Our half-acre garden has seen many changes over the years we have worked it. When we moved out of the city, our thoughts were much the same as those of other new suburbanites – growing vegetables and letting my wife have her little flower garden near the house. At first, we attempted everything from radishes … Read more
Question: We would like to have flowers always coming in bloom in the garden of our new home. We are first-time home buyers, and this will be our first garden. Are daylilies a good choice for long-term blooming? Genna, Tupelo, Mississippi Answer: Genna, gardens are loveliest when they are planned to have a succession of … Read more
Amaryllis is my favorite house plant, although it often taxes my devotion. While the bulbs seem to go on forever and never die, their blooming performance is decidedly temperamental to me. I class them as feminine, “uncertain, coy and hard to please,” to quote the poet, but I am duly grateful when they give their … Read more
We live near Philadelphia, and people still ask me whether primroses are hardy here. The answer is that they are, and for that matter, they are even harder in much colder climates. Primroses Bloom in Summer Some primroses will bloom in succession from April through the Summer; there are kinds for wet places, woodlands, and … Read more
Formerly known as Naegelia in Mexico, Temple Bells are beautiful bell-shaped winter flowers that range in color from cream to red, with large heart-shaped leaves sometimes marked with purple veins and red hairs. These beautiful plants are Temple Bells because their flowers rise above the leaves in late summer and fall and hang down bell-shaped … Read more
The sonerila margaritacea is a striking tropical plant. You can recognize it by the distinctive white spots on its green leaves and delicate pink or purple flowers. The sonerila is native to tropical Asia, thriving in places like Java and Burma. However, in North America, it is fairly rare, so if you’re interested in growing … Read more
Calliandra haematocephala or “Powderpuff’s” are cheerfully plump shrubs that typically grow for many years. One of the unique features of this beautiful plant is that it has one species that blooms in the winter and others that offer blooms from the spring to fall. Calliandra are a tropical or sub-tropical plant, so you’ll normally see … Read more
Canna (KAN-uh), also known as Canna x generalis, is a beautiful perennial plant with many varieties, giving way to a range of bold colors. The plant is part of the Cannaceae family and includes canna lilies and Indian shots. Canna is a diverse group of hybrids native to the New World’s subtropics and tropics, including … Read more
Dipladenia (dip-la-Dee-nia), a part of the Apocynaceae family, is a flowering plant that thrives in pots, the ground, and hanging baskets and is known for its bushy foliage and trumpet-shaped flowers. Dipladenia is a South American species that thrive in tropical jungles. However, its tropical origin requires temperatures of at least 68° degrees Fahrenheit to … Read more
Without annuals, many summer gardens would be dull and colorless. This versatile group of plants supplies us with abundant bloom over a long period, and practically all are easy to grow. But the great majority needs sunshine. Consequently, many gardeners who have shady areas are often at a loss to select annuals that will succeed … Read more