10 Reasons I Hate Leyland Cypress
Imagine: “We need some screening plants, so we’re buying Leyland cypress,” she said. “Why Leyland cypress?” I asked. “Because they grow quickly,” she answered. “Don’t do it,” I said. Name: Leyland Cypress aka Cupressus x leylandii Type of Plant: A fast growing...
I Love Old Fashioned Bleeding Heart
Imagine: “I need plants that will make me smile,” my friend said. “No problem,” I replied. “Let’s start with bleeding heart.” Name: Lamprocapnos spectabilis aka Dicentra spectabilis aka bleeding heart or old-fashioned bleeding heart. Type of Plant: This is a very...
I Love Garden Rhubarb
Imagine: She wanted to serve a special meal to celebrate the spring season. Fresh asparagus, of course, and a salad of spring greens accented with pansies. But how to start things off? And what about dessert? Then her eyes settled on the rhubarb plant, and she...
I Love Weigela florida ‘Variegata’
Name: Weigela florida ‘Variegata’ aka the variegated weigela. Type of Plant: Weigelas are easy to grow, low maintenance shrubs for full sun. Note that the “florida” part of it’s botanical name isn’t referring to the state, but to the number of flowers that the shrub...
In Praise of Chopped Salad
I love a chopped salad. There are any number of ingredients you can use to create a side dish or a main meal. And with a few staples in the freezer, cupboard and garden, “chopped salad” can be a healthy and delicious answer to the question “What’s for dinner.” The key...
A Plant For Gardening Large
Imagine: Having a garden where large, mauve flowers blow in the breeze and butterflies flit among the blooms. Going native? Go big. Name: Eupatorium purpureum aka Joe Pye Weed Type of Plant: Native perennial plant that grows well in full sun. Why I love this plant:...
Google’s Plant-to-English Translation Service
It has been well known that plants communicate with each other through the release of volatile organic compounds, along with various chemicals and pheromones. Additionally, plants pass information through an extensive network of soil fungi. But until recently there...
Chard: Many Reasons to Love
Imagine: “Spinach doesn’t grow well for me,” he said. “No matter,” she responded, “there’s a better vegetable we can grow.” “Yes?” he asked, hopefully. “Yes,” she responded, confidently. “Chard…and it’s easy to grow from seeds.” Name: Chard, aka Swiss chard,...
I Love Philadelphus x virginalis aka mock orange
Imagine: You’re sitting under the arbor, surrounded by potted plants. It’s a mild June evening, and as you relax into your chair you catch a sweet fragrance that smells like orange blossoms. You smile, knowing without turning around that the Philadelphus is back in...