Question: We just moved from the east coast, where our Hemerocallis (day lily) always was a color treat in our landscape. Now that we have settled into the mid-west and are ready to start planting, can we include the day lily Hemerocallis as a part of our flower garden? I’ve always enjoyed different cultivars and … Read more
On a spring day back a year ago, I enjoyed a tour through one of the Deep South show gardens when our guide pointed toward a passage through a hedge and said, “Now we look at the Amer-gorillas!” I was prepared for anything since he had shown us the “high-biscuit” bushes earlier. But it was … Read more
Pachystachys lutea (puh-KISS-tuh-kiss LOO-tee-uh) is a tropical, evergreen shrub belonging to the genus Pachystachys and the Acanthaceae family, also referred to as the Acanthus family. The genus Pachystachys came from the Greek word “pachys,” which means thick, and the other word “Stachys,” meaning spike. Therefore, the Pachystachys means “with thick spikes,” referencing the plant’s flowering … Read more
Of all flower colors that paint the garden picture, none are so clear and singing—so full, rich, sparkling—as those of the iris. This is especially true of the newcomers in the tall bearded group. However, their color range does not yet span the rainbow, and this is good. There are fewer head-on color collisions in … Read more
The Achimenes (mother’s tears plant) is a member of the Gesneriad family and is closely related to gloxinias and African violets. Common names are monkey-faced pansy, hot water plant (its tubercles refuse to sprout in the spring unless they are warm), and nut-orchid. Achimenes Plants “Older” Than African Violet The Achimenes are old compared with … Read more
Iris, mainly the rhizomatous kinds, have fewer pests and diseases than any other significant group of ornamental plants. This fact, coupled with the ease with which Iris may be grown under widely varying conditions, largely accounts for their great popularity among home gardeners. Occasionally a few insects and microorganisms attack them, particularly in old or … Read more
Three homeowners share how they did landscaping with roses. Mrs. Lee H. Hacker and Uncovered Treasures When we bought our place in the beautiful Ramapo Mountains 40 years ago, it seemed to hint at undiscovered treasures. On exploring this possibility, we weren’t disappointed! One of our “finds” was a drywall, 2′ feet high, extending 150′ … Read more
Twenty years ago, the climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris) was rare even though it had grown in America since 1865. Fortunately, since then, however, gardeners have gradually begun to appreciate its value as a sturdy, ornamental clinging vine, and commercial horticulturists across the country have started propagating it. True, this vine is slow to start growing … Read more
Everyone must have noticed the alum-dance of low growing flowers in our deciduous woodlands in the early Spring, but later in the year, after the leaves overhead cast a heavy shade, few blossoms are to be found. Then the thrifty adder’s tongue, or trout lily, Erythronitan americanum, has laid up nourishment in its storeroom underground … Read more
On a recent trip abroad, I was privileged to see hundreds of rhododendrons and azaleas, most of which are unknown to the gardens of New England. These are species from the oriental hinterlands, and hybrids have been produced from there. Grown in England, Scotland, and Wales, they are mostly too tender for our cold climate, … Read more