Burford’s Holly (Ilex cornuta Burford!) is one of the few hollies to perform satisfactorily the whole length of the West Coast. It and the other hollies do superbly in the Northwest and fairly well in California’s fog zone. Still, for Southern California and the central valleys, Burford’s holly and its type, I. cornuta, are the … Read more
Last winter, the Eastern Seaboard experienced some old-fashioned weather for the first time in 6 years. The thermometer outside the kitchen window of our southern Connecticut home ranged well below zero on several occasions during January and February, and the ground froze solid in mid-December and stayed that way until March. We chose last winter … Read more
The invasion of devastative plant diseases has altered entire nations, their customs, and their development. A plant disease, for example, caused the British to become such great tea consumers. In 1870 in Ceylon, a highly destructive rust disease forced plantation owners to abandon growing coffee and turn to grow tea, a plant that was not susceptible … Read more
If your collection of house plants does — not include at least one Billbergia, you are missing the Spring bloom of one of the most exciting indoor plants. Billbergias are natives of Brazil and consist of numerous species. They are in the family of the bromeliads and are thus relatives of the pineapple and the … Read more
“IMPULSE BUYING” is a part of modern merchandising in supermarkets, gift shops, drug stores, and even nurseries. If you depend on such a practice for selecting your plants, however, your garden is likely to be a hodgepodge of colors and effects. Worse, maintenance will probably be heavy and many losses. When you go to your … Read more
Clerodendrum is a beautiful genus of flowering plants that gained popularity in the spring markets thanks to its brilliant spring color. It’s a tender, fast-growing tropical climbing vine belonging to the genus Clerodendrum and is a member of the Lamiaceae or Mints family. The plants were formerly identified in the Verbenaceae family but were transferred … Read more
The Carpathian walnut has proved hardy to sub-zero winters and is doing well in the Midwest and the northern United States, where California varieties suffer catastrophic winter injury. The glossy-leafed, white-barked trees and their early ripening nuts look just like those from California. When ripe, the thin hull splits, dropping the nuts to the ground. … Read more
If the Possumhaw were better known and understood, it would be used much more than it is. Few shrubs or trees give so much color to a winter landscape. The orange or scarlet berries, although not so large as those of the American or Christmas holly, are borne lavishly. In a good year, many of … Read more
The month flies, and unless you are careful, you may find after the holidays, it is too late to get delivery on some of the shrubs and trees for the garden. So steal enough time from holiday festivities to do the essential gardening. Planting Excellent Shrubs And Trees Perhaps the best deciduous tree for the … Read more
Now that November, winds have shaken the last leaves from most of our trees. For the shrubbery, the heart of the broad-leaved evergreens gets the spotlight. These attractive plants, with their broad foliage contrasted with the slender needles of pines, spruces, and junipers, play an essential part in bridging the long winter season from fall … Read more