And it was love at first sight, though lust may be more accurate. Though slow to establish, Baptisia becomes a tough, drought-tolerant and low-maintenance plant. The flowers are followed by 2-inch swollen pods that turn black as they mature; the…
With various sizes, colors, light requirements, foliage shapes and textures, it is possible to fit an easy-to-grow hosta into almost any landscape situation.
On special this week in our perennial department is the entire selection of Dianthus. Garden dianthus are commonly called pinks, because the edges of the petals are often notched as if cut with a pinking shears. Dianthus is one of…
Everyone is familiar with the garden mum; we sell tens of thousands of them every fall. Nothing says ”fall is here” better than a couple of mums at your front door, although you will have to bend over and listen closely to hear them.
Borne on tall stems, the flowers wave seductively in the breeze, and remind you that autumn can be a rewarding time in the garden.
As I explained in my Introduction to Annuals, they can be summarized as follows: seed, germinate, grow, flower, flower, flower, I am so pretty, flower, flower, oh my biological clock is ticking, make seed, die. Time elapsed, one year or…
Development in Maryland and Virginia has exploded in recent years and we have witnessed the conversion of rural areas to urban. This conversion has created increased impervious cover, such as roads, sidewalks and roofs. This in turn has increased the…
Ensure your perennials survive the winter and return healthy and happy in the spring, starting with good fall clean-up practices.
I first wrote this article in 2011, and am updating it to reflect the fact that the deer in my neighborhood have gone from the occasional majestic loner to large family groups, visiting my garden for tasty snacks, without even…
There are lots of different hibiscus out there. Tropical Hibiscus are used as landscape plants in Hawaii, Florida and other climes that are usually warm—or even tropical—year round. Here we use them as patio plants in the summer, and houseplants…
Heuchera – one of its common names is Coral Bells – is a North American native plant with several species native to Maryland. Most of what are sold are hybrids combining the best traits of several species of Heuchera. Some…
Perennials to Prune for Rebloom It’s late June when not much is blooming (thankfully, my hydrangeas ARE in bloom), and early-blooming perennials are looking pretty bad. But many of them will perk up, put out new leaves and even rebloom…