Shoot For The Moon by Growing Moonflowers
Name: Ipomoea alba, aka moonflower Type of Plant: A fast growing annual vine for sun and part-sun. Why I Love/Hate this plant: If you want an annual vine that will quickly create a privacy screen for the summer, this plant is for you. If you wish for a plant that will...
A Splendid September Self-Seeder
As I walked through the gardens with my coffee this morning, what caught my eye were tall Gomphocarpus physocarpus plants in the cutting garden. These are some of my regular “party crashers,” self-seeding in the same area every year, and delighting me with...
Plants and Morning Coffee: Variegated Sea Hibiscus
It is often my habit to take my morning coffee outside in the morning and see what catches my eye. Today, it was Hibiscus tiliaceus variegata, aka Mahoe or variegated sea hibiscus, or seaside Mahoe. This plant is worth growing as a container plant, bringing it inside...
Is A Beautiful Garden Only For the Wealthy?
This question was recently posted on the Cape Cod Gardening Group page, and I thought it was a great query. “Curious: have seen many beautiful properties in this group and am wondering: do most of the people who post here have 1+ acre lots and a fair amount of...
I Love Euphorbia Diamond Mountain
Imagine: She wondered why all the plants in the garden center seemed to be getting shorter every year. Annuals that used to grow three or four feet tall were now only available in varieties that were under one foot. Dwarfs. Everywhere. Even Diamond Frost was shrunk...
Basil Dying? Downy Mildew? You Need Amazel
Imagine: “The basil has turned yellow again,” he said. “I know,” she answered, “I asked about it at the garden center and they told me it’s a disease called Basil Downy Mildew.” “Bummer,” he said. “What can we do?” “This year, nothing…except make what’s still good...
I Love Phlox ‘Jeana’
Name: Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’ aka phlox Jeana Type of Plant: A perennial that grows about four feet tall and has pink flowers from mid-August into September. Why I Love/Hate this plant: This phlox has several aspects to love…first of all, it flowers later in the...
I Love Nicotiana
Name: Nicotiana hybrids and species. AKA flowering tobacco. Type of Plant: An annual plant that self-seeds when it’s happy. Tubular flowers attract hummingbirds and some moths. This is an annual plant for full sun. Why I Love/Hate this plant: I love this plant because...
I Love This Weed, I Hate This Weed
Imagine: “Where did this weed come from?” she asked. “It’s everywhere!” “It’s the wild portulaca, also called purslane,” he said. “It’s one of the weeds that takes off in mid-summer when it gets hot.” “At least it’s easy to pull,” she grumbled, tossing a plant into...