The title I’ve chosen is not merely figuratively true. The daffodils actually are growing up. They are getting taller and bolder, more sophisticated, and prettier. The ungraceful creatures of the first decade of our century made room for RED BEACON and RED CHIEF. They, in turn, made room, in the next decade, for daffodils of … Read more
Lilies provide beauty wherever they’re grown. But not all those with a green thumb (or who desire one) are lucky enough to live in a suitable USDA hardiness zone. Sometimes, a container is just the answer. Others prefer their flowers to bloom outdoors to liven up the display around the house. Here are a few … Read more
Never before have so many beautiful lilies been available for our gardens. You owe it to the future of your garden to plant a selection of lilies, either this fall or early next spring. Bulbs will become available in a few weeks – late September and October- and can be had again next spring. The … Read more
Success with Lilies in Mid-America depends upon several specific factors. First, plant only top-quality, fresh dug bulbs. For top quality, you depend upon those you purchase; the best is the cheapest. “Fresh dug” does not mean cold storage bulbs that have been out of the ground for a considerable time. All commercially grown lilies are … Read more
Little-known facts about growing daffodils in hot climates. Daffodils are Soil Conscious Daffodil may be a “dilly” when soil and climate please her, but she fades out of the garden picture when conditions are not to her liking. Few gardeners expect a trumpet daffodil to be as soil conscious as an azalea because current garden … Read more
Now is the time to plan for that spring bulb garden to be sure of weeks of gorgeous color. There are hundreds of varieties and combinations awaiting your pleasure. Beginning with the so-called minor bulbs, such as crocus, scums, and snowdrops, continuing with a wide range of daffodils and a selection of fragrant hyacinths, you … Read more
Most folks say peony, and a few say piney, but no matter how it is pronounced, the same wonderful plant is meant. Why wonderful? An almost impossible feat for a real enthusiast, the virtues of the peony are large, showy flowers, fragrance, lovely color range, attractive foliage throughout the growing season, ease of culture, and … Read more
Daffodils take many forms; plant breeders beginning with a handful of species or wild daffodils 200 years ago, began to cross-breed them, first out of botanical curiosity and later to create beautiful new forms. The breeding program gained momentum over the past 100 years, with a flood of new types and varieties almost too great … Read more
Daylilies will grow almost anywhere. They will grow in full sun or under trees in every type of soil, from sand to clay, either wet or dry, and under every kind of condition. They produce beautiful masses of striking colors: yellow, orange, pink, rose, raspberry, red, maroon, brown, purple, and almost black. There are flowers … Read more
The early cultivators of the gladiolus, though able to work with many species, were confined to a basic flower form in both spike and individual floret. In 1920 some thought that the limit in hybridizing gladiolus had been reached. But since then, so many new developments have been made that older varieties are now obsolete. … Read more