Many years ago, we transplanted a clump or two of marsh marigolds to the banks of our brook. Today, they cover the banks with gold and spread into an old alder swamp and the damp woods beyond. They are a joy to our eyes, hungry for color after the long winter. Cowslip is another name … Read more
Wood Sorrel is native to North America and Eurasia. Though it can be found in Canada and nearly every state of the United States, it is most abundant in the eastern United States and Canada. The Wood Sorrel, Oxalis—Shamrock plants in many garden centers—is not a true shamrock. Instead, Oxalis has a character all its … Read more
The bright tubular flowers of the Cigar Plant, often called the Firecracker Plant, are a magnet for butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. his is the perfect product for borders and beds. In addition, this is an excellent choice for containers, baskets, and window boxes. Native to Mexico and the West Indies, the cigar plant has been … Read more
Busy Lizzie (or impatiens) is a tender, long-lasting plant that flowers continuously through the summer and fall and sometimes right up to the frosts. The impatiens are adaptable, compact-growing plants that can be grown in any container or within borders. They can flower in vivid colors such as red, pink, orange, purple, and even white. … Read more
Chrysanthemums, once thought of primarily as flowers for autumn gardens and greenhouses, are now grown all year round. With an eye to scientific research, Horticulturists discovered that chrysanthemums bloom when the days are short. By controlling the light, using simple means like shading with a dark cloth, the plants bloom outdoors before frosting in cold … Read more
The agapanthus (a-guh-pan-thuhs) plants are outdoor garden perennial flowers that bloom in the summer. They are more commonly known as the “Lily of the Nile” or the African lily plant. Apaganthus plants belong to a subfamily of flowering plants known as the Agapanthoideae, the Amaryllidaceae family. This family of plants is in the same family … Read more
Glamorous greenhouse mums can be grown outdoors. An enthusiastic group of backyard gardeners in St. Louis, Missouri, proves it. Although none of these enthusiasts use identical methods, they all manage to coax prodigious bloom from small plantings. And, remarkably enough, the fancy big mums are proving to be about as cold-resistant as the so-called hardy … Read more
Today many of us think of primroses almost entirely as potted plants where the two Chinese species, Primula obconica, and malacoides, are the most popular. Of course, if one has a greenhouse or a not-too-warm window, one’s interest can logically be centered on these two beautiful primroses. However, primroses can also be grown in the … Read more
Perhaps you haven’t seen irises lately. You may recall them as those early fleeting blooms in drab violets or washed-out yellows seen everywhere some 60 years ago, thriving on neglect but adding little to the beauty or variety of the garden. Or maybe you have acquired a new taste for the iris, but find the … Read more
What do you think when geraniums are mentioned? In frostless or near frostless regions, Florists and gardeners probably visualize the showy pelargonium or one of its ilk. But speak of geraniums to the gardener of the Northwest or England or too many an eastern gardener. He will refer to the hardy geraniums or cranesbills, wildflowers … Read more