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The Dutch flower paintings of the 17th Century reflected beauty, over scientific accuracy. Learn more about the Dutch, flower painting business...
In the poem, the Innkeeper's Wife, Clive Samson recalls the winter night of the nativity.
During the Renaissance, artists began to depict plants in terms of their specific characteristics and the intricacy of their composition.
Learn about the Cloisters Museum and it's famous Unicorn Tapestries on this Focus On Flowers.
On today's Focus On Flowers, we've got a festive design for your Thanksgiving table!
Learn about the Golden Wattle of Australia, on this Focus on Flowers.
Where can you find an abundance of the hibiscus? Find out on this Focus on Flowers.
On today's Focus on Flowers, read the words of John Keats... "Ode to Autumn."
Having trouble with bindweed taking over your gardens? Moya explains the best way to get rid of them, on this Focus on Flowers.
Learn about the importance of the pathway through your garden, on this Focus On Flowers.
On this Focus On Flowers, Moya talks about the perfect flowers for your shade garden.
When perusing for spring bulbs this fall, consider choosing flowers that are star shaped.
Learn about the Fall-Blooming Aconite on this Focus on Flowers.
In Autumn, not only do the colors in the garden seem richer and more mellow, but textures also assume a more dominant role in plantings. The tall sedums become focal points in the perennial beds with their intricate flower heads and fleshy leaves.
Learn about the tulips of the Netherlands, on this Focus on Flowers.
This native grows 6-9 feet tall in full sun or partial shade and has white flowers in the Spring and then white berries later. Another possibility is Doublefile Viburnum ‘Pink Beauty' (hardy zones 4-8). Its flower clusters turn from white to pink and it has red/purple fall foliage.
All had deep tap roots, or matted root systems that allowed them to survive drought, fire, wind and trampling.
Liriope muscari has grassy foliage and spikes of blue or white flowers in the heat of late summer. It is especially accommodating as an edging or groundcover and there are some varieties with handsome variegated leaves (eg ‘Silvery Sunproof'' ).
Slugs provide food for snakes and toads. It seems like poetic justice that they get munched up as they feast on so many of our flowering plants.
Tall perennial Phlox plants provide extravagant summer color and enchanting fragrance. These North American natives were, like asters, taken to Europe where they were improved and then reintroduced to American gardens with more status after being celebrated abroad.
Coral Bells belong to the genus Heuchera (pronounced "whoo kah rah" ) and prefer rich well-drained soil in partial shade.
Gardeners with shade beds are always on the lookout for flowering plants to provide splashes of color. Shade gardens under deciduous trees often have good filtered light, especially if the trees are limbed up.
Snapdragons depend on bumblebees for pollination, as honey bees are not heavy enough to cause the flower lip to open wide.
Baby's Breath is the common name for flowers in the genus Gypsophila, and the name was undoubtedly inspired by the sheer delicacy of the tiny blossoms.
Like people, plants have more than one formal name: the genus name, the species name and often a cultivar name, as well as common names. Learn more...
All spiraea shrubs need well drained soil and plenty of sun to bloom abundantly.
The orange oriental poppy (Papaver orientalis) is a drought tolerant, old fashioned staple in our perennial gardens. New cultivars have been developed so that there are now also pinks, lavenders, maroons and whites.
Deer will eat any plant if they are hungry enough. However, like us, they find some foods more appetizing than others. So, to discourage them, we need to populate our gardens with plants that are described as deer resistant.
Learn how to plan ahead for the Fall growing season, on this Focus On Flowers.
Learn about how to best assess your gardens for Spring, on this Focus On Flowers.
A poem from an unknown author illustrates how the life span of each Spring bloom is compressed.
William Wordsworth immortalized the daffodil through his poetry. This time of year, Wordsworth's daffodils are blooming.
Christopher Morley once said ‘April prepares her green traffic light and the world thinks GO.'
The Golden Rain tree blooms in summer, so it is a good choice if you want a flowering tree for when the spring bloomers have ceased to be the focal points in a garden.
The American Serviceberry is a small deciduous tree with a pleasantly round top. It truly is a tree that provides interest across all seasons.
Although their forebears grew in the English Midlands, nowadays Hawthorns seem to us to be as American as apple pie.
Flowering crabapples come in over 25 hardy species of relatively small deciduous trees and are native to Northern temperate regions of the world. They are grown as ornamentals in many gardens and parks.
It is said that gardens don't outlive the gardener. Unfortunately, this is mostly true. However, there are exceptions and this is fortunate for those of us who love to visit well known gardens. The Kingwood Center in Mansfield, Ohio is a spectacular garden with lots to see and do.
Flowers are essential for plants to reproduce. There are a lot of different kinds of flowers, including ones that grow on trees, that have specific characteristics that encourage pollinators to visit them.
Whether you are planning a romantic evening with one special Valentine, or a Valentine's Day dinner party, this floral centerpiece is perfect for the table. It is easy, economical and beautiful.
In winter we are grateful for the permanency of our trees as we admire their vertical contributions to the landscape. However, during winter I look forward to summer when the Tulip Trees produce a beautiful display of orange flowers.
In his poem, "Unseasonable", Poet J. Barrie Sheperd laments the cold winter weather as he eagerly awaits the first Spring blooms in his garden.
Charles Sargent of the Arnold Arboretum in Boston imported cherry tree seeds from Japan in 1892. A particularly beautiful species of cherry blossom, noted for its abundance of single pink flowers, is named after him.
During winter when I can no longer tend to my garden, I often recall places where I have witnessed a beautiful display of flowers. My favorite memory to recall is my visit to Prince Edward Island in Canada.
Moya Andrews is a Master Gardener and a member of the Bloomington Garden Club in Bloomington, Indiana. Learn more »
