Professional Gardening Tips
How to Grow Violet Violet Viola odorata, the sweet violet, is a hardy perennial, parent of the florist’s violets, many of them sweetly scented. The soil should be rich and moist but well-drained. Plant the crowns in the open in a […]
From the Greek gypsos, chalk, phileo, to love; the plants prefer chalky soils (Caryophyllaceae). Hardy annuals and perennials of great value in both the border and rock garden; the dwarf kinds also look well in pans in the alpine house. […]
How to grow Geranium From the Greek geranos, a crane, because the seed pod resembles a crane’s head and beak (Geraniaceae). Crane’s-bill. A genus of hardy herbaceous summer-flowering perennials with lobed or cut leaves, widely distributed over the temperate regions […]
How to grow Erodium From the Greek erodios, a heron; the style and ovaries resemble the head and beak of a heron (Geraniaceae). Heron’s bill. Hardy perennials, closely related to the hardy geraniums, or crane’s bills. There are dwarf species […]
From the Greek eri, early or ear, spring, geron, old, possibly referring to the hoary leaves of some species (Cornpositae). Fleabane. Hardy herbaceous, daisy-flowered perennials some of which continue to flower intermittently throughout the summer. Species cultivated E. alpinus, 9 […]
The name originates from the Greek anchousa, a cosmetic paint (Boraginaceae). Alkanet, bugloss. Cultivated species are usually perennials or biennials, noteworthy for their blue flowers. The plant long known as Anchusa myosotidiflora is now correctly known as Brunnera macrophylla. Biennial […]
Cucumbers and squash are such productive vegetables that only a few plants will provide an abundant harvest. Experiment with unique selections that are rarely seen in stores. For example, long slender Oriental cucumbers or petite pickling cucumbers are simple to […]
Why don’t my plants flower? Probably this plaintive question is raised oftener than any other that has to do with gardening. As likely as not, too, the complaining gardener will go on to say that he gives considerable attention to […]
A NORWAY MAPLE whose leaves are dark, glistening crimson throughout the spring and summer is horticultural news that opens all opportunities for new landscaping effects. The form known as Schwedler maple has made an effort toward this rewarding goal, but […]
Every gardener is an idealist and dreamer; perhaps never more so than during the long winter and early spring months when she has ample time and opportunity to study her seed catalogs. She diligently examines their pages gaining a fund […]