For many years, fragrance in garden gladiolus eluded hybridizers. After various growers had spent 125 years obtaining fragrant garden gladiolus. Dean William Ilerbert of England produced his hybrid, GLADIOLUS FRAGRANS—a cross between strongly night-scented GLADIOLUS TRISTIS and violet-sweet GLADIOLUS RECURVUS—just about that long ago. It was a truly fragrant miniature gladiolus with all of the … Read more
If you want an interesting and exciting experience in seed sowing, try hybrid chrysanthemum seeds. While looking through a chrysanthemum catalog in February 1958, I found mum seeds from Japan. The description indicated that if they were planted by May, they would bloom the following fall. They were advertised as a mixture of large exhibitions, … Read more
The challenge of the new and the untried makes the annual influx of seed catalogs a continual source of fascination. Some of the so-called “new plants” are actually the result of rediscovery by some enthusiasts. Others are improved or selected strains offered because of better color, larger-sized blooms, or greater vigor. At any rate, there … Read more
For an unusual and lovely houseplant, try this coral-red lily-like bulb. It is a near relation to the Guernsey lily of the amaryllis family. It is easy to grow and entirely free from insect pests or fungus diseases. Unusual Shade Of Coral Red Both corolla and stamens are an unusual shade of coral red – … Read more
The summer hyacinth or galtonia has been grown in gardens for many years. Older gardeners perhaps know it as Hyacinthus, formerly called it, but many new gardeners are unfamiliar with this bulb which has always been admired for its beautiful flowers. Galtonia’s Notable Features Galtonia is a South African bulb belonging to the great family … Read more
Dwarf delphiniums entered my life quite by accident. But, pint-size though they are, they remain in my garden year after year by plan! When I ordered that first hatch of seed included: Delphinium grandiflorum White Butterfly Azure Fairy and Blue Butterfly I thought I was selecting the familiar tall Chinese larkspur and expected blossom spikes … Read more
Flowers to bloom each month in the Ohio area are easy to find once we look. This roundup was made in answer to a query by Mrs. E. C. Burke. It includes only bulbs and perennials, and it by no means exhausts the possibilities. Bulbs During March In March, bulbs that show color are the … Read more
Outstanding displays are not unusual in southern California gardens. But, last fall, I saw a breathtaking sight that stands out so vividly in my mind that it will not soon be forgotten. It was a magnificent outdoor planting of the blood lily, Haemanthus katherinae. Under an old, wide-branching oak some distance away, I spied great globes … Read more
If you are looking for the perfect ornamental indoor plant for the winter and holidays, Solanum pseudocapsicum will suit you well. Solanum pseudocapsicum, previously known as Solanum capicastrum, is a bushy, perennial evergreen shrub belonging to the genus Solanum and a member of the Solanaceae or the Nightshade family. Solanaceae is a family of flowering … Read more
A fascinating group of plants is the so-called cactus geraniums. It has been my hobby for many years to collect these peculiar-looking plants. Pelargonium Echinatum Perhaps the best known in this group is Pelargonium echinatum, sometimes called the prickly stalked cranesbill or sweetheart geranium. The stalk is smooth, set with many spines which bend back … Read more