With so many people displaying their green thumb talents these days, flower shows with prizes for amateur plant lovers are booming, too. The shows range from those sponsored by neighborhood or statewide garden clubs and urban horticultural societies to larger exhibitions at state and county fairs. Whether you are a newcomer or a veteran at … Read more
So you can’t grow orchids without a greenhouse? Well, here’s the news for you. Some orchids are happy to house guests. Cypripedium maudiae magnificum makes an excellent starter plant, and success with it will lead you to conquer new worlds. You won’t think the color combination of media startling, but you’ll find it pretty enough. … Read more
Outside of Holland’s Keukenhof Gardens, one of the best displays of tulips, daffodils, and other flowering spring plants is at the 125-acre Sterling Forest Gardens near Tuxedo, N. Y. More than a million blooms here may be seen in a setting that includes 30 square miles of lakes and natural forests. Only 40 miles from … Read more
According to reports from test gardens and breeders across the country, chrysanthemums are better than ever this year. In addition, test varieties show marked improvements in hybridization, in keeping with the natural trend for better color and form. However, expert selection is equally as important. Although the color and form may be satisfactory, the flowers … Read more
Many new homeowners who show excellent taste in furnishing their houses are at a loss when it comes to planting their grounds. Often, the chief reason for poor landscaping is a lack of experience with the basic materials—plants. Concentrate On Annuals One of the best ways to start learning about plants is to concentrate on … Read more
In central Maine, snow may cover the ground from late November through early April, and frost-free nights are not expected until the first of June. When winter lasts so long, and spring is so uncertain, a flower that blooms in April is worth a hundred flowers in June. For us, that precious April bloom is … Read more
Wherever a civilization has flourished, so has the iris. Usually in the very fancy company, indeed! Iris At Karnak Thutmosis III, the greatest of the conquering Pharaohs, brought it to Egypt from Syria in the last half of the 15th century B. C. A witness is an iris in bas-relief on the walls of his … Read more
During summer, when the heat and insects outdoors make us too uncomfortable, we retreat to the living room and console ourselves with our bit of indoor greenery. Our hearth is decorated with several plants, but Hydrosme rivieri, the voodoo plant, is the most prominent. The picture shows it next to our simple old fireplace, which … Read more
Whether you call them lady-slippers, fairy-slippers, or moccasin flowers, these choice woodland orchids are appealing. Their common names are derived from the pouch-like lip of the flowers, which are held on graceful stems well above the leaves in late spring. Like most orchids, the flowers remain fresh for several weeks, especially if pollination does not … Read more
For several years, we tried unsuccessfully to grow baby’s breath, Gypsophila paniculata, and in particular, the improved Bristol Fairy from grafted plants we bought. Usually, before the weather was warm enough to plant them outdoors, we lost many of them. But the mysterious appeal of this airy, graceful plant with its deceptively delicate-looking, well-balanced stalks … Read more