Although roses are my favorite flowers and have been for many years, hardy garden chrysanthemums are getting to be a close second. The first great advance in wide popularity came with the advent of the single Korean hybrids, introduced by the late Alex Cumming, of Bristol, Connecticut, which were quickly followed by double flowers of … Read more
In legend and romance, the white hyacinth has long been a dominant symbol of inspiration and beauty, not only for the purity of its blossoms and their exquisite form but also for its sublime fragrance — overwhelming to some but exotic and particularly delightful out of-doors. Good Advantage of Habit of Growth For decades, hyacinths … Read more
As American as firecrackers on the Fourth of July is Phlox paniculata, and a garden full of it blooming is as exciting as the soaring skyrockets the furled buds suggest—or as restful as a hammock in the shade. Its colors range from the purest white through pink and rose to intense red, from lavender and … Read more
For mums that riot in brilliant color in a last burst of bloom before frost strikes, gardeners in northern climates can thank men like Dr. L. E. Longley, assistant professor of horticulture at University Farm, St. Paul, Minnesota. Dr. Longley has spent years developing chrysanthemums that flower in climates of northern states such as Minnesota … Read more
Since the beginning of civilization, lilies have been one of the most important garden subjects. They are mentioned in the oldest written discourses on gardening and rural life. They appear in the earliest primitive paintings. In short, as long as people have been gardening for pleasure and profit, they have considered the lily one of … Read more
Sweet peas flourish outdoors in the cool climates of northern New England, along the shore, the mountains, and other favored sections of the country. Elsewhere, however, sweet pea growing taxes the skill of home gardeners. It’s a different story, though, with owners of little greenhouses. They have no trouble providing a cool temperature of 50° … Read more
Probably nothing brings more delight and enchantment to a gardener than the small, early flowering bulbs which break the dreary monotony of winter and herald the coming spring. And apart from their early appearance, curiously enough, their fascination derives as much from their unpretentiousness as does that of the later flowers from their greater showiness. … Read more
Spring and tulips are nearly synonymous. In-home gardens throughout the country, just as here at Kingwood Center in Mansfield, Ohio, where over 100,000 bulbs are planted each fall, many different kinds of tulips give an extended bloom season, as long as six weeks. For example, it is possible to start with the early-flowering kaufmanniana hybrids, … Read more
Like its fatuous restored 18th-century gardens, the cutting garden at Colonial Williamsburg is based on extensive research. Though planted with more than 200 kinds of shrubs, perennials, bulbs, and annuals, the plants represented are those that home gardeners can also grow in their small cutting gardens to have an almost year-round supply of cut material … Read more
In the history of the world, certain flowers have been cultivated and appreciated for their sheer enjoyment rather than for any special purpose. A few noteworthy kinds with an extensive background are the chrysanthemum, rose, violet, carnation, narcissus, tulip, and iris. Chrysanthemum: An Ancient Flower With some plants, the cultivated species are so ancient that … Read more