What Plant Will Grow In A Stone Wall?
Imagine: “These are difficult places to grow plants,” he said. “This path and wall are hot in the summer. There isn’t much root room in this stonewall, and the soil is sandy under the stepping stones on this path. What could possible grow here?” he asked. “You need a...
Homemade Rabbit Repellent
This is a repellent to spray on plants to keep rabbits from eating them. It is only for ornamental plants, not for edibles. (Do not use this on your vegetables or fruits.) Rabbits are herbivores – they are vegans. They don’t eat animal products. Therefore...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...