It is wise to prepare the pansy bed before the plants arrive so there will be no delay in setting them out. How To Prepare Pansy Bed Applying enough bone meal to make the surface entirely white before spading or tiling is good practice. After setting out the plants, puddle them or give them a … Read more
It seems strange that the beautiful iris of the Pacific Coast is so little used in gardens elsewhere. They are perhaps the most misunderstood beauties of our time, for they seem reluctant in Eastern gardens. They are not rivals of the tall German iris in culture or form, although they can be colorful and striking … Read more
Late spring or early summer is the time for tall bearded iris, the most popular of the many species and hybrids of the iris family. Varied and lovely are the hundreds of named varieties. Siberian iris, too, appears this season. Close clumps of upright, slender foliage, almost concealed with an abundance of dainty bloom in … Read more
The butterfly or spuria iris are unequaled for hardiness, dependable bloom, and usefulness as cut flowers. In moist climates, their foliage may be subject to spotting like the bearded iris, but their tall sword-like leaves are attractive through the greater part of the year in most sections of the country. Butterfly Iris Species Like those … Read more
In modern gardens, much ado is often made about new plants, valued because they are new and cannot be seen in any other gardens except those choice few whose owners keep up with the times. However, for those gardeners who like to have at least one plant in their gardens that they know has been … Read more
We have all heard of the pot of gold that, according to legend, lies at the end of the rainbow, and haven’t we all wished we might journey to the rainbow’s end and try our luck at finding it? The chances are that none of us ever will, but there is another gift the rainbow … Read more
Reading the long lists of dianthus species in books such as The English Rock Garden by Reginald Farrer or The Garden of Pinks by L. H. Bailey makes one realize how few of the races are available to gardeners in the United States. However, a sufficient number of species and hybrids can be had to … Read more
The old roses of bygone centuries — the gallica, the centifolias, the sweetbriers, and a host of others — are returning to favor with gardeners. Their fragrance, luxuriant foliage, colorful fruits, and distinctive flowers have a nostalgic appeal not found in our highly-bred roses of the 20th century. Their opulent bloom is produced in June, … Read more
August usually represents the lowest point in the pictorial success of perennial borders. Still, it begins in July and runs through to the middle of September, mainly if the weather has been unfavorable. Anyone who has established a collection of perennials knows what the ideal border should be. It should start the spring with low-growing … Read more
Gladiolus (glad-ee-OH-lus), also known as “glads,” is a perennial cormous flowering plant belonging to the genus Gladiolus and family Iridaceae, commonly known as the Iris family. The genus name Gladiolus comes from the Latin word “gladius,” which means sword. Therefore, the name literally translates as the little sword. It also references the plant’s sword-like shape … Read more