Your Backyard Garden Information Source
From the Greek helein, to kill, bora, food; some species are poisonous (Ranunculaceae). Hellebore. Hardy perennials, often retaining their leaves through the winter, with thick fibrous roots. All flower early in the year and the flowers are long lasting. Most of them have handsome, leathery, divided leaves, sometimes spiny. They are natives of southern Europe and western Asia. Species cultivated […]
ZINNIA (Youth-and-old-age) At last the Zinnia has come into its own. Because it is of easy culture and does well for anyone, it has in the past been admired less than it deserves. Recently the seed growers of California have developed enormous flowers of unusual shapes and with excellent colors. We may now obtain clear rose, rich purple, golden yellows, […]
Garden, Butterfly / Hummingbird – Garden Plan Create your own wildlife habitat. Three each: Mixed Monarda, Keys of Heaven, Red Penstemon, White Dragonflower and Wild Romance Aster; one Black Knight Butterfly Bush. Planting instructions included. This collection includes: A BlackKnight Butterfly Bush (1), Graceful trusses smothered with dark purple flowers attract flocks of butterflies. […]
Beautiful hardy Fall Chrysanthemums October and November are the months which marshal in the Chrysanthemums and if these months be cold and rainy, the flowers do not develop well, but if the days are warm and the nights frosty, but not freezing, these flowers are in the height of their glory. “All through the budding Springtime, All through the Summer’s […]
Cassia – American Senna, Indian Senna A hold perennial for large masses, Cassia marilandica is an attractive addition to the large perennial border. The flowers are pea-like, yellow, with a dark center and are borne in large clusters. The leaves are locust-like; that is, they are finely divided. The plants grow 4 feet to 5 feet tall and bloom in […]
Centaurea – Knapweed, Hardy Cornflower, Hardheads, Mountain Bluet The Centaureas are some of the most graceful flowers to grow in any garden. The flower heads are like showy, ragged thistle blooms of bright red, deep purple, golden yellow and blue. They grow from 2 feet to 3 1/2 feet tall and bloom during the Summer months. SPECIES. The Golden Knapweed […]
Bellis – English Daisy, Herb Margaret The Daisy of Europe is the one of which we speak here. Who has not read the words of Burns and Wordsworth, and having read, who has not admired these charming button-like flowers tile more ? Let us read again several stanzas of Burns: TO A MOUNTAIN DAISY On turning one down with the […]
Arabis – Rock Cress, Wall Cress The Rock Cress is a small, white, four-petaled flower and its masses of snowy bloom early in the Spring contrast beautifully with the Basket of Gold (Alyssum saxatile compactum) and the blue False Wall Cress (Aubrietia). It blooms very soon after the snow disappears and the flowers are so numerous that when a plant […]
Galium – Sweet Woodruff, Waldmeister Sweet Woodiuff (Galium odorata) is a small growing, graceful, sweet scented herb. It has small, white flowers and deep green, whorled foliage. The flowers and leaves when dried have an odor like new hay and when laid among clothes, perfume them and keep away insects. It grows from 6 inches to 8 inches high and […]
Aconitum – Monkshood, Wolfsbane, Helmet Flower Under trees, in woodlands and even in semi-wild gardens, the Aconitums, when once established, enhance the stateliness and grandeur of a place as only a plant with tall spikes of cool blue flowers can. The flowers themselves are showy, shaped like a helmet or hood, from which the common name Monkshood is derived. The […]