To many people, every fern is long, slender, furry runners over the pot’s side is a “rabbit’s foot” fern. Their grandmother had one; she called it that, and that is what it is, as far as they are concerned. To a certain extent, they are right, but Mr. Schneider, in his book “Choice Ferns,” distinguishes … Read more
COLUMNEA GLORIOSA is a Costa Rican vine with attractive velvety leaves and scarlet tubular flowers. It belongs to the same family as African violets, gloxinias, and achimenes, though it looks and should be grown quite differently. The leaves are about 1 1/4″ inches long and are brownish on the upper side and red underneath, a … Read more
There is more interest today in orchid growing than at any time in the past, and each year more and more amateur growers are induced to take up their culture. Nonetheless, the long-established impression that orchid culture is much more difficult than other plants still deters many would-be enthusiasts from undertaking to grow them. There … Read more
Hostas are beautiful perennials that have gained a lot of popularity due to their shade tolerance. However, where there are big plants, there are often significant pests, and deer are a common threat to many gardens. How resistant are hostas to deer, and what can you do if one of your plants is attacked? Do … Read more
A flexible plant bench on wheels fitted with copper trays makes my venture with house plants easy and pleasant throughout the year. My husband designed and built a 3′ feet high bench that extends the length of three sun porch windows. Long narrow trays to fit the window sills are also a boon to my … Read more
Have you ever dreamed Of the Tales of the Arabian Nights and wished you might journey on that Magic Carpet to far-flung, romantic corners of the earth? It can be done with a greenhouse and orchids—at least in a fancy. Orchids will bring the exotic beauty and perfume of those faraway lands into your daily … Read more
Most people turn a deaf ear when orchids are suggested as ideal house plants. Yet anyone who can grow African violets or gloxinias indoors can grow orchids. There is hardly another group of plants more compatible with our way of living than these exotic epiphytes. Furthermore, orchid blossoms are astonishingly durable. Most of them remain … Read more
With flourishing flowers and foliage just across the threshold here in Florida, you wouldn’t think we would bring the outdoors in, but everyone does, and on a much larger scale than in colder climates. Here new homes are planned to include a Florida room, designed with plants as the central theme, a family room, and … Read more
That 16” inch Double Neptune, completely hiding its wick-fed pot 18 months ago, was the size of the small Double Neptune, just beginning its wick-fed career. The new 3” inch pot with paraffin edge is the same size pot the plants are growing. The large one, until two weeks before the picture was made, cultivated … Read more
Protective coloration and mimicry of surrounding objects so everyday in the animal kingdom are seldom encountered in plants. Few realize that a group of plants that best exemplify this interesting phenomenon are easy subjects for the sunny window garden. These plants belong to the mesembryanthemum family, represented in some of our gardens by the old-fashioned … Read more