 If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water. Loren Eiseley
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Spectacular Desert Plants
Although some may describe deserts as barren or desolate, there's a vast palette of colorful, vibrant perennials, shrubs and trees native to the Sonoran, Chihuahuan and Mojave deserts — plants that present a softer, gentler vision of desert landscapes. |  |
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How to Grow and Care for Angel's Trumpets
Prized for the huge, pendulous flowers, brugmansias are tropical shrubs or small trees that bloom from summer into autumn. Commonly called angel's trumpets for the flared, trumpet-shaped flowers, these fast-growing plants are showstoppers in the garden, in containers, and indoors. |  |
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Planning a Vegetable Garden
After 30 years, I continue to learn about and experiment with new vegetable varieties and plant combinations. I make discoveries every season. But over the years I've settled on a garden layout that utilizes three-foot-wide raised beds. It is, I think, the key to beautiful and productive gardens. |  |
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Growing Plants on Trellises
Instead of imagining your garden as a flat canvas, look at it as a three-dimensional space. Picture plants growing up -- on trellises. There are a number of reasons, both aesthetic and practical, for growing plants on vertical structures. For example, plant-covered trellises can shield you from a busy road, provide privacy, shade you from the hot summer sun, and block unsightly views. |  |
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Sweet Stevia
This plant packs so much sweetness into its leaves that they can be used in place of sugar, and plant extracts are commonly used as sweeteners in Japan, China, and South American countries. |  |
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Cutting Down on Lawn Care
For decades, experts recommended fertilizing four, five, or six times per year. But lawns can get by — and even look great — with much, much less fertilizer. The secret is finding a turf grass that's well adapted to your particular climate. |  |
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Muscadines and Scuppernongs Grapes
The next new food fad? My money's on muscadines. Pretty soon you'll see muscadine tablets, juices, extracts, and more. The fruits are good sources of resveratrol, a potent antioxidant also found in red wine. |  |
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Dallimore's Broom (Cytisus 'Lena')
Plant Habit: Shrub
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Water Preferences: Mesic, Dry Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 6a -23.3 °C (-10 °F) to -20.6 °C (-5 °F)
Plant Height: 4 feet
Plant Spread: 4 feet
Leaves: Semi-evergreen
Flowers: Showy, Fragrant
Flower Color: Bi-Color
Flower Time: Late spring or early summer
Uses: Windbreak or Hedge, Cut Flower, Provides winter interest
Wildlife Attractant: Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Resistances: Deer Resistant, Salt tolerant, Drought tolerant
Parentage: Cytisus scoparius x (Cytisus x dallimorei)
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Carnations of the Air (Tillandsia aeranthos)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Leaves: Evergreen, Other
Flower Color: Other, Purple
Flower Time: Spring
Containers: Not suitable for containers
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Pink Quill (Wallisia cyanea)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade, Partial or Dappled Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 9b -3.9 °C (25 °F) to -1.1 °C (30 °F)
Plant Height: 12-18 inches
Plant Spread: 12-24 inches
Leaves: Evergreen, Other
Flowers: Showy
Flower Color: Other, Purple
Bloom Size: 1"-2"
Flower Time: Late winter or early spring, Late fall or early winter, Winter
Suitable Locations: Houseplant, Terrariums
Resistances: Humidity tolerant
Containers: Not suitable for containers
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Tall Bearded Iris (Iris 'Another Suggestion')
Hybridizer: Keith Keppel
Year Of Registration: 2015
Year Of Introduction (May Differ From Registry): 2016
Seedling Number: 06-156G
Classification: Tall Bearded (TB)
Registered Height: 35 inches (89 cm)
Bloom Season: Mid
Flower Form: Bubble Ruffled
Bloom Color Classification: Pink
Bloom Color Description: Light peach pink standards, paler toward edge, faint fine light green texture veining; blended grey lilac and pink cream falls, lightly veined, some french beige haft reticulation
Beard Color: Lavender, tