VACATION BLUES

Anyone who has ever doubted the ephemeral nature of gardens should go away on a two week vacation. It helps to make sure that your friends and relatives are either away or inattentive at the same time, and are therefore […]

How to remove moss from lawns

The mosses, or musci, form a subdivision of the plant group Bryophyta. They are very numerous. While possessing simple stems and leaves, they have no true roots. Mosses are anchored in their growing positions by rhizoids which are hairlike and […]

Ligularia – Perennial Plant, How to grow

  From the Latin ligula, a strap, referring to the strap-shaped ray florets (Cornpositae). A genus of about 80 species of herbaceous perennials, formerly included in Senecio but now placed in their own genus. These handsome members of the daisy […]

Gold Of Ophir

Gold Of Ophir For centuries and perhaps even millennia people have been searching for the source of the Gold of Ophir. My own search started last week, and I am pleased to say that my shipment of the fabled cargo […]

Iris – Perennial Plant, How to grow

From the Greek iris, a rainbow (Iridaceae). A large genus of bulbous, creeping and tuberous rooted perennials, some of which are evergreen. They are natives of the north temperate zone from Portugal to Japan. Among the most varied and beautiful […]

Macleaya – Perennial Plant, How to grow

Commemorating Alexander Macleay, 1767-1848, Secretary of the Linnean Society (Papaveraceae). This genus, sometimes listed under the synonym Bocconia, consists of two Chinese species of perennial herbaceous plants very valuable in the garden. Their most outstanding virtue is their great height […]

Incarvillea – Perennial Plant, How to grow

Commemorating Pierre d’Incarville (1706-57), a French Jesuit missionary to China (Bignoniaceae). A genus of about 6 species of herbaceous perennials, first introduced in the mid-nineteenth century, hardy or nearly hardy in suitable conditions. Species cultivated I. delavayi, 2 feet, rose-pink […]

Planning the garden

Whether you specialize in any particular plant or not, the general design and layout of your garden must be pleasing and practical. There are some hard and fast rules to bear in mind, but in the main gardening is a […]