Your Backyard Garden Information Source
The form and size of a herb garden is determined by the interest these plants hold for the individual. It can be a tiny border of commonly used culinary herbs such as mint, parsley, sage and thyme or an elaborate garden designed to house a wide collection of herbs. Many plants could legitimately be included in one of these large […]
Where to plant. Blue flowers are rather rare among annuals. This is one of the reasons for the great popularity of the Ageratum houstonianum (mexicanum). The flowers are dainty and feathery, often delightfully fragrant, and usually completely cover the plants. There are attractive dwarf, tufted plants as well as tall, upright growers. The dwarfer sorts appear to produce much more […]
NIGELLA Love in a mist (Devil in the bush) (Lady-in-the-green) (Fennel flower) (Jack- in-the-bush) (Named from Latin for little black, alluding to the seeds) The fantastic names given to Nigella, which alone tempt anyone to grow it, have reference to the character of the flowers and leaves. The single, or double, blue or white flowers are furnished with a lace […]
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 […]
The Wishbone flower is a gem. Those who have not tried this annual, nor seen it growing, have a pleasant surprise in store for them if they will raise a few plants. The flowers of Torenia fournieri are violet and lavender with a prominent yellow blotch on the lip. There is a less attractive white variety. In the center, the […]
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 […]
Caryopteris – Blue Spiraea This Blue Spiraea is another one of the good, Fall blooming plants. It is shrubby in nature, growing from 3 feet to 4 feet tall with small leaves and clusters of small, rich lavender-blue flowers. It begins blooming in September and continues until cut by the frost. The flowers are arranged in whorls at the axils […]
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 […]
Ajuga – Bugle Flower For creeping over the soil in shaded places the Bugle Flower is excellent. Two sorts are commonly cataloged. Ajuga replans rubra has deep purplish-blue flowers and purplish leaves and is prostrate in habit; A. genevensis is more upright in growth and bears flowers varying in color from dull red to white and blue. There is a […]
To those persons who are familiar with the annual sorts of Scabiosa, we need only say that the perennials resemble the annuals, except that the perennials have shorter florets at the center, while in the annual sorts the flowers are made up of florets of more uniform length. Scabiosa caucasica is the commonest perennial with flowers either light lilac-blue or […]