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C. L. Fornari's Blog
I Love Cuphea Vermillionaire or ‘David Verity’ aka cigar plant
Name: Cuphea Vermillionaire or ‘David Verity’ aka cigar plant Type of Plant: Annuals in the Northeast, that are hummingbird magnets. Why I Love...
I Love Aquilegia vulgaris aka Columbine
Name: Aquilegia vulgaris aka Columbine Type of Plant: A short-lived perennial native to Europe that becomes naturalized in gardens and wild areas....
I Love Erigeron pulchellus ‘Meadow Muffin’
Name: Erigeron pulchellus ‘Meadow Muffin’ aka meadow muffin Robin’s plantain Type of Plant: This is a perennial plant that has low, grounding...
That Dead Tree Is Important
Human beings are an interesting species. We tend to screw things up, and then get busy trying to help creatively repair the damage. Next, we pat...
Malus x ‘Snowdrift’ aka Snowdrift Crabapple
Name: Malus x 'Snowdrift' aka Snowdrift Crabapple Type of Plant: A small tree (up to 20 feet) that’s hardy in Zone 4-8. Why I Love This Plant:...
Recipe Inspirations – Chickpea Pancake from Bon Appétit Magazine
From Milk Street Cooking Magazine to Bon Appétit Magazine, I love cooking publications. Hard copies, that provide recipes and photos, that you can...
Name: Rhododendron ‘Calsap’ Type of Plant: A Rhododendron that was a cross between ‘Catalgla’ and ‘Sappho’ which produced a plant that’s hardy to...
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....