New Slants On Growing African Violets
Many years ago Atlanta, Georgia, was the great center of African violet interest on October 9 and 10, when enthusiasts from 20 states met for the first time at the
Pioneers
Over the last 5+ decades of growing plants indoors and out, I have been blessed to meet some wonderful landscape designers, growers, houseplant enthusiasts, hybridizers, collectors, plant specialists, and overall lovers of plants.
My knowledge has grown from sharing my plant adventures in collecting plants with others. But I’ve gained so much more by learning from the experience of others. I’ve been fascinated with the trials and experiences from that grand golden age of gardening – the 1940s-1960s.
This was long before we could send an email, snap a picture on our phone or the internet.
Over the past 20+ years, I have read and collected thousands of articles from the Golden Age.
Some of the plants, annuals, perennials, shrubs, and flower varieties you will not find at your local garden center. Other plants have been hybridized and improved upon with familiar names.
The writers in the articles shared their experiences, tips, tricks, success, discoveries, and warnings. Read what they did and throw out the dates. There are plenty of plant care nuggets to learn.
Sharing their learned lessons is a pleasure, and there is much to learn from these plant pioneers.
NOTE: The articles appear with minimal edits. Some plants are no longer available, and others have been changed or reclassified.
The Magic of “Uncle John” McLaren
Do you know that once there lived in this country, a little Scotchinan who had the such magic touch in his ability to grow plants that he changed a large
Mecca for Daylily Fans
The extensive grounds and gardens of F. Edgar Rice in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, were complete with separate daylily, rose, formal, and patio gardens knowingly designed and meticulously maintained – and was
Iris for the South
“Southern gardeners are no pikers, by any means, lit growing iris,” says Boyce M. Edens, one of Atlanta’s and the South’s well-known iris specialists. “In fact,” adds Mr. Edens, “the
What Is The Difference Between an Annual, Biennial And Perennial?
The day I took my grandson (then a second or third grader) to the garden to show him the sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica) and its reactions to the touch of
Meet The Pioneers Who Developed Our Roses
Today’s rose gardens sparkle with color and vigor. Their long-stemmed beauties spring from thickly branched, well-foliaged plants, and each season sees many additions to the list of novelties from which
Tips On How To Grow Big Flowered Mums
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
Who Was Ernest H Wilson The Plant Hunter?
Ernest H. Wilson was not a man who boasted about his exploits. The way to learn from his lips about his work in China, Japan, and other Far East lands
Growing Winning Roses: How To Tips Of A Prize Winning Rose Grower
“How do you grow roses good enough to win the Nicholson Bowl?” This question was frequently put to Edward Sima of Seattle, Washington, who won the most coveted prize of
Northwest Rhododendrons: Pacific Northwest Is Rhododendron Country
The Pacific Northwest is natural rhododendron country. In that narrow belt along the Pacific slope running from Vancouver and Victoria to San Francisco, the winters are tempered by warm waters.