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, […]
Planting the vegetable seed There is no part of the garden work which calls for such nice judgment and careful attention as the sowing of seed. Most of the failures originate right here, and a large share of the blame devoted to the seeds and seedsman, if traced back to its original source, would be found to rest on the […]
Many of the older species had colourless flowers which may be the origin of the name, from the Greek a, no, stilbe, rightness (Saxifragaceae). A small genus of herbaceous perennials with feathery plumes composed of myriads of minute flowers in white, many in shades of pink and deep crimson. They are delightful waterside plants but they will grow in the […]
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 […]
Aubrietia – Purple Rock Cress, False Wall Cress Early in the Spring, our eyes search for color in the garden. We grow the Rock Cress (Axabis) for white, Golden Alyssum for yellow and Aubrietia for purple, rose and lavender. But as a matter of fact, few persons have grown the Aubrietias because they have not known of them although the […]
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 […]