Professional Gardening Tips
How to Grow Silene Probably from the Greek sialon, saliva, in reference to the gummy exudations on the stems which ward off insects (Caryophyllaceae). Catchfly. A genus of 100 species of annual, biennial and herbaceous perennials of the northern […]
Commemorating Alexander Macleay, 1767-1848, Secretary of the Linnean Society (Papaveraceae). This genus, sometimes listed under the synonym Bocconia, consists of two Chinese species of perennial herbaceous plants very valuable in the garden. Their most outstanding virtue is their great height […]
Commemorating Pierre d’Incarville (1706-57), a French Jesuit missionary to China (Bignoniaceae). A genus of about 6 species of herbaceous perennials, first introduced in the mid-nineteenth century, hardy or nearly hardy in suitable conditions. Species cultivated I. delavayi, 2 feet, rose-pink […]
Whether you specialize in any particular plant or not, the general design and layout of your garden must be pleasing and practical. There are some hard and fast rules to bear in mind, but in the main gardening is a […]
From the Greek malakos, soft or soothing, probably in reference to an emollient yielded by the seeds (Malvaceae). A genus of hardy herbaceous perennial and annual plants. M. moschata, the musk mallow, is one of the most decorative of wild […]
Garden Problems Saving seeds, Compost, Tree stumps Saving Seeds Q. If I do not use all my vegetable and flower seeds one season can I sow them the following season? A. In principle the answer is yes, but there will […]
My favorite Salvia is one which I have never seen listed in any catalog. It is Salvia uliginosa, a tall plant with willowy stems to a height of four feet. Each branch ends in a narrow plume of sky-blue which […]
Trees are the most long-lived growing features in any garden. Once they are well established, it is very difficult to move them; pruning them if they become too big is difficult, needing skilled workmanship, and is never a permanent solution […]
Alluding to the fact that alternate anthers are usually infertile (Amaranthaceae). Joy weed. Used in the main for foliage effect, these half-hardy shrubby perennials have brightly colored foliage. The flowers are insignificant and are not usually allowed to develop. Species […]
In spring any color is welcome, but I sometimes think that we end up with a glut of yellows, especially when the daffodils are out. Fortunately, Mother Nature gave us contrast in the form of a few blue flowers that […]