Supporting Our Local Garden Clubs
Lycoris is Full of Surprises
I have long concluded my worldly knowledge is woefully insufficient for crafting botanical names! Creating these names requires a comprehension of Latin and Greek languages, often blended with an understanding of mythological tales from around the world. This depth of knowledge is no more apparent than in the naming of Lycoris squamigera, a bulb commonly called Surprise Lily or Naked Lady….
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Bearing a Tongue Yet Silent Sentinels of the Garden
Imagine if plants could talk! We would certainly gather a far better understanding of why plants developed certain floral or seed characteristics, leaf shapes and gain important insights into their preferences for various habitats. Penstemon digitalis, with the common name of Beardtongue comes to mind as a very promising candidate for striking up a conversation…
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Spring Beauty Sparks Thoughts of ‘Friends’ Never Met
How often do we associate a relative, a friend or perhaps even a person we never actually knew with a plant? The plant need not be large or overly showy, but somehow the sight or mention of the plant brings forth thoughts of that person. For me it happens all the time and the memories provide a lot of joy as I garden!…
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The Beauty of Bloodroot
The garden truly awakens during the month of April. The once bare earth suddenly comes alive with a bevy of flowering bulbs and perhaps even a few spring ephemerals. Most gardeners understand how to effectively work bulbs into a garden, but many remain puzzled over the use of spring ephemerals. By definition, this group of plants emerge in early spring, flower, set seed and enter into dormancy by the start of summer, very similar to most bulbs…
Grape Hyacinths – Time for a Fresh Look
At no fault of their own, some plants develop a love/hate relationship with gardeners. They are very deserving garden plants, yet after years of being heavily used our interest in the plant simply dwindles. We also fail to take note of any new and interesting selections, as we peruse nursery lists. For me, Grape Hyacinth or Muscari, as it is known botanically typifies this problem…
