A Most Charming (and Edible!) Annual
Name: Tropaeolum majus – aka nasturtium Type of Plant: A warm weather annual that is the definition of cheerful. There are trailing varieties that are perfect for growing as an “understory annuals” around the stems of taller plants like zinnias, salvia and dahlias....
Not All Ideas “Come True”
We gardeners have a saying about seeds: when you get a plant growing from seed that is the same as the parent plants, we say that the plant “comes true” from seed. Hybrids often don’t grow true from seed in that you’ll get plants that resemble...
Recycle Wilted Mylar Balloons
On my husband’s birthday a friend surprised him by tying a large bunch of mylar helium balloons to his car. He brought the bouquet home, and they floated colorfully in our dining room for a couple of weeks. But after the helium leaked out, we were left with the...
Best Hardy Fall Mum…Dendranthema
Name: Dendranthema – aka Chrysanthemum or even perennial daisy mums. Whatever you call them, they are bone-hardy, dependable plants. Varieties commonly grown include Cambodian Queen (lavender), Sheffield Pink (pink), Autumn Moon (pale yellow) Mary Stoker (yellow to...
Plants and Pop Culture: Hydrangea macrophylla
As I mentioned in a previous post, I’ve been concerned that plants and gardening seem to be completely ignored by popular culture. Is it because the greenery is getting buried in a rain of digital devices? Is the garden getting dissed as being a place only for “girls...
Winter Squash & French Lentils
We have an abundance of winter squash from the garden…butternut, honey nut, and winter sweet. Fortunately, there are many ways to prepare these fruits that are commonly thought of as a vegetable. We use them in soups and stews. We roast cubes or puree after...
Great Garden Bloggers
Need reading material for a rainy or winter day? Want large amounts of inspiration and plant information? Have I got a blog for you…well, several of them, actually. I recently posted on the GWA: The Association for Garden Communicators Facebook page asking...
I Love Variegated Spreading Salmon Sunpatiens
Name: Variegated Spreading Salmon Sunpatiens Type of Plant: This variety of Sunpatiens forms a nice rounded plant that grows about 18” high and 20” wide. The yellow and green foliage perfectly offset the salmon colored flowers. Why I love this plant: The bold foliage...
Plants and Pop Culture: Franklinia alatamaha
When we were listing the Plantrama podcast on iTunes, I was surprised to see that there was no category such as “Home and Garden.” In fact, there was no good category for plants at all. Pretty shocking, considering that our very life depends on those that...