Your Backyard Garden Information Source
California-poppy (Named for Dr. Eschscholtz as the result of an expedition to explore the botany of what is now California in 1815. Named by Chamisso, a companion naturalist) The silky, golden-yellow blossoms of this, the state flower of California, are borne in profusion. Gardeners have greatly improved the plant until now we have both singles and doubles in a great […]
DIASCIA (From the Greek to adorn, refers to the beautiful flowers) A dainty, little annual, Diascia barberae, is not a very showy flower, but one which will appeal to the true flower lover. The flowers are rosy pink with yellow-green spots in the throat. The flowers are lipped, being related to the Snapdragons, but have two spurs on the lower […]
GILIA (Named for Philipp Salvador Gil, Spanish botanist) The Gilias are related to Phlox and, like them, have funnel or salver form flowers. Gilia capitata, Globe Gilia, is a blue sort with flowers in dense heads a half-inch across. The plants grow 18 inches tall and have finely cut foliage. Gilia coronopifolia (rubra), the Texasplume, grows 4 feet tall, has […]
Great simple Annual flower bed design for your yard. Below and Above a wall 1 . Verbena Crystal (white) 2. Centaurea Dusty Miller 3. Euonymous (evergreen, on wall) 4. Ageratum Blue Mink, and 5. Ageratum Fairy Pink 6. Celosia Yellow Toreador 7. Petunia SnowStorm (under- planting) 8. Geraniums peach pink color In a level bed 1. Dwarf marigold Lemon Ball […]
ANNUALS WHICH WILL ENDURE HEAT AND DROUGHT Calliopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria) Cape-marigold, Winter (Dimorphotheca aurantiaca) Convolvulus, Dwarf (Convolvulus tricolor) Cornflower (Centaurea ~yanus) Drummond’s phlox (Phlox Drummondii) Four-o’clock (Mirabilis jalapa) Ice Plant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum) Larkspur, Rocket (Delphinium ajacis) Morning-glory (Ipomma purpurea) Perilla, Green (Perilla frutescens) Pricklepoppy, Showy (Argemone grandiflora) Rose Moss (Portulaca grandiflora) Sage, Scarlet (Salvia splendens) Sanvitalia (Sanvitalia procumbens) Snow-on-the-mountain (Euphorbia […]
LEPTOSYNE (Greek for slenderness) A Daisy-like flower related to Coreopsis, Leplosyne stillmani, grows 18 inches tall. The flowers are golden yellow, 2 inches to 3 inches across; the tips of the ray florets are 3-lobed. The foliage is very finely cut. Where to Plant. The flowers have long stems for cutting, and last well in water. GENERAL. Sow the seeds […]
When you want lots of color quickly, flowers to cut by the armful and bloom all summer, you want annuals. For earliest possible bloom, sow seeds indoors, then transplant-or buy started plants in May. But you’ll still get plenty of flowers if you wait till the danger of frost is past and sow the seed of quick-growing varieties where you […]
Raising plants from seed is a most economical means of providing a long-lasting display for the cool greenhouse. Where a minimum night temperature of about 45°F (7°C) can be maintained the choice of flowering and of decorative foliage plants is considerable. Many plants that we normally grow as annuals in the open may prove to be perennial when grown under […]
MIMULUS (Monkey flower) (Name from Mimo, an ape, refers to gaping mouth of flower) The flowers of this interesting genus are curiously shaped and spotted with contrasting colors. Those generally seen are bright yellow, spotted with maroon, red or orange. a: Mimulus moschalus is the Musk plant, so-called because of its musk-scented leaves. It is really a trailing perennial with […]
The Wishbone flower is a gem. Those who have not tried this annual, nor seen it growing, have a pleasant surprise in store for them if they will raise a few plants. The flowers of Torenia fournieri are violet and lavender with a prominent yellow blotch on the lip. There is a less attractive white variety. In the center, the […]