Summer Watering Tips
I say “finally” because it’s felt like August for a couple of weeks now. Make sure to provide water to your gardens, containers, and plantings around the house. Here are my recommendations………
Eastern White Pine is for the Birds
The eastern white pine, Pinus strobus, is one of the most popular native plants in our region. And even though these trees are commonly used in both public and private gardens, there are still many reasons why you should consider adding these lovely trees to your landscape. One of the principal reasons is that the eastern white pine is really ‘for the birds’.
Knock Your Socks off – Knock Out Roses
Although they have been around for a couple of years, the Knock Out series of roses still knock my socks off.
Hydrangeas are Sugar-Coated Confections
What are white, fluffy and look as tantalizing as scoops of vanilla ice cream? They are probably the beautiful, pristine white blossoms of our native wild hydrangea.
I Love Shade Gardening
I cannot tell you how often I hear people say that they would love to have a beautiful garden but all they have is shade. My suggestion is always the same – add height, texture, movement, and stronger variations of leaf color. Trust me, with a few new additions, you will never see shade as a dark, lifeless place again.
Heirloom Okra
Okra thrives in warm to hot weather and thoroughly warmed soil, and these cultivars are ready to grow in your garden. Okra pods can be prepared in many ways, from grilling to pickling. The plants are decorative and have beautiful hibiscus-like flowers.
The Sun, the Moon and the Stars
How would you like a plant that is drought tolerant, is heat tolerant, blooms for weeks, is deer resistant, is native, and is a butterfly magnet? Does this sound too good to be true?
Gardening Basics – 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 for an instant “container” plant, or if it happens to be upright instead of trailing, you can set in on a table for a centerpiece.
The Woods In My Back Yard – Part 2
Well, most of the spring wildflowers are finished, but you can still find a few here and there. Especially if you wander around off the beaten path (or paved path, as it were) and momentarily wonder just where the heck you are and where that path went…. I came across a colony of Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense) that still had some flowers tucked underneath their leaves.
Peppers for Pepper Sandwiches
Mixed savory and sweet peppers fresh from the garden can be used to make delectable pepper sandwiches. Each pepper plant will produce many peppers, and pepper sandwiches are a great way to utilize the pepper harvest. Pepper plants are easy to grow and make decorative additions to any garden.
Plant a Little History with Pawpaws
One trait that lends Pawpaws to being so carefree is the fact that they have special chemicals in their leaves which make them unpalatable to deer and most insect pests. In fact, very few insects have evolved enough to be able to make use of this plant, except for one of our butterflies, the Zebra Swallowtail.
Heuchera – Coral Bells
Heuchera, commonly called coral bells, is a group of North American-native plants, with several species native to Maryland. In fact, if you go to the C and O Canal National Historic Park in Maryland to see the Great Falls of the Potomac, you can easily spot some Heuchera pubescens