SCHIZANTHUS – Butterfly flower, Annual Flower Information

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 […]

Plant care for Sweet Alyssum, Annual Flower

SWEET ALYSSUM (Name derived from a-not lyssa, rage a myth relates that the plant dispels anger) The Sweet Alyssum is one of our most beloved white edging plants. Seed catalogs list many varieties of Alyssum maritimum, some being dwarf, tufted plants and others more or less trailing. The Double Sweet Alyssum is widely used by commercial florists for design work. […]

TRACHYMENE (Daucus) – Lace flower, Annual Flower Information

TRACHYMENE (Daucus) Lace flower (Name from trachus-rough hymen-a membrane;channels of the fruit) Some few years ago an old favorite annual given the pleasing name of Lace flower was introduced. It is Trachymene caerulea. It is beautiful but does not always succeed as well as the old standbys. The flower heads are made up of small azure flowers produced in umbels […]

IBERIS – Candytuft, Annual Flower Information

IBERIS – Candytuft (Name from Iberia, the ancient name of Spain. The word Candytuft was originally Candia tuft, signifying the tufted plant from Candia) The neat heads of Candytuft bloom are always greatly admired. Many persons confuse this flower with Sweet-alyssum which bears smaller flowers in smaller clusters and has a longer season of bloom. The white Candytuft is most […]

PENTSTEMON – Bearded tongue, Annual Flower Information

PENTSTEMON – Bearded tongue (From Greek for five stamens, the fifth is sterile and bearded) Persons who are familiar with the Gloxinia Pentstemon, Pentstemon gloxinioides, already know its beauty; to others who are not, we would say that the price of a packet of seed is entirely out of proportion to the pleasure of bringing these flowers into bloom. The […]

How to prune roses this Spring

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 […]

Helleborus – Perennial Plant, How to grow

From the Greek helein, to kill, bora, food; some species are poisonous (Ranunculaceae). Hellebore. Hardy perennials, often retaining their leaves through the winter, with thick fibrous roots. All flower early in the year and the flowers are long lasting. Most of them have handsome, leathery, divided leaves, sometimes spiny. They are natives of southern Europe and western Asia. Species cultivated […]

Sweet Woodruff, Perennials Guide to Planting Flowers

Galium – Sweet Woodruff, Waldmeister Sweet Woodiuff (Galium odorata) is a small growing, graceful, sweet scented herb. It has small, white flowers and deep green, whorled foliage. The flowers and leaves when dried have an odor like new hay and when laid among clothes, perfume them and keep away insects. It grows from 6 inches to 8 inches high and […]

Anemone – Japanese Wind Flower, Perennials Guide to Planting Flowers

There are many kinds of Anemones found growing in cultivated gardens, as well as in the wild of our woods. Some are among the first flowers to bloom along the river banks in the Spring and some bloom even after the early frosts of autumn. All thrive under cool conditions and in many cases the ground should be covered with […]