Professional Gardening Tips
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 […]
LINARIA Toadflax (From Linum-flax; refers to fact that foliage is like that of flax) The Toadflax or Butter-and-eggs, growing along railway embankments, is familiar to all. This is related to the group of annuals known as Linaria. Apparently, the cataloged sorts are hybrids of L. reticulata and L. biparlita. The flowers are lipped, long-spurred and borne in dainty spikes. They […]
LYCHNIS Campion (Rose-of-heaven) (Greek for lamp, referring to the flame-colored flowers of some species) The various sorts of Lychnis are generally considered to be perennial but several are annual. The Rose-of-heaven, Lychnis coelirosea, often cataloged as Viscaria oculala, is a lovely little annual with crimson, blue, purple, lavender, pink or white flowers. The five petals are slightly notched and the […]
PANSY The Pansy, it would seem, is one of the most alluring of all garden flowers. It’s little faces make most of us laugh when we look at them. The English have given the Pansy many nicknames, such as Call-meto-you, Love-true, Three-faces-under-a-hood, Pink-eyed-John, Tickle-my-fancy, Bird’s-eye, Jump-up-and-kiss-me, God-father, Godmother, Love-in-idleness, Kiss-me-in-the-buttery, Rob-run-the-street, and Heartsease. With such names, it is not strange […]
SALVIA – Sage (The Latin name used by Pliny meaning safe, referring to the medicinal properties) It is unnecessary to describe the Scarlet Sage which is now much planted in some sections of the United States. There is no question regarding its growth or its blooming qualities, but in some cities its hot color is seen on so many streets […]
From the Latin lupus, a wolf (destroyer), because it was thought that the plants depleted the fertility of the soil by sheer numbers (Leguminosae). Lupine. A genus of over 300 species of annuals, perennials, and subshrubs, mainly from North America, though there are a few Mediterranean species which, since Roman times, have been used for green manuring. This is surprising […]
DATURA — Thorn Apple, Angel’s Trumpet Annual and tender shrubby perennial flowering plants. They are natives of tropical America, Mexico and Europe, and belong to the Nightshade family, Solanaceae. Datura is the old Arabic name. The most familiar kind is Datura (Brugmansia) arborea, which bears large, white fragrant blooms in summer and is a favorite plant for tubs. Tender Perennials […]
How to grow Dahlias Commemorating Andreas Dahl, a Swedish botanist who was a pupil of Linnaeus (Compositae). Half-hardy, tuberous-rooted perennials from Mexico, were first introduced into Britain in 1789 by Lord Bute. Species cultivated (Few of the following original species are available, although they may occasionally be seen in botanic gardens and the like). D. coccinea; 4 feet, scarlet, September, […]
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 […]
Dahlias, especially small flowered kinds, have great possibilities as border plants. They may be used in masses or planted in combination with annuals and perennials. Most of the small Dahlias are early and profuse bloomers, starting to flower in July and continuing right through till frost. Dahlias in combination with other flowers should be planted as early as the ground […]