Did you know that pineapple (Ananas sativus) is a botanical rarity? I didn’t either until one day last April when my son, Dick’s pineapple plant, produced an exciting red-tinged bud from its center. Only two days before, when it was being watered, I threatened to move it outdoors to make room as it had done … Read more
When you see a handsome parachute-shaped tree with millions of fern-like leaves, chances are you are looking at a mimosa, Albizia julibrissin. It is one of the most beautiful flowering trees you will find. In midsummer, it is covered with fragrant pink-tipped silken tassels. The tree is fast-growing, hardy, and does well even in poor … Read more
If you are looking for a distinctive plant, one that everyone doesn’t have, consider the cassias or sennas. They come from many lands. Most of them do well in the South. Some have medicinal value, but those I list here I grow just for their outstanding beauty. Cassia Alata Empress candle, Cassia alata, is a … Read more
Why not make friends and influence people by serving some exciting new citrus fruits grown on trees in your backyard? If you live in the Lower South where you can grow citrus trees outdoors, or in a colder area where you grow them in tubs that you bring in during winter, you can have a … Read more
In the coastal areas of the Upper and Middle South, most perennials are planted during November and December. But, when selecting subjects to plant now or nearer the end of the year, those who live in that part of the country must not dwell on the lovely illustrations of spring, summer, and fall borders printed … Read more
For decorating your home indoors, making it feel cool, woodsy, and rich, softening stark, harsh architectural lines, or unifying a decorative scheme—nothing rivals the beauty of graceful, green ferns. Here are plants with such purity of form you can’t go wrong however you use them. In addition to decorative value, ferns give you a great … Read more
Here, as everywhere, winters vary yearly and from area to area. Winter can be long, it can be short, it can be relatively mild, and it can be bitter. There are winters with heavy snow and with little snow. Winter can come very early and suddenly; it can be late and come gradually. In addition, … Read more
Few operations connected with gardening are more misunderstood than that of protecting for winter. Someone has remarked that attempts at winter protection injure more plants than they benefit. This is somewhat exaggerated, but not so much as might be supposed. The basic reason why winter protection often fails to protect, or results in injury is … Read more
This is the story of an adventure that led to the discovery of 15 spectacular Reticulata camellias in that land of ancient horticultural skills, Yunnan, China. But first, a small introduction to and a brief description of these hybrids, startlingly lovely in every way and a new departure in camellias. Aside from the interesting, if … Read more
Evidence is accumulating that the garden was the age-old training center in which the arts and sciences first blossomed. In a sense, the evidence confirms what Webster long ago suggested —culture started with soil cultivation. The very word reflects garden history. Horticulture and agriculture are obvious derivations. The Antiquity of Cultivated Plants But culture came … Read more