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The few requirements for primroses are easily met and are found in practically every garden. They do require shade throughout Mid-America, but this is always available on the north side of the house or in the shade of shrubs, evergreens, or trees. Primroses not only offer a variety of form, size, color, the habit of growth, but bloom (depending upon […]
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 […]
MIRABILIS Four-o’clock (Marvel-of-peru) (Name from mirabilis, wonderful, or some say shortened form of Admirabilis) The Four-o’clocks are well known and were favorites with our grandmothers, just as they are admired by us today. The flowers remain closed until late afternoon, hence the name Four-o’clock. They are white, crimson, violet, yellow and striped. The plants are 2 feet tall, and during […]
The long stems and tufted flowers of the annual Scabiosa (S. atropurpurea) are charming. The colors also are pleasing in all cases white, light pink, rose, fiery scarlet, pale yellow, azure blue, and deep blackish-purple. The stamens are light in color and in contrast with the petals appear like pins stuck into the flower, hence the name Pincushion flower. The […]
NEMESIA (Name found in Dioscorides, an early botanical writer) The English have admired and grown Nemesias in their cool climate and all have admired them in places where they grow well. At Ohio State University they grown them in the greenhouse but find that our Summers are too hot and dry, except when they are started in the Winter and […]
SILENE – Catchfly (From the Greek for saliva, referring to the stickiness of the stems of some species) The Sweet-William Catchfly, Silene armeria, is a little known but worthy annual and grows 1 to 2 feet tall. The flowers are delicate pink or rose-colored, and are produced in compound cymes, each flower with a short stem, thus differing from a […]
The rich colors of the Verbena have endeared it to us for years and years. Our mothers and their mothers grew it, and we have seen them use hairpins to get it to root along the stems. Most persons know its range of brilliant colors; the pinks are like those found in Trailing-arbutus, especially in the variety Miss Ellen Willmott; […]
PERILLA Perilla is mentioned here because in years past it was a great favorite as a foliage plant. The leaves are dark purple and have a metallic luster causing the plant to resemble a Coleus. It grows about 1/2 feet tall. The pinkish flowers, in form like those of Catnip, are inconspicuous. Perilla frutescens is the species but there are […]
Seed of hardy annuals may be planted in the open ground where it’s to flower; it is that simple. The main requirements are an full sunny position and a well-drained soil. Obviously, the condition of the soil will be reflected in the quality of the flowers produced and to get the best results the ground should be well cultivated in […]
PETUNIA (Named from petun, the Brazilian name for tobacco, to which Petunia is allied) Everyone has some room for Petunias because they are the most profuse flowering of any annual. Few other annuals produce so many of such large flowers. The colors have been improved to such an extent that there are now varieties to please us all. Recently nearly […]