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We think of a sprig of mistletoe as something to kiss under at a holiday party, but it has a fascinating history...
Laurus nobilis is the botanical name for the European species of laurel.
Commonly called false sunflowers, all heliopsis plants are North American wildflowers, and they make excellent cut flowers.
Herbaceous perennials that can exist with minimal water include artemisia, coreopsis, sedum, yarrow, yucca and the euphorbia species.
Chrysanthemums are the quintessential fall flower in our Northern hemisphere gardens.
Many of us who love flowers cherish special floral memories that we hope we will never forget.
The stems, flowers, and leaves of all species of monkshood are poisonous.
Site each plant in a spot that fits its requirements for sun or shade, as the correct location is crucial to long-term success!
In 1919, Edith A. Roberts set out to document every native plant species in Dutchess County, New York.
I have just finished a complete overhaul of my oldest garden bed.
Sometimes we focus so much on the color of flowers that we forget about their other significant attributes.
I have used fennel as filler with all sorts of flowers and have come up with some really fun arrangements!
Japanese anemones have nice foliage that stifles weeds...and they seem intent on garden domination!
Pyracantha is a shrub with evergreen glossy foliage and broad spreading growth. One disadvantage is its thorns, thus the common name of firethorn.
Summer bulbs are labor intensive, as they have to be dug and stored each fall, however, they add immeasurably to the diversity of the summer garden.
Louisiana iris are easy to grow in the Midwest if you have good soil, moisture and space for them to spread.
Just about any herb you grow can be used as filler to increase the impact of a few garden flowers in a vase.
I have recently become besotted with chartreuse foliage, even though, or perhaps because, it is a color that I have never been able to wear.
Many American gardeners have tried to imitate aspects of English gardens.
Elizabeth Price Martin founded our nation’s first Garden Club in 1904.
The fragrance of the tuberose is popular with most people who’ve taken the time to stop and smell it.
Repetition of white interspersed among other colorful blossoms ties plantings together.
The repetitive nature of the task of cutting back plants allows me to relax.
Three years is about the time it takes for plants to settle in and grow in a garden.
Adversity has taught this gardener to cherish every flower that blooms, no matter what its color or its smell.
Wordsworth obviously was as impressed with this versatile plant as we still are today.
There are few events more satisfying than a good plant swap with serious gardeners, who don’t bring invasive species or other pests.
At certain times of the year we just don’t have quite enough flowers. This is when "filler" is really important.
Here are a few ground covers that I like to use to stifle the weeds and tie other plants together in a pleasing manner.
Some shrubs have only one season of interest and forsythia is one of them.
Our native witch alders are lovely additions to any garden.
Newly situated plants need more frequent watering than established plants.
Do you follow Gertrude Jekyll’s advice about always planting three, or multiples of three?
When John Adams moved from Philadelphia to the White House, the building was still under construction and there was no sign of a garden.
At Mount Vernon, Washington created a beautiful American garden that befitted a true patriot.
Thomas Jefferson's gardens at Monticello combined the beautiful with the practical.
Our early presidents were described as nation builders, and all were passionate about plants, nature, agriculture and gardens.
The United States of America was established by farmers and gardeners who were very conscious of protecting their natural resources.
While it is still too cold to work in your garden, you may enjoy reading Andrea Wulf’s informative book Founding Gardeners.
Camassias are delightful when grouped together in the garden or in a vase.
The early-blooming Iris reticulata are the tiniest iris, and they bloom very early in the spring.
“Spring comes to a garden with tentative indecisive steps. A foot is advanced and then withdrawn.” - Louise Beebe Wilder
More invasive plant to avoid include oriental bittersweet, garlic mustard, reed canary grass, common reed grass and the autumn olive.
This invasive legume was first planted in the United States as a control for erosion along highways and roadsides.
It's illegal to buy, sell or plant purple loosestrife, and It's banned in nurseries and farmer's markets.
Invasive species have many bad habits. They hurt wildlife by smothering and destroying the plants our native creatures need for food and cover.
Our native sumacs have vibrant, colorful foliage in autumn, and yet they are often overlooked as shrubs for residential gardens.
Moya Andrews is a Master Gardener and a member of the Bloomington Garden Club in Bloomington, Indiana. Learn more »
