Perennial, But Just Barely
Gaillardia or blanket flower (Gaillardia × grandiflora) is beautiful and long-blooming, but rarely lives more than 2 or 3 years.Continue Reading
Category: Perennials
My Favorite Butterfly Magnet
Eastern swallowtail butterfly visiting Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’. Photo: mtcubacenter.org I grow a lot of plants that attract butterflies, but myContinue Reading
My Love-Hate Relationship With the Blue Poppy
How can anyone resist a plant that looks this good in a photo? Photo: www.premierseedsdirect.com Yes, the famous blue poppy!Continue Reading
Bulk Up Baby Hostas… With Sun!
You’ve probably always heard that hostas are shade-loving plants, so the following tip is going to sound like heresy, butContinue Reading
Canada’s (Unofficial) National Flower
Did you know Canada doesn’t have a national flower (floral emblem)? Some 60 countries do, including the United States (theContinue Reading
Forced Perennials: Off With Their Heads!
Question: I have trouble keeping my echinaceas alive. I buy them in full bloom in the spring and they seemContinue Reading
Dividing Perennials: Only When Needed
Many gardening books and Web sites insist on the importance of dividing perennials according to a specific schedule. For eachContinue Reading
Peonies That Make Scents
Question: I have been looking for scented peonies for five years now. Every year, I go to the nursery, I smellContinue Reading
Lovage: The Easy-Peasy Celery?
Celery (Apium graveolens dulce) is a persnickety vegetable that only seems to thrive on constant attention. It is slow growing,Continue Reading
Saving Plants from the Excavator
Question: We’ll soon be having a French drain installed all around our house. However, that’s where I grow most of myContinue Reading