Your Backyard Garden Information Source
When you want lots of color quickly, flowers to cut by the armful and bloom all summer, you want annuals. For earliest possible bloom, sow seeds indoors, then transplant-or buy started plants in May. But you’ll still get plenty of flowers if you wait till the danger of frost is past and sow the seed of quick-growing varieties where you […]
The name Calliopsis is given to the annual forms of Coreopsis These wiry-stemmed annuals provide some of the brightest flowers of the garden in golden yellow, velvety crimson and polished mahogany. (Named from koreos-bug, opsis like, refers to seeds, which are said to resemble a tick) SPECIES Coreopsis drummondi (Goldenwave) has blossoms 3 inches in diameter, golden yellow with a […]
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 […]
Marigold (Tages was an Etruscan god, but perhaps the name is of another derivation) Even the name-Mary’s Gold-captivates us, and what could be more appropriate? The flowers of these old, old favorites are in some varieties veritably made of flakes of gold. How easy it is to be wealthy with Mary’s Gold. The Aztec (African) Marigold (T. erecla) has large […]
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 […]
BARTONIA (Mentzelia) (Blazing-star) (Named for Dr. Barton, American botanist) Were it not for the straggling growth, Barlonia aurea (Menlzelia lindleyi) would be a much more popular annual. The glistening, Poppy-like flowers are golden and are furnished with countless stamens at the center. The petals have an abrupt, sharp point. The flowers are fragrant at night. The foliage is gray, hairy, […]
MIMULUS (Monkey flower) (Name from Mimo, an ape, refers to gaping mouth of flower) The flowers of this interesting genus are curiously shaped and spotted with contrasting colors. Those generally seen are bright yellow, spotted with maroon, red or orange. a: Mimulus moschalus is the Musk plant, so-called because of its musk-scented leaves. It is really a trailing perennial with […]
Were an artist to look upon a Petunia and wish that it had a delicate pattern traced upon its petals, he would create in his mind the Salpiglossis. The funnel-shaped flowers are borne upright upon slender but strong branches two feet tall. The flowers of Salpiglossis sinuala are crimson and gold, yellow and white, darkest maroon, scarlet and gold, violet […]
Learn the August garden tasks for your gardening hardiness zone. Do you know what your hardiness zone? Once known, then find the required task. Zone 1 Sow seeds of wildflowers and fall veggies Aerate, dethatch and fertilize the lawn As first frosts threaten, pick mature green tomatoes to ripen in a dark, cool place indoors Purchase containerized trees and shrubs […]
Arabis – Rock Cress, Wall Cress The Rock Cress is a small, white, four-petaled flower, and its masses of snowy bloom early in the Spring contrast beautifully with the Basket of Gold (Alyssum saxatile compactum) and the blue False Wall Cress (Aubrietia). It blooms very soon after the snow disappears and the flowers are so numerous that when a plant […]