C. L. Fornari's Blog
I Love Ruellia makoyana aka Trailing Velvet Plant
Name: Ruellia makoyana aka trailing velvet plant Type of Plant: For most of us, this Ruellia is an indoor houseplant. It is hardy in Zone 10, but...
Do I Need More Houseplants? A Garden Lady Flow Chart
I Love Juniperus virginiana aka Eastern red cedar
Name: Juniperus virginiana aka Eastern red cedar Type of Plant: Needled evergreen tree native to Eastern North America, hardy in Zones 2-9. Why I...
A Toast to a New Year Celebrating With Plants!
What the plant geek saw on New Year's Eve....
I Love Cupressus macrocarpa ‘Goldcrest’ aka lemon cypress
Name: Cupressus macrocarpa 'Goldcrest' aka lemon cypress Type of Plant: A bright lime-yellow dwarf evergreen that has a columnar, cone shape. Hardy...
I Love Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Goshiki’ ~ aka Variegated False Holly
Name: Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Goshiki’ aka variegated false holly Type of Plant: A variegated shrub that looks like holly. Hard iin Zones 6-9 y...
I Love Chamaecyparis Obtusa ‘Nana Gracilis’ aka Dwarf Hinoki Falsecypress
Name: Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Nana Gracilis’ aka dwarf Hinoki falsecypress Type of Plant: A slow growing evergreen, hardy in Zone 4 to 8, with...
Cucurbita moschata aka Waltham Butternut Squash
Name: Cucurbita moschata aka Waltham butternut squash. Type of Plant: A winter squash that has, since it’s development in the 1940’s, has become...
Red Carpet Roundup: The 2021 Fall Ball
Reporting from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, here is your insider look at some of the plants that walked the red carpet at the 2021 Fall Ball. Climbing...
Phalaenopsis aka The Moth Orchid
Name: Phalaenopsis aka the moth orchid Type of Plant: An orchid: one of the most widely available and easy to grow. Why I Love This Plant: First...
I Love Pinus parviflora Glauca aka Japanese White Pine
Name: Pinus parviflora Glauca aka Japanese white pine Type of Plant: The Glauca group of Japanese white pines are conifers with an open habit, and...
I Love Raydon’s Favorite Aster
Name: Symphyotrichum oblongifolium ‘Raydon’s Favorite’ aka Raydon’s favorite aster. Type of Plant: A herbaceous perennial aster, hardy in Zones 3-8...
I Love Acer rubrum aka Red Maple
Name: Acer rubrum aka red maple Type of Plant: A native tree that’s also called swamp maple, hardy in zones 3-9. Why I Love This Plant: This is a...
I Love Persicaria virginiana ‘Variegata’ aka Variegated Jumpseed
Name: Persicaria virginiana 'Variegata' aka variegated jumpseed Type of Plant: A herbaceous perennial (meaning it dies to the ground over the...
I Love Plectranthus barbatus White Rhino
Name: Plectranthus barbatus White Rhino Type of Plant: An annual valued for foliage color in sun or shade. This plant grows between 3 and 4 feet...
I Love Liriope muscari ‘Peedee Ingot’
Name: Liriope muscari ‘Peedee Ingot’ aka Liriope ‘Peedee Gold Ingot,’ Peedee Gold, and golden lilyturf Type of Plant: Perennial plant for full...
I Love Rosa ‘Meipeporia’ Oso Easy Double Red
Name: Rosa 'Meipeporia' Oso Easy Double Red Type of Plant: This is a landscape shrub rose. It is hardy in zones 5 to 9, and grows about 4 feet...
I Love Aster novi-belgii ‘Wood’s Blue’ aka Wood’s Blue aster.
Name: Aster novi-belgii 'Wood's Blue' aka Wood’s Blue aster. Type of Plant: A short, perennial New York aster in the “Wood’s series” that is hardy...