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 […]
The flowers of this plant are a delight to those who admire extreme grace, dainty markings, and fantastic forms. Many flowers have been compared by writers to butterflies, but it is only this one that has received the name of Butterfly flower. The Butterfly weed (Asclepias) and the Butterfly bush (Buddleia) is so-called not because they resemble butterflies, but because […]
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 […]
How to grow Corydalis (kor-e-day-lis) From the Greek korydalis, a crested lark, a reference to the shape of the flowers (Fumariaceae). Hardy annuals and perennials, widely distributed throughout the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. Perennial species cultivated C allenii, 3-4 inches, pink and white flowers, spring. C. cashmeriana, 6 inches, blue flowers, spring. C. cheilanthifolia, 10 inches, yellow flowers, summer. […]
Erigeron – Fleabane The Erigeron has Aster-like flowers which are in bloom during the Summer months. The different species vary in height from 5 inches to 3 feet. The flowers grow from small tufts of leaves, somewhat like the English Daisy (Bettis) and the blooms of the taller varieties measure 2 inches and 2 1/2 inches across. The colors are […]
Polemonium – Jacob’s Ladder, Charity, Greek Valerian Jacob’s Ladder is a very ornamental and graceful flowering plant of early Spring and Summer. The flowers are blue, or white, flat or bellshaped, and are borne in spikes; the foliage is very finely cut, much resembling fern fronds. Polemonium caeruleum or the Greek Valerian is rather bushy with long spikes, about 2 […]
Among our pernicious weeds is one whose seeds are provided with hooks which catch in our clothing when on a Summer walk through the woods. This is a Geum. It is a surprise, therefore, to find several excellent perennial flowers as its relatives. The common species, Geum coccineum, or chiloense as it is more properly called, grows from 12. inches to […]
Herbs, in my opinion should be grown in every garden. Not requiring a lot of space or care, the benefits are immense. Think about various dishes that are made and you will find at least one herb flavouring it; potatoes and chives or lovage, tomatoes and basil, spaghetti sauce and oregano, and many more. Herbs like other plants fall into […]
How to grow Gentiana Gentiana (jen-te-a-na) Named after Gentius, King of Illyria who first used the plant medicinally (Gentianaceae). Gentian. A large genus of hardy perennials. Most of those in cultivation are dwarf plants suitable for the rock garden, but a few are more at home in the border. Some of them are lime-haters. Species cultivated G. acaulis (now considered […]