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[ Editor's Note: this week I'm pleased to let our readers know that Suzanne DeJohn has rejoined National Gardening Association. She was an integral part of our organization many years ago, and authored many of our articles over the years. She is also the author of our much beloved gardening curriculum that has introduced the fundamentals of gardening to countless young (and old!) gardeners. Now that she is on the team again, she has already written several brand new articles that we will feature in the months ahead, and she will also be the editor of the articles section of our newsletter going forward! So, if you like the articles that are featured in our upcoming newsletters, you can thank Suzanne for her work! ]
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 Gardening is the purest form of human pleasure
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Fall for Bulbs
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society returns to NGA, this time to talk about bulbs. As the days become cooler and rich fall colors begin to express themselves in landscapes and gardens, this offers a visual cue to start thinking about adding bulbs to our gardens. While the prime “window of opportunity” for planting bulbs varies with your region and gardening zone, in my area, the Mid-Atlantic, the ideal time to plant bulbs begins around the first frost of the year. |  |
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How to Grow and Care for Tickseeds
Prized for its dependable nature and colorful, daisylike flowers, coreopsis (aka tickseed) has a long bloom period and is generally troublefree and easy to grow. Another common name is tickseed. |  |
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Our Herb Spiral
When visitors come up our driveway, one of the first things they see is our herb spiral, which is prominently situated just inside our "Zone 1" environment. They always ask us for details: What is this? and, Why is this bed in the shape of a spiral? It's always fun for me to explain the thinking behind this innovative garden design, and I'm glad to share the concept with you today. |  |
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Growing Vegetables in Containers
If you don't have room for a garden, or only want to grow a few edibles straight from your own garden, planting in containers is a great solution. Almost any vegetable has varieties that can grow in a container with great results, and culinary herbs are a popular choice for the beginner or anyone who wants fresh steps from their door. |  |
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The Beauty of Black Flowers
Adding a touch of unique to your garden can be as small and subtle as a single gasp with a touch of black or a dramatic flare of an entire garden graced in majestic black blooms. While finding just the right plant for your garden, we recommend viewing photos of real plants in our database as opposed to depending on advertising photos or descriptions. True black blooms and/or foliage is extremely rare. It is helpful to know what the blooms look like in "the real world". |  |
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Lima Beans- Easy to Grow and Good to Eat
So, you want to get off the couch and go outdoors to work in your garden but fatigue, dizziness and lack of energy are preventing you? Something has stolen your "umph" and you just want it back! The answer might be as simple as adding lima beans to your summer garden and to your diet. |  |
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Sponsored by Seedsheet Enjoy big fall harvests, in less time, with less work… at 50% OFF!!
Seedsheet has been on a mission to revolutionize gardening, and pair new innovative materials with tried and true organic farming methods. The result is a ridiculously easy to use roll-out garden that includes perfectly spaced seeds, a weed-blocking fabric, and can be customized with all your favorite plants!
This fall, plant the perfect Autumn garden with lettuces, carrots, radishes, broccoli, beets, and beyond, and unroll out your own backyard deliciousness! From Shark Tank success to QVC sellouts, we've been at the forefront of gardening, and are excited to showcase our newest Fall garden products at a huge savings!
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Rose (Rosa 'Ideal Home')
Bloom size: Large: 4-5"
Petal count: full: 26-40 petals
Rose bloom color: Pink blend
Rebloom: Good
Class: Hybrid tea
Growth Habit: Medium, 3-4 feet
Fragrance: Strong
Hybridizer & year: Joseph Laperriere, 1959
Plant Habit: Shrub
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Plant Height: 3-4 feet
Plant Spread: 2 feet
Leaves: Deciduous
Flowers: Showy, Fragrant
Flower Color: Bi-Color
Flower Time: Spring, Summer, Fall
Uses: Cut Flower
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Stem, Cuttings: Tip
Miscellaneous: With thorns/spines/prickles/teeth
Parentage: Monte Carlo x Tonnerre
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Sweet Autumn Clematis (Clematis terniflora)
Typical Plant Size: Over 15 feet
Pruning Group: Group 2 - Optional, light pruning after flowering
Bloom Diameter: Very Small - 2 inches or smaller (<5 cm)
Bloom Color (Tepals): White/Cream/Silver hue
Bloom Shape: Single
Preferred Light: Tolerates partial shade, Prefers full sun
Moisture Requirements: Tolerates infrequent watering
Disease Resistance: Very disease resistant
Additional Information: Free-flowering (very floriferous), Flowers are fragrant, Very attractive seedheads
Reported Dangers: May become invasive (self-sows freely)
Recommendations: Good choice for beginners (easy to grow), Good choice for very cold climates
Plant Habit: Vine
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun, Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Plant Height: 15-30 feet
Plant Spread: 20-30 feet
Leaves: Deciduous, Semi-evergreen
Fruit: Showy, Other
Fruiting Time: Fall
Flowers: Showy, Fragrant, Blooms on new wood
Flower Color: White
Bloom Size: Under 1"
Flower Time: Late summer or early fall
Suitable Locations: Espalier
Uses: Groundcover, Cut Flower, Will Naturalize
Wildlife Attractant: Hummingbirds, Butterflies, Bees
Resistances: Deer Resistant, Humidity tolerant
Propagation: Seeds: Other info
Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Stem
Pollinators: Bees, Flies
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Daylily (Hemerocallis 'Prince of Thieves')
Hybridizer: Moldovan
Year of Registration or Introduction: 2001
Foliage type: Dormant
Scape height: 34 inches
Bloom size: 5.5 inches
Bloom time: Midseason
Plant Traits: Rebloom, Diurnal
Bud Count: 26-30
Branching: 4-way
Bloom Traits: Watermark
Bloom Form: Single
Color description: cherry red blend with lighter red watermark above green to yellow throat
AHS Awards: Honorable Mention
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Flowers: Showy
Propagation: Seeds: Will not come true from seed
Propagation: Other methods: Division
Ploidy: Tetraploid
Parentage: South Seas x Castledown
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Chinese Crown Orchid (Eulophia graminea)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade, Partial or Dappled Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Plant Height: 2 to 3 feet
Plant Spread: 12 to 18 inches
Flowers: Showy
Flower Color: Other, Green
Bloom Size: Under 1"
Underground structures: Bulb
Uses: Groundcover, Will Naturalize
Resistances: Salt tolerant, Humidity tolerant
Propagation: Other methods: Division
Containers: Needs excellent drainage in pots
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 Photo by pixie62560
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 Photo by Artsee1
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 Photo by IraOr
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 Photo by joannakat
"#pollination"
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 Photo by sugarcane
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 Photo by ScarletTricycle
"Beautiful mellow yellow, much like a school bus!"
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 Photo by GigiPlumeria
"Blooms of my seed-grown plumeria."
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 Photo by psudan
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 Photo by Australis
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 Photo by RuuddeBlock
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Active threads from our forums:
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The numbers from this week:
284 members joined.
3,468 posts written in our forums.
718 photos posted to the plant database.
808 plants added to personal inventory lists.
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 The rose is the handmaiden of love
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