Episodes
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The common sunflower goes by the botanical name of Helianthus annus. Extensive breeding has resulted in a great number of cultivars with yellow, orange, red, cream, white, and bi-color blooms, in many different sizes and flower shapes. The plants can grow 3-10 feet tall and so some need support. They are not temperamental plants, and most are native to Northern Mexico, Canada, and the United States. They are deer resistant and easy to grow and the seeds can be harvested for sowing in subsequent years. Plants are both annual and perennial, but all must have full sun and well-drained soil. Since
Many annuals need to be deadheaded to keep blooming all season. While snipping off the spent blossoms can hardly be described as hard work, it is easier not to have to remember to do this chore. For that reason, many of us try to buy annuals that do not need deadheading in order to re-bloom all season long and right into fall. One such plant is lantana, which is great in regions with cold winters where it can’t winter over and so doesn’t get aggressive. While I would never grow it in my native Australia where it is a terrible invasive, I do plant it in the Midwest garden where the deer leave i
William Shakespeare included so many botanical references in his plays that there are about 175 mentions of flowers, fruits, grains, grasses, seeds, weeds, trees, spices, herbs, and vegetables in his works. There are also lots of comments about how to care for various items so he must have been knowledgeable in this area. Here are just a few examples you may recognize. Acorns, Garlic, and Figs As You Like It: Celia says, “I found him under a tree, like a dropped acorn.” A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Puck says, “All their elves for fear, creep into acorn-cups and hide them there.” Bottom advises,
I don’t have a watering system, so I get tired of watering when there are long periods of hot, dry summer weather. Here in the Midwest when it is over 90F, potted plants need watering twice a day and beds on slopes do too. It is a chore that makes me wish I had more drought tolerant plantings. A drought tolerant landscape does not mean zero watering, but it requires plants that can tolerate low amounts of water, even in extreme heat. Xeriscape plantings (“Xero” is the Greek root meaning dry) still need some watering during extended dry periods, but less than other plantings. While plants are g
There are over 200 species of hibiscus, and they are beloved because of their big showy flowers and green, clean-looking foliage. They fall into three different major categories: tropical, perennial and hardy. The tropical hibiscus is native to Hawaii and comes in beautiful colors, and we often see them in photos tucked behind the ear of a beautiful model. The perennial varieties go dormant in winter and come back the following spring, but they often do not survive cold snaps. Hardy hibiscus come just in three colors—white, pink and maroon—and can be grown from seeds. Their blooms are large an
Stylophorum diphyllum is our native celandine poppy that grows well in dappled shade in woodland conditions. It has cheerful yellow flowers and hairy seed pods. There are also two other woodland poppies that are native to China. All three species prefer moist soil and self-sow. They bloom in spring and intermittently into summer. Wordsworth even wrote a poem about this unassuming charmer: "Long as there’s a sun that sets, Primroses will have their glory; Long as there are violets, They will have a place in story: There’s a flower that shall be mine ‘Tis the little celandine. Comfort have thou
If you welcome birds into your garden you probably know that during the summer, water sources are very important to them. Place your birdbaths in the shade and clean them regularly to keep the water fresh. Have a few birdbaths in different parts of your yard, maybe one where you can see it through a window. Some types of birds prefer ground level water sources also, so even a plant pot saucer can serve during hot days. You don't need feeders during the summer, but water is crucial in times of drought. Also, some debris in a yard gives birds places to search for insects and grubs. Grow shrubs t
Canna comes from the Greek word spelled "kanna," which means "reed," though the canna plant does not have narrow reed-like leaves. There are about 10 species in the genus, which has showy flowering plants that grow from tender rhizomes that can only be left in the ground over winter in zones 7-10. In other zones they must be dug and stored over the winter. Canna plants enjoy moist but well-drained soils in full sun. Plant the rhizomes 4-6 inches deep and space them 18-24 inches apart for best results. They can also be grown in large pots and stored in the pots in areas where the winter tempera
The common evening primrose is native to Virginia and was sent to England in the early 1600s, feeling quite at home there and has naturalized in several parts of Britain. The Missouri primrose was identified first in 1811. The evening primrose has both roots and leaves that are edible. The roots are sometimes eaten in France and some herbalists believed that the plant can be used medicinally for asthma and whooping cough. The botanical name for evening primrose, Oenothera, is from the Greek, which is interesting since all members of this plant family are natives of the New World. Oenothera fru
Many of us are familiar with ageratum, the low-growing annual with fuzzy flowers that are blue/lavender color. It is a member of the Ageratum genus that includes 43 species of annuals and perennials, most of which are native to warmer regions of the American continents. They have felted oval or heart-shaped leaves and clustered flower heads. They like full sun and moist well-drained soil, and a common name is floss flower. Another common name is billy goat weed, which suggest perhaps that goats may like them. I am guessing about that, as I have never seen a goat eating ageratum in my garden. O
Blue false indigo, with the botanical name Baptisia australis, is a lovely shrub that blooms in the late spring in zones 3-9 in full sun or part shade. It grows about 4 feet tall and as wide and is drought tolerant and deer resistant and has blue/green foliage and blue flowers that resemble lupins. It was used by pioneers to dye cloth and is called 'false indigo' because its color is not as deep as true indigo. It has a big root system that cannot be divided. However, it grows easily from seeds. Gather the dark-colored seed pods in the fall and start new plants any time. This plant has been hy
Native to Mexico, dahlias probably grew in Aztec gardens as they were already in cultivation when the Spaniards arrived. Francisco Hernandez, a botanist and physician to King Phillip of Spain, described them in a book published in 1651. But dahlias were not introduced to Europe until 1789 when seeds were sent from Mexico to the Royal Gardens in Madrid. The flower was named in honor of Dr. Dahl a Swedish botanist and pupil of Linnaeus. They were sent to Kew Gardens in England in 1798 by the wife of the British Ambassador to Madrid. By 1835, John Wedgewood, the founder of the British Horticultur
Red Hot Pokers belong to the genus Kniphofia (Kniphofia uvaria) and are also known as tritoma or torch lilies. Some dwarf varieties are 'mango popsicle', 'pineapple popsicle', and 'red hot popsicle'. They are orange, yellow, and red with grassy foliage. They spread by rhizomes and can become invasive. Native to South Africa, they like full sun and well-drained soil and do well in zones 6 through 9, as they tolerate heat and drought and dislike boggy soil. Flowers fade first at the bottoms of the torch-shaped blooms, but the striking blooms last a long time on the plants. After the blooming is
Dianthus are well-behaved in our gardens. The flowers are fragrant, and the plants can be perennial, biennial, or annual. The common name "pinks” does not refer to the color but to the fringed edging of the petals that makes them look as if they had been cut with pinking shears. They like full sun but can manage some shade and a variety of soils. However, they do best in well-drained soil with good air circulation, as they are susceptible to root rot and fungal diseases. Rabbits eat the narrow grey/green leaves, but thankfully deer leave these plants alone. There are over 27,000 registered cul
In the lower Midwest, May is the month when we see lots of white flowers. For example, Spirea ‘Bridal Wreath’ shrubs completely cover themselves with lacy white blossoms so that they do, in fact, resemble brides in traditional wedding gowns. The low-growing perennial iberis, commonly known as candytuft, also has lacy white flowers, and there are white lilacs and dogwoods in abundance too. Dogwood trees are positively dazzling when they are in full bloom. There is even a rare white double flowered dogwood Cornus Florida ‘plena.’ Other white flowering trees include Bradford pears, serviceberries
The common European marigold, (like the Mexican variety), is justly popular because it is easy to grow, and pests don't like it. It was first mentioned by the old-time herbalists in 1578, quote, "It has pleasant and bright shining yellow and orange single-petal flowers." It was used by herbalists during the times of ancient plagues, and the petals of the flowers were dried and sold for use in making broth in the winter. The flowers have also been used to add yellow color to cheese in times past. Native to southern Europe, the seeds can be sown directly into the soil and germinate easily in sun
Larkspur is a member of the Delphinium family and though native to Europe, it grows well in North America. The plant is poisonous if eaten by cattle but fortunately only mildly toxic to domestic pets and people. Its colors are shades of blue/purple, white, and pink, and its tall upright habit and ferny, lacy foliage is good in combination with other garden plants. Larkspur likes well drained soil in full sun and is a good cut flower. In my midwestern garden I cannot grow perennial delphiniums or perennial larkspur. So, I buy packets of annual larkspur seeds and just sprinkle them in my beds (u
