That Dead Tree Is Important
Human beings are an interesting species. We tend to screw things up, and then get busy trying to help creatively repair the damage. Next, we pat ourselves on the back for our efforts, ignoring the fact that had we done things differently, our attempts to save the...
Malus x ‘Snowdrift’ aka Snowdrift Crabapple
Name: Malus x ‘Snowdrift’ aka Snowdrift Crabapple Type of Plant: A small tree (up to 20 feet) that’s hardy in Zone 4-8. Why I Love This Plant: This crabapple has pink buds that open into white flowers. The blooming process is fun to watch over three to...
Recipe Inspirations – Chickpea Pancake from Bon Appétit Magazine
From Milk Street Cooking Magazine to Bon Appétit Magazine, I love cooking publications. Hard copies, that provide recipes and photos, that you can page through at breakfast or with a cup of tea in the late afternoon. Yes, you can search for recipes online, but so many...
Name: Rhododendron ‘Calsap’ Type of Plant: A Rhododendron that was a cross between ‘Catalgla’ and ‘Sappho’ which produced a plant that’s hardy to Zone 5. Why I Love This Plant: Are you looking for a Rhododendron that doesn’t grow huge but has stunning flowers in...
I Love Mandevilla, the Plant Artist Formerly Known as Dipladenia
Name: Mandevilla cultivars and hybrids, especially the shorter varieties formerly known as Dipladenia Type of Plant: Back in the day, there were the vining Mandevilla and the bushy, but otherwise very similar Dipladenia. Now that plants are able to grouped according...
I Love Hyacinthoides hispanica aka Spanish bluebells, or wood hyacinths
Name: Hyacinthoides hispanica aka Spanish bluebells, or wood hyacinths Type of Plant: A late-spring blooming bulb. There are white, pink and blue flowering varieties, but the blue is probably the most popular. This plant grows and blooms well in full sun to...
How To Prune or Renovate Knockout and Other Shrub Roses
“My knockout is out of control!” a reader told me. “How do I prune it?” Knockouts are one of the many varieties of shrub or landscape roses, and many people are surprised by how large they typically grow. I’d urge you all not to think of...
Pruning Mophead and Lacecap Hydrangeas
I pruned one of my lacecap hydrangeas yesterday. It’s been a warm April – especially for Cape Cod – and one of my shrubs had leaves opening so that I could clearly tell which buds made it through the winter and which ones did not. The way to prune...
I Love Clematis Species and Hybrids
Name: Clematis hybrids and specieas Type of Plant: Most are vining plants, although there are about 300 species of Clematis and some of them are shorter, upright growing plants. Here, however, I’m talking about the vining varieties. Clematis grows, both native and...