Crawford’s Corner

If you have further questions, please write to Bruce at Crawford@njaes.rutgers.edu

• October Plant of the Month – Rosa blanda
  A Most Alluring Rose Without doubt, I appreciate the beauty and – for those selections so ‘gifted’ – the fragrance of a rose. Admittedly, for many years I was reluctant to consider roses for gardens. Maybe it was my parent’s ill-fated attempts at growing them or the simple fact that many ‘bite’ should I get too ...
• Gardening Notes for October 2026
  October marks the true start of autumn and many busy days for the gardener! It is now a countdown to complete our chores before that first heavy frost. Despite the rush, remember to take a moment and make some notes about what is looking showy. Perhaps it is the flowers of Bieberstein’s Crocus (Crocus speciosus), ...
• September 2026 Plant of the Month – Celtis
  Experience is the Best Teacher My appreciation for shade trees has certainly changed over the years. Like many gardeners, it was a group of plants I valued yet rarely used in designs or planted! Of course, perspectives change and I am now a huge proponent of planting shade trees. I have grown especially fond of trees ...
• Gardening Notes for September 2026
  September marks the start of getting the garden – and the gardener – ready for a long winters rest. Yes, it seems much too early to think of winter, but it is time to start planning for winter! However, we still have a good month until frost, so there is plenty of time to enjoy ...
• August 2026 Plant of the Month – Schizachyrium
  Sweeping Together New Garden Visions During my drive to work, I pass a number of homes whose landscapes mostly consist of a tidy row or two of shrubs paired with a neatly trimmed lawn. The spring may offer some floral enhancement, but by-and-large, the landscapes remain a steadfast green. Few homeowners consider replacing some of those ...
• Gardening Notes for August 2026
  To me, August epitomizes summer. The days remain long, with the daytime chant of the Cicadas and the evening chorus of Crickets and Katydids. Rainfall this summer remains ample and coupled with the warm temperatures, most plants have flourished.The flowers of Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum muticum), Ruby Slippers Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’) and Naked ...
• July 2026 Plant of the Month – Orixa Japonica
  The Frosting on the Gardener’s Cake In this age of readily disseminated literature and specialty nurseries delivering novel and little-known plants to your doorstep, logic would have it that all the intriguing and easily grown plants would be well-known and at a gardeners’ fingertips… READ THE FULL ARTICLE > Bruce Crawford
• Gardening Notes for July 2026
  Finally, the hazy, lazy days of summer have arrived – something many of us longed for during those snowy days last winter! The temperatures are warm, the days are long and hopefully the rain is ample! Your favorite plants are strutting their beauty, such as the leaves of Hardy Begonia (Begonia grandis), the orange to ...
• June 2026 Plant of the Month – Bowman’s Root
  Beauty is Worth a Second Attempt I am not certain if it is forgetfulness or simply a lack of patience, but I am always astonished at the number of times I have grown a plant unsuccessfully and opted not to try it again until many years later. A case in point is Bowman’s Root, botanically known ...
• Gardening Notes for June 2026
  Summer has arrived! The days are wonderfully long, rain has mostly proven to be adequate while the temperatures promise to be more summer-like. The June blooms of Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis), the late blooming Drumstick Allium (Allium sphaerocephalon) and Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) are giving the garden great color….. READ THE FULL ARTICLE > Bruce Crawford