The most commonly grown deciduous magnolia in the Lower Midwest is Magnolia x soulangiana, usually referred to as the saucer magnolia. Hardy in zones 4-9, it may be a shrub but usually is a tree about 20-25 feet tall with a rounded crown. It usually develops a number of trunks and may over time even grow 30 feet tall and as wide. It blooms before it leafs out, and the pale pink blossoms look striking against the rough grey bark. However, about one in three years the late spring frosts ruin the bloom and the flowers turn brown. I am told there is a hybrid called ‘Forrest's Pink’ that will make
Horticulturalists at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences are predicting some strong trends based on their feedback from their County Extension Offices. They report that more and more gardeners are seeking information about sustainability. Specific questions about native plants have increased significantly, as well as wildlife-friendly landscapes, dwarf hybrids, succulents, novel edible greens, and landscaping to mitigate natural disasters. Modern gardeners want plants that do not require much water or fertilizer and resist insects and disease. In short, plan
A novice gardener once told me that she was only going to plant perennials, as they did not need any care. If only that was true! On the contrary, I have found that it seems easiest for new gardeners to start with annuals and then to move on to perennials. Annuals only last one year, but once they are planted they stay in one place, don’t reproduce, and just need water and fertilizer. They are less complicated for an inexperienced gardener. Perennials seem preferable because they live from year to year, but their habits vary greatly and they are more unpredictable. Many are easy and stay where
Christopher Morley once said ‘April prepares her green traffic light and the world thinks GO.’ Green, in all of its shades, is the color of the month. The colors of the evergreens that anchor the landscape through all of the seasons now provide a backdrop for the early spring bulbs. The herbaceous perennial Hellebores, are flowering now too, and have leathery dark evergreen foliage, but need to have any winter-damaged foliage removed to look their best. The perennial groundcover, Vinca, also has evergreen foliage that provides a glossy foil for its little periwinkle blue flowers in mid-spring.
April is a month when gardeners long to plant but as T.S. Eliot said, it is “the cruelest month.” Warm days are often interspersed with freezing temperatures damaging over-eager plants that set their buds too soon. Over eager gardeners can also make mistakes. An exemplary gardener, Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13th in 1743 and he died at 83 in 1826. He spent 60 years developing the gardens of his estate at Monticello in Virginia, and he kept meticulous garden records. In his era all plants were open-pollinated so seeds could be gathered to grow the plants for the following year. Today ma
When we are awaiting the beginning of gardening season in early spring, we sometimes have periods of cold where tender plants, such as the emerging perennials in our gardens, are at risk. Temperatures, even those that remain above 32F degrees, may still damage plants. When they do, it’s called “chill injury.” However, if the temperature that has been warmer than freezing suddenly hits 32F degrees or below, the effect that is triggered in the garden is called a frost. If we have vulnerable plants in our early spring flower garden and the forecast predicts frost, we need to take protective actio
Air temperatures that hover just above freezing for a prolonged period of time in the spring can kill most tender plants if they’re set out too early. So if you set out your houseplants outdoors too early, even if it’s actually above freezing in terms of the air temperature, they simply can’t endure it after being accustomed to the warmth in the house. All air temperatures affect plants, as it affects most of their physiological processes such as their absorption of water and nutrients and time of flowering, fruiting, and also seed production. Each plant species has its own critical air temper
The weather in our flower garden has to do with local atmospheric conditions: hot and cold; wet and dry; calm and stormy, and so on. Climate refers to the region’s atmospheric conditions and predictable events for that region or particular place. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) divides North America into 20 separate zones, and the zone we garden in determines the plants that we can grow. But as well as the average highest and lowest temperatures that occur in our specific zone, many other factors affect our weather and the perennial plants we can grow since perennials need to winter ov
