Winterberry Holly
A holly that doesn’t act like the hollies you’re familiar with – not prickly and not evergreen – and native to boot.
Chokeberry
One of those plants that really should have a better name, this native flowering shrub gives you great multi-season interest.
A Walk on the Wild Side – Part 3
An Explorer’s Journal of Native Plants in the Landscape Great Falls National Park – July 2, 2010 I decided to continue my explorations this time by hiking the 1.4-mile second section of the Billy Goat Trail on the MD side…
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’.
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.
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?
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.
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
Meet Natalie Brewer – Master Gardener
Many native plants are easy to grow and perform well in the home landscape. You will still need to consider the light and moisture requirements of individual plants, but once they are established, most native plants do not need additional care in the form of fertilizers and pest control. So they can save you time and money.
A Walk on the Wild Side – Part 2
I explored the MD side of Great Falls this time (okay, so technically the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park), and hiked the 1.7-mile first section of the Billy Goat Trail.
Ferns – All the Colors of Green
It is said that Ireland has a thousand shades of green. That has nothing to do with ferns, and having been to Ireland I have to say that it’s green all right, but the subtle nuances escaped me. I digress and it’s only the first paragraph. So: garden ferns: like Ireland, mostly green. Pretty subtle, with some notable exceptions. Below are the ones that I have found to be the most reliable.