You've found the famous Dave's Garden website! Join this friendly global community that shares tips and ideas for home and gardens, along with seeds and plants!
Check out the DG homepage for a brief overview of what you'll find in this gardening mega-site.
Login
If you don't have an account yet, visit the registration page to sign up.
The white-flowered blue flag iris, I. versicolor 'Murrayana' has an interesting history. Found in Newfoundland, lost, then rediscovered elsewhere and repatriated, this article may be of interest to plant history buffs! Certainly, beardless iris lovers will find this an interesting story.
Most of you are familiar with Siberian iris but todays array of hybrids had humble beginnings. This article will introduce you to the wild Siberian iris species. While not as flamboyant as the modern hybrids, they have a certain grace that allows them to be included in any beardless iris collection.
Recently I described the more popular border-type bellflowers. In this article, I will intoduce you to uncommon yet equally desirable border bellflowers that are well worth trying to find!
The genus Campanula, commonly known as bellflowers, comprised nearly 300 species. many of these are well-known perennials for the border. This article will introduce you to the most common border bellflowers.
Enkianthus may not be familiar to many gardeners but this small group of Asian deciduous shrubs provide garden value from spring through fall. Be it from their exquisite, delicate, bell-like flowers or from their brilliant fall foliage, this shrub is sure to please.
There are many Sedum in the world but few garden-worthy species hail from North America. Sedum spathulifolium is one exception. This article will introduce you to this delightful western North American native.
You probably never heard of Hylotelephium but you certainly are familiar with them! They are the border stonecrops, a group recently split from Sedum. 'Autumn Joy' is perhaps the most well-known but this group is enjoying a surge in the release of new cultivars suitable for nearly any sunny situation. Foliage, flowers, all-season attraction, drought-tolerant, salt-tolerant, butterfly attractant...these plants have it all!
Filipendula have long been popular among temperate gardeners. Surprisingly, there are only a handful of members from this genus commonly grown. In this article I will introduce you to this wonderful genus which includes the Queen of the Prairie, Queen of the Meadow and the various Meadowsweets.
Camassia is one of the few garden-worthy bulbs to hail from North America. They are ideal for filling the gap between the spring-flowering bulbs and the beginning of the summer bulbs. To learn more about this small group of showy blue-flowered bulbs, continue reading!
Not all gardeners are familiar with Brunnera or Siberian bugloss, but if you have shade issues or woodland gardens, then this is the plant for you! Pretty delicate blue flowers in spring are delightful but the colourful, bold, heart-shaped leaves are perhaps their main claim to fame. Read on to learn about the varieties that exist.
Only a handful of orchids are hardy and showy enough to grow in our gardens. The Calanthe orchids from temperate east Asia are certainly foremost among these. If you want to learn more about these exotic garden additions, continue reading.
Every once in a while a particular plant will catch the eye of a gardener. For me, the rather obscure genus called Cremanthodium was such a plant. There was some sort of allure created by its nodding yellow daisies. This article describes my journey in obtaining and growing this plant.
Lungwort are no doubt among the most popular spring-blooming perennials. This article will revisit lungwort looking as some interesting botanical aspects of the genus as well as introduce you to some specific cultivars.
Not all garden 'snowflakes' orginate from the skies in winter! There are a group of garden bulbs called snowflakes. They belong to the genus Leucojum and Acis and may bloom in winter, spring or fall, depending on the species. Perhaps not as well known as other garden bulbs, they are still worthy of cultivation. Read on if you would like more information on the 'flowering' snowflakes.
Most gardeners are familiar with bellflowers from the genus Campanula. Perhaps not all of you are familiar with their close relative, the Chinese bellflower aka balloon flower, of the genus Playtycodon. If you want a tough, long-lived, carefree, hardy perennial with large blue flowers in late summer, then look no further.
You may be familiar with lungworts (Pulmonaria) and bluebells (Campanula) but there is another genus also known by those two names - Mertensia. If you love blue flowers, then this is another winderful group you should consider for your garden.
There have been several articles on DG devoted to dogwoods; red-osier varieties and flowering dogwood have been covered before. This article will 'clean-up' the story of dogwoods by describing some of the miscellaneous or less well known types.
One of the most showy and long-lasting flowering trees for temperate gardeners are the flowering dogwoods. There are three species in the world from which many cultivars and hybrids have been produced. White, pink to reddish flowers and wonderful fall foliage are two of their main attributes. This article will describe the flowering dogwoods in more detail.
While we are all familiar with iris, you may not be aware that there are several iris look-alikes native to more tropical environments. These iris wannabes include the Walking Iris (Neomarica) and the Cape Iris (Dietes)These may be grown as outdoor plants in zone 9 and warmer or as houseplants which may be kept outdoors in the summer. If you would like to learn more about these tropical iris relatives, continue on.
Over the last few weeks I introduced you to several key members of the Pink family including Lychnis, Silene and Saponaria. This article will introduce the less well-known members of the Pink family which include such genera as Agrostemma, Arenaria, Cerastium, Paronychia, Petrorhagia and Sagina. These are primarily alpine plants so if you are a rock gardener, this article will be of particular interest.
