C. L. Fornari's Blog
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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”...
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...
Fall Window Box Ideas
I don't have boxes under the windows of my house, but I did plant two boxes that were on the front porch for the summer. I had two identical metal...
A Bold Burst of Color In The Fall
Imagine: “My perennial garden looks bare and empty by September,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be that way,” she said. “Don’t talk to me about...
What Should I Do With All These Leaves?
I've gotten a couple of emails recently from people who are already dreading the annual leaf drop on their property. One man was tired of paying to...
I Love Rosa rugosa…I Hate Rosa rugosa
Imagine: Talk about a love/hate relationship! Yes, I have one with this rose. Name: Rosa rugosa aka rugosa rose or beach rose Type of Plant: A...
Garden Quinoa Salad
There are times when the garden produces a little of this and a little of that. In the fall, I pick about a cup or two of small sprouts (tiny heads)...
Saving Dahlia Tubers
In the fall the dahlia's are the best flowers in the cutting garden. But even as they are in their glory, it's time to think about saving them...
A Tree That Flowers in Fall
Name: Franklinia alatamaha – aka the Franklin tree Type of Plant: Small tree or multi-stemmed large shrub that’s hardy in zone 5 – 8. This plant...
A Small Vine For The Edible Landscape
Name: Basella rubra aka Malabar spinach Type of Plant: A tropical vine that can grow to about 6 feet tall in one growing season. Although this is...
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’ – a classic large shrub
Name: Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’ aka peegee hydrangea, or panicle hydrangea. Type of Plant: A large growing shrub – one of the first...
Oh Happy Day…the Tomato, Not The Song
Name: Oh Happy Day Hybrid Tomato from Burpee Type of Plant: A “junior beefstake” type tomato. Indeterminate, 4-5 oz fruit (in other words, medium...