A hint about improving your mood at the time of year when the nights are long: go outside at sunrise and sunset if you can. Admire the sky. Walk. Breath and be thankful.
A Postcard on the Winter Solstice
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C. L. Fornari's Blog
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...
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...
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...
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 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...
Repairing Broken Flower Pots
If you love growing plants in pots, you'll invariably experience the heartbreak of having a favorite container break. But on a trip to a garden in...
I Love Chaenomeles Speciosa, aka Japanese Flowering Quince
Name: Chaenomeles speciosa Japanese flowering quince Type of Plant: A thorny, deciduous shrub that flowers in the early spring. This species stays...
I Love Hydrangea quercifolia aka Oak Leaf Hydrangea
Name: Hydrangea quercifolia aka oak leaf hydrangea Type of Plant: A woody shrub native to North America, hardy in Zones 5 – 9, and flowering in the...
Barkcoin – The Germination of Phytocurrency
A new form of currency, Barkcoin, was announced today, opening up the possibility to partner with photosynthesizers for creating a people plant...
I Love Stokesia laevis aka Stoke’s Aster
Name: Stokesia laevis aka Stokes' Aster Type of Plant: A perennial native to the Southeast United States, hardy in Zones 5-9 and growing best in...
I Love Iris Reticulata aka Dwarf Iris or Netted Iris
Name: Iris reticulata – aka Dwarf Iris or Netted Iris Type of Plant: One of the earliest blooming bulbs – in flower on Cape Cod in March into April....
I Love Cornus alba ‘Bailhalo’ aka Ivory Halo Variegated Red Twig Dogwood
Name: Cornus alba ‘Bailhalo’ aka Ivory Halo variegated red twig dogwood Type of Plant: A shrub with variegated leaves and bright red stems, hardy...
I Love Papaver orientale, aka Oriental poppy
Name: Papaver orientale, aka Oriental poppy Type of Plant: A perennial poppy that flowers in late-May and early June, hardy in zones 3 to 7. Why I...
I Love Zinnias
Name: Zinnias! Type of Plant: Annuals, many cultivars of Zinnia elegans, aka the common garden zinnia. Why I Love This Plant: At this time of...
I Love Liriodendron tulipifera aka tulip tree or tulip-poplar
Name: Liriodendron tulipifera aka tulip tree or tulip-poplar Type of Plant: A large, native tree in the magnolia family. (Magnoliaceae) Best...
I Love Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’ aka blue grama
Name: Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’ aka blue grama Type of Plant: Short, summer flowering grass for full sun, hardy in Zones 3-10. This...
I Love Sunshine Blue Caryopteris, aka Caryoperis incana ‘Jason’
Name: Sunshine Blue Caryopteris, aka Caryoperis incana ‘Jason’ Type of Plant: A fall-flowering shrub for full sun that’s hardy in Zones 5-9. Why I...
I Love Gossypium hirsutum ‘Red Foliated’ aka red foliaged cotton.
Name: Gossypium hirsutum 'Red Foliated' aka red foliaged cotton. Type of Plant: A lovely plant with a lot of baggage. Winter hardy in Zones 9-11,...