Previously I described the campions and catchflies from the genera Lychnis and Silene. In this article I will introduce you to their other close cousin, the soapworts. While they are also mostly pink-flowered, they have the added bonus of fragrant flowers. Read on to see which might be suitable for your garden.
Last week I introduced you to the genus Lychnis. This week I will discuss the other campions and catchflies from the closely related genus Silene. This genus , like Lychnis, was and still is, very popular among our temperate gardens.
Members of the genus Lychnis have long been popular plants for the cottage garden. Today, they are still popular and the variety available continues to increase. Read on to learn more about the diversity of catchflies and campions.
Mountain-ash or rowans are popular garden trees. They can provide both flowers, decorative fruit and an attraction to wildlife. While we think of them as small to mid-sized, orange-red fruited trees, there are many other mountain-ash species that are suitable for today's smaller gardens. Many of these sport white, yellow, pink or even peach-coloured berries! Several also have outstanding fall foliage. Read on to learn about some of these more uncommon mountain-ash species.
Candytuft are a group of low plants found mostly in southern Europe. They include both annuals and perennials which may be grown in mild to cold regions. While the flowers are white to purple-tinted, they are often highly fragrant. If you are not familiar with these plants, read-on!
One of the few flowering vines that us gardeners in cold climates can utilize in our gardens are the twining honeysuckles. There are quite a few available. They may be grown for their long flowering season, intense fragrance of their attractiveness to butterflies and hummingbirds. This article will introduce you this multi-faceted vine.
Generally gardeners avoid spiny or prickly flowers (a notable exception are roses!) but there is one group of 'spiny' flowers that provide a long season of bloom, easy care and use as both fresh and dried cut-flowers. I am referring to the sea hollies, Eryngium. Not only are the flowers interesting, the silvery-blue colour is also quite unique. Read on to learn more about this wonderful garden ornamental.
Last November, LariAnn Garner introduced you to the very popular peace lily. This article will revisit this wonderful plant providing you with some details of the more popular cultivars available on the market as well as insights into the floral biology. The flowers may seem simple but their pollination is quite involved. If you want to see peace lily with fresh eyes, read on!
Avens or Geum are not the most showy of garden perennials but do possess a certain charm. While the hybrids are most popular, there are also some species that are ideal for the woodland/shade garden or even for rock gardens. This article will introduce you to the more popular or desirable species.
Mountain avens are a familiar sight throughout the northern Rockies, the higher mountains of Europe and the Arctic regions. If you have ever traveled in these areas, you will have encountered these delicate yet tough alpines. If not, let me introduce you to these dwarf members of the rose family.
Ever wonder why rock garden plants are typically short, evergreen, mat or mound-forming? Why are they often so prolific in their blooming? It all comes down to adaptations that allow them to survive in rigorous alpine climates. After reading this article, you will hopefully have a better appreciation of this choice group of garden plants and why they often present challenges in their cultivation.
The hardy flora from the mountains of South Africa is just starting to come to light in regards to their ornamental potential. One group of plants from this region that are proving to be wonderful garden plants are the hardy ice-plants or Delosperma. For xeric gardens, they make a bold splash of colour all season, but even gardeners as far north as zone 5 can enjoy these South African succulents. This article will introduce you to this relatively new group of garden ornamentals.
Wild gingers are often more appreciated in the wild than in gardens but between the beauty of their foliage and the fascinating blooms of the newly introduced Asian species, the Asarums are enjoying a surge in popularity. This article will introduce you to the diversity that exists among the genus Asarum.
Goldenchains are one of the most graceful flowering trees yet are rarely grown in North America. Why is this tree so uncommon when it is reasonably hardy and tolerant to wind, salt and pollution? Europeans have enjoyed them for years, as have I, but most North Americans only wish they could grow them. Read on to find out why.
While many gardeners are familiar with the taller speedwells, they may have had limited exposure to the dwarf species. There are, in fact, a host of dwarf, mat-like or creeping speedwells that can be used in a variety of garden situations. This article will introduce you to the more popular species.
The speedwells exhibit considerable variation in size and form, from low and creeping to tall and narrow. This article will introduce you to the taller types of speedwells; the species, cutlivars and hybrids that make ideal plants to use in the middle or back of the border.
In part 2 of this 2 part series on my trip to Greenland, I will describe some of the amazing ornamentals and gardens I saw in this far northern region. It may be the land of snow and ice for 9 months of the year, but Greenland gardeners take advantage of 24 hour daylight summers to grow some amazing gardens during the other 3 months!
A few years ago I was fortunate to visit the wild yet beautiful country of Greenland. I was both amazed and humbled by both the vast array of wildflowers as well as the flower gardens! In part 1 of this 2 part series I will introduce you to some of the native flora. Read on to get a taste of what I experienced.
Certain garden ornamentals are primarily grown for their foliage, especially those suited to shade. One of the most spectacular and choice woodlanders are the mayapples. While the native North American species is not without its merit, the Asian species are the real stars. Read on to learn more about these fab (and often pricy) plants!
