and how you can grow them in your garden. Have you ever heard about the fascinating world of ancient irises? These exotic flowers, named after Iris, the Greek goddess of the rainbow, have a rich history and stunning color … Read more
Coffee cans are among the most useful of my gardening accessories. They can be used to store broken pottery bits I use over drainage holes in flower pots. Their tight-fitting lids make them ideal waterproof containers for pieces of twine ready-cut into convenient sizes for instant use in staking and tying plants. Seeds, plant labels, … Read more
Each year in my West Virginia garden, I am amazed anew at the splendor of the Oriental poppy display. And visitors, seeing for the first time these giant poppies blooming, gaze in wonder at the magnificence of the flowers, invariably they exclaim. “We can’t believe it. These poppies can’t be real.” But real they are, … Read more