Sedum Spectabile Variegatum

This variegated sedum has long been one of my favorites. It began as a “passalong” plant from a friend, and as the years went by its fine qualities slowly revealed themselves. For those qualities it gained a place among my favorites- combining good looks and usefulness.
There are many fine types of sedums, and even within [...]

Chives, Onion’s Little Brother

Chives are part of the culinary herb garden, but can be tucked in anywhere – pots, edges, odd corners of a flower bed. They are easy to grow and easy to harvest, as well as being pretty and polite. They grow from small bulbs and can be multiplied by simply digging up a bit of [...]

Ten Winter Features

Everyone has their opinion of what makes something a joy to the eye. In winter everything is finely edited by our cold weather and killing frosts, but that only means we have a showcase for some plants that make the winter landscape beautiful and interesting.

Trees:

Crabapples- the bigger and brighter the fruits the better, but all [...]

Contorted Hazel

Preeminent for winter interest, the Contorted Hazel, Contorted Filbert, or ‘Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick’ all add up to the same beautifully twisted, gnarled branches standing out in the bleak wintertime views. All of these common names refer to one tree, “Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’“.
Maybe not everyone will like it, due to the dull summer season foliage [...]

Autumn Clematis

One of my favorite vines for sheer abundance of frothy bloom. When it is in full bloom starting at the end of August, the entire yard is filled with a clean soapy scent. Abuzz with little bees and adorned with butterflies the autumn clematis is an natural entertainment center. I love to sit on the [...]

Flowering Cabbage & Kale

Time to think of the autumn phase of the garden already. When we picture autumn we picture the trees ablaze with color here in the Midwest, and in the Northeast of the USA, but there are other players on the stage. Perhaps theirs is a supporting role, but many bring lots of surprising color [...]

Balloon Flowers Throw A Midsummer Party

When the Platycodons bloom in a midsummer garden they sport pastel balloon buds that burst into open stars of satiny blue, pink, or white. I think I like the blue hue the best. They are slow to break growth in the spring so keep that in mind while grubbing around in the spring garden. That [...]

Alberta Spruce

Alberta spruce, Picea glauca ‘Conica’ is a favored dwarf evergreen for foundation and landscape use. I have grown them in both my rural and city garden. Their greatest drawback is the spider mite infestations they are prone to- which I never suffered in the city because I was in the habit of hosing off the [...]

Asters Are September Assets

Asters are one of the many daisy family members. Often called “Michaelmas Daisies” [although Aster novi-belgii is also called this nickname] since their autumn blooming coincides with the September 29th date of the Church calender celebration. Also known as New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae), they are widely available in named varieties ranging in color from [...]

Viburnums: Plants for All Seasons

The viburnums here are in full swing of spring bloom. Most gardens would benefit from one of these shrubs, or in my case, many of them. Here’s look at some of the differences in varieties, some of the assets of growing them, and the care information.

Upper left in the picture shows the V. plicatum [...]

Endless Summer Hydrangea

Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Endless Summer’ blooms on both new and old wood.The color depends on soil pH.

Echinacea, A Healing Plant

Echinacea purpurea,
Cone flower, is a daisy type of flower that blooms well during late summer months. I love it in combination with the Butterfly weed. The orange of the Asclepsias tuberosa, butterfly flower, picks up the same hue in the disc part of the coneflowers, set off by a warm pink of the petals in [...]

Picea abies ‘Nidiformis’, Bird’s Nest Spruce

Bird’s Nest Spruce :

Many dwarf evergreens begin as mutations of some larger tree, and that is true of this popular foundation plant. Forming from an aberration called a “witches broom“, superstitious souls once thought that trees were “bewitched” and brought forth these mutations, now we know that other scientific sources are the cause. However they [...]

Late Summer Leadwort

Ceratostigma plumbaginoides

One plant that I really appreciate at the end of summer is the bright blue flowering plant sometimes known as plumbago, or leadwort, whose Latin name is Ceratostigma plumbaginoides. It has slowly grown on me, a plant that works as a ground cover, which shows up a bit late- making it ideal over [...]

Alchemilla Mollis, Lady’s Mantle

Alchemilla Mollis, Pleasant Partner-

Experienced gardeners often rave over Alchemilla mollis. It is also a favorite among flower arrangers. Perhaps the velvety green leaves with their full moon scalloped edged shape, or maybe the fine filigree filler of the flowers that are the distinct chartreuse color that is bright, yet blends so well. Whatever the [...]

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