British horticulturist Ellen Willmott knew she was a gardener from an early age. "I had a passion for sowing seeds and was very proud when I found out the difference between beads and seeds and gave up sowing the former." She would eventually create one of the most celebrated gardens in England. Read More
Try supplementing a modest arrangement from your own yard with a few dollars? worth of flowers from the grocery store or florist. The resulting bouquet is practically guaranteed to elicit admiration and the question, ?Are those from your garden?? How you answer the question is up to you! Read More
In this third and last article about plant pronunciation, I'd like to examine more tough-to-say plant names, this time focusing on those that sound just a little scary. So please, stay close to the garden path and keep your hands in your pockets -- we may encounter some creepy-crawlies! Read More
With his distinctive markings, the male red-winged blackbird is instantly recognizable. He calls attention to himself, not only by showing off his bright epaulets, but through his ostentatious behavior and constant song. Read More
Liatris is a tough and undemanding prairie plant, tolerant of poor soil and less-than-ideal moisture situations. It's also a perennial border standout and florist's staple. The long-lasting blooms of this summer- and fall-blooming American native attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. This is one wildflower that stands out wherever it's planted, be it roadside, naturalized area or formal garden. Read More
May 21 marks the anniversary of the starting date of one of the most daring American explorations ever mounted. On this date in 1804, Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and their 43-man corps departed from St. Charles, Missouri, heading up the Missouri River into western territory uncharted by Europeans. Lewis and Clark's meticulous record keeping and attention to the flora of the areas through which they journeyed led to the discovery of many new plants. Read More
It's heartbreaking. Your clematis vine is growing vigorously and bursting with plump buds, then seemingly overnight some or all of the plant collapses. Flowers, buds, leaves and stems first droop, then blacken and shrivel. It's called "clematis wilt" and while it may be difficult to eradicate, there are things you can do to control and prevent it. If you had a problem with clematis wilt this summer, autumn is the time to prevent its return. Read More
The marigold's easy care and cheerful colors have made it one of the most popular annual flowers in America. The National Garden Bureau has declared 2010 to be the Year of Marigolds. Celebrate by planting some sunshine in your garden! Read More
Holly and ivy are familiar plants in the landscape and have traditionally been used to adorn homes during the winter holiday season. Although they lend their names to a Christmas carol, their significance to humans predates Christianity by thousands of years. Read More
Each fall it seems that the colorful assortment of ornamental squash and pumpkins appearing in produce departments and farm stands becomes ever more diverse. Beyond their nutritional benefits and versatility in the kitchen, pumpkins and other winter squashes are simply lovely to behold, making them useful for seasonal decorating. Read More
The cheerful yellow plumage and happy song of the American goldfinch brighten a garden on even the grayest of days. These songbirds are faithful visitors to any backyard feeder dispensing nyjer seed. Read More
A mailbox garden can serve as a friendly welcome on your property. It can also quickly become an eyesore if it is allowed to become unkempt. Here are some tips for creating an easy-care planting with year-round interest. Read More
At one time, the osage orange tree grew solely in one distinct area of North America -- the Red River Valley of southern Oklahoma and northern Texas. Named for the Osage tribes of that region, the tree's range has extended far beyond its original home within the span of only a few hundred years. Read More
Devil's snare, fanged geranium, bubotuber, snargaluff and puffapod are just a few of the fanciful plants readers encounter in author J.K. Rowling's imaginative fictional world. However, many of the plants mentioned in the series are quite real and have a long and storied history. Some can even be found in modern-day gardens. Read More
From the street, there is no indication that anything special awaits you beyond the tall hedges on the grounds of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. But follow the maze-like footpath around and into the green hawthorn walls and you will suddenly behold a delightful jewel of a garden, designed and planted in honor of the great playwright and poet William Shakespeare. Read More
When you're a gardener, July means dealing with heat, humidity, weeds and bugs. Depending on the weather, you may spend a lot of time with a water hose in your hand. What pleasure, though, to perform your gardening tasks surrounded by lush flowers and ripening vegetables. Read More
"There are no hothouse blossoms that can compare in beauty and fragrance with my bouquet of wild flowers." So declared Laura Ingalls Wilder decades after her pioneer childhood. As a little girl, Laura thrilled to the colors and scents of the wildflowers she encountered in the woods and vast prairies of newly settled American territory. As an adult author, she used her memories of the natural world to bring the historic Midwest landscape to life in the "Little House" books. Read More
Bells-of-Ireland is an old-fashioned garden favorite with a showy, quirky appearance. Despite its romantic-sounding common name, this summer-blooming annual has no connection to the Emerald Isle other than its vivid green color. Read More
Blue--the color of water and the sky--brings a sense of coolness, peace and tranquility to your garden. Whether you desire a vivid blue, pastel sky blue or deep midnight blue, there is a flower or plant to meet your needs. Read More
In Plant Pronunciation, Part 1, we examined some of the vagaries in the pronunciation of "people plants," or those whose Latin names honor a particular scientist or botanist. In Part 2, we'll tackle a few tongue twisters and address some other common plant name slip-ups. Read More
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