The Story of the Poinsettia
Pepita, a poor Mexican girl had no gift to present the Christ Child at Christmas Eve Services. As Pepita walked slowly to the chapel with her cousin Pedro, her heart was filled with sadness rather than joy. “I am sure,…
Poinsettia News and Care Tips
Happy National Poinsettia Day, everyone! And to honor the occasion, how about some poinsettia news and tips on their care? In news, poinsettias last longer today than ever before, thanks to the introduction of new hybrid varieties. New varieties in…
Meet the Novelty Poinsettias
Poinsettias say ‘holidays’. Use these beautiful live plants to decorate any home or office, dramatically and easily. There are a variety of colors and sizes to choose from, the perfect plant for any home or budget. Tired of the traditional…
Why I Clean my Beds NOW
Something that gardeners sometimes disagree about is whether to clean up their beds in the fall or wait until spring, and I was interested to learn that horticulturist Carol Allen is in the clean-up-in-fall school. In fact, her garden is…
Fall Color for Shady Spots
I’ve reported on on my favorite plants for fall color in sunny spots and as promised, here are my faves for shade. Annuals Coleus come in dozens of colors and patterns. Mine are just now, in late October, losing their…
Fall Color in the Smithsonian Gardens
Another installment in what’s turning out to be a series of articles about fall color in the garden, this one the result of my trip to the Mall over the weekend. So what better place to start admiring the gardens…
How to Grow Mums that Come Back Every Year
Ever heard of Dendranthemas? Me, neither. They used to be one of the types of Chrysanthemums but that genus was split in 1961 and now we have this new term for them. Other terms include “perennial chrysanthemums” and “hardy mums”…
Budget-Friendly Plants: Annuals that Spread by Seed
My new garden in Old Greenbelt is far smaller than the one I left behind – that was the idea, after all. But though smaller, it’s still a brand new garden, and mostly empty. Calculating how much it would cost…
Pansies Love Cool Weather
With the mild winter we’ve been experiencing (February 2012), you’ve probably noticed that the pansies that you or others planted last fall have been blooming all winter. Pansies love cool weather, and if you need a spot of color for…
How to Care for Poinsettias
Let’s say you just received a poinsettia as a gift, or bought a couple for decoration around the house, and you don’t know much about them. How should you take care of it? Or them. Temperature They are tropical plants,…
How to Care for Hanging Baskets
Hanging baskets, they’re not just for hanging anymore. By all means, do hang them, but consider that basically, it’s a big pot full of colorful flowers or tropical foliage. You can remove the hanger, and set it on a pedestal…
Modern Poinsettias have a Colorful Past
For many people, Christmas decorating is not complete without a beautiful poinsettia from Behnke Nurseries. Over the years, Behnke’s has literally sold millions of poinsettias, but, where did “wild” poinsettias come from in the first place? To trace the…