July 27, 2019 - Issue #419

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These rosette succulents from the Canary Islands are popular garden plants in arid climates, providing color accents (especially red, purple, and yellow) that vary with the passage of the seasons. Aeoniums make excellent container plants in less forgiving climates, though they require a lot of light indoors. Most of the plants in cultivation are hybrids and cultivars, rather than species (which total about 40, depending on how you count).

Fall is bulb planting season, and while many gardeners focus on the showy blooms of tulips and daffodils I have a personal preference for what people call the little bulbs. (Some people call them minor bulbs, but that doesn't seem fair, considering how lovely and low maintenance they are).

Roses are shrubs with prickly stems, pinnate compound leaves, and ornamental flowers, usually fragrant. This standard definition conveys none of the charm that has inspired poets, painters, sculptors, architects, and designers for centuries. The rose may be the most prominent plant in the arts, decor, and symbolism.

Gardeners often group broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and kohlrabi together as "cole crops". Cole is the German word for cabbage, hence the term "cole slaw". Cole crops are hardy and grow best in cool weather. An easy way to remember this is to think how much "cole" sounds like "cold" or "cool".

Common basil (Ocimum basilicum) includes a number of different basils most commonly used for cooking. Sweet basil Your basic basil, with large leaves and white flowers. The Genovese variety (names include Sweet Genovese and Genovese or Genova Profumitissima) is particularly nice, with a very pleasing flavor preferred for pestos. I've also found it a vigorous, luxuriant grower, slow to bolt.

Planting a tree is a long-term investment. Your tree will do the best if you take the time to get it off to the best start by planting and caring for it correctly.

The National Wildlife Federation has designated the entire month of May as Garden for Wildlife Month. Next up in our weekly series about creating wildlife habitat gardens are some tips on attracting birds from the Federation's Naturalist David Mizejewski.