Your Backyard Garden Information Source
HIBISCUS (Abelmoschus) – Sunset Hibiscus (Goldenbowl H.) (Ancient name for the Marshmallow) Comparatively unknown to gardens, the Sunset Hibiscus, H. manihot, is the loveliest yellow tall annual. The plants grow 8 feet tall, the divided leaves, character of seed vessels and even the flowers remind us of the Okra. The flowers are soft yellow, 4 inches to 9 inches across, […]
SPRING PRUNING of established roses is always a gamble. If you prune too early, late spring frosts can kill all the canes. If you prune too late, some of the plants’ strength will be lost in the growth of the top shoots (spinach). You and you alone must be the judge of when to prune your roses. All roses must […]
Hedges are used to define the limits of property, as a barrier to keep people or animals in or out of a particular area, or as a feature, or to form a background to a particular display. Nothing gives a more finished, indeed cosy appearance, to a small garden than a hedge, or even hedges not of any great length […]
Growing Fruit trees in a greenhouse in pots Fruit trees may also be grown in the unheated greenhouse in pots, tubs or boxes. The restriction of the roots induces early fruiting and keeps the trees small, while the glass catches the sun’s warmth, thus forwarding growth slightly, protects the blossom and fruitlets from spring frosts and renders protection from birds […]
Edging your garden provides a clean crisp look. Your garden borders will stand out when there’s a clean edge between the planting area and your landscape paths, driveway, sidewalk, and your lawn. Common edging, such as stone, wood, or brick, provide an optimal appearance keeping the plants in the garden bed while keeping the lawn out, but it isn’t always […]
As you begin thinking about spring landscaping, consider viburnums to add variety to your garden. These plants range in size from two- to three-foot shrubs to 30-foot trees and have excellent foliage, attractive and often fragrant flowers, showy fruit, and an interesting winter appearance. While relatively few of our native viburnums have found their way into the commercial landscape trade, […]
CALLISTEMON—Bottle-Brush Tree (Calliste’mon). Tender evergreen flowering shrubs from Australia which belong to the Myrtle family, Myrtaceae. They are well adapted for growing outdoors in California and in similar mild climates and for greenhouse cultivation elsewhere. They have narrow, dark-green, leathery leaves, which are slightly aromatic when crushed. The flowers are densely packed in terminal cylindrical spikes resembling a bottle brush […]
Commemorating Paeon, an ancient Greek physician, said to have first used P. officinalis medicinally. Although the genus has long been considered a member of the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, some modern botanists now place it in a family of its own, Paeoniaceae. A genus of 33 species of hardy herbaceous and shrubby perennials and a few shrubs, among the noblest and […]
CALLUNA-Heather (Callu’na). Small, hardy, evergreen shrubs which grow wild in many parts of Europe and in a few localities in North America. They belong to the Heath family, Ericaceae. The name is derived from kallunein, to sweep. Branches are used as brooms. Only one species . is known, C. vulgaris, the common Heather or Scotch Heather, but it has many […]
From the Greek akanthos, a spine (Acanthaceae). Bear’s breech. Handsome hardy perennials known to the Greeks and Romans, who used the leaf form of Acanthus mollis for the decoration of the Corinthian column. Species cultivated A. caroli-alexandri, feet, white or rose flowers in July. A. longifolius, up to 3-4 feet, purple flowers in June. A. mollis, the best-known species, 3-4 […]