‘Prairie Sun’ gloriosa daisy Story and Photos by Norman Winter @NormanWinterTheGardenGuy on Facebook ‘Prairie Sun’, one of the most striking gloriosa daisies ever, was chosen as an All-America Selections Award Winner years ago. This followed on the heels of ‘Indian Summer’, another outstanding selection. Thanks to progressive greenhouse growers and a new generation of landscape …
The scent of gardenia is unmistakable Story by Denise Pugh The fragrance travels on the wind and comes around the corner quite unexpectedly. The month of June is ushered in by the most intoxicating fragrance. The smell is subtle in the breeze, but as one walks closer to the shrub – a gardenia (G. jasminoides) of …
Any Florida garden can become a cutting garden Story and Photos by Tom Hewitt I love having fresh flowers in the house, especially when they come from my own garden. Because of space limitations, my butterfly garden must double as my cutting garden. But in a perfect world, I would have a Martha Stewart-like garden …
The long-lived and spectacular clematis Story by Troy B. Marden troybmarden.com One of the very first vines I ever grew was the old-fashioned purple Clematis ‘Jackmanii’. I was 6 years old. This was back in the day when almost every store that offered general merchandise had a garden section where houseplants were offered year round …
Bat-faced cuphea Story and Photos by Alan Pulley Referred to as “bat-faced” because of its interesting little bat-faced deep purple and bright red blooms, Cuphea llavea has become a favorite summer annual for many gardeners, including myself. Native to Central America and Mexico, bat-face cuphea thrives in full sun and heat. Blooms emerge in late spring and …
Story by Hugh Conlon Oyama magnolia, indigenous to eastern Asia, is a deciduous 10-15 feet tall tree or shrub ideally suited for a small garden. Nodding, goblet-shaped, fragrant flowers bloom two to three weeks after the leaves emerge in April, thereby escaping injury from spring frosts. In mid to late May, egg-shaped flower buds unfold …
Story by Kenny Coogan kennycoogan.com Hyssop can be grown in containers, along perennial borders, or trimmed to form a low hedge in sunny gardens or along walkways. Author Henry Beston of Herbs and the Earth (1935) says, “The garden has no more quietly dependable and satisfactory border plant.” Hyssop’s showy purplish blue, pink, or white flowers …
‘Strawberry Blonde’ French marigold Story by Clara A. Curtis Now why would I choose to feature such a humdrum, pedestrian, and easy to grow garden annual? Color and ease were my inspirations. The pastel peachy pink with yellow and gold undertone petals of ‘Strawberry Blonde’ French marigold change color over the season: pinky yellow tones …
‘Spilled Wine’ weigela Story by Andrea Dee Spilled Wine weigela pours color and character into the landscape. Its magnificent magenta flowers carpet dark purple black wavy foliage from late spring into summer. The foliage holds its vivid color through summer into fall, contrasting nicely with companion chartreuse- and dark-green-leafed shrubs. Similar to other weigelas, hummingbirds …
Stokes’ aster Story and Photos by Norman Winter Stokes’ asters (Stokesia laevis) are wonderful native perennials that attract all sorts of pollinators – from bees to butterflies. Its striking blue flowers and fiery orange butterflies make for a winning combination. The Stokes’ aster is a native from Louisiana eastward to North Carolina. Surprisingly, they are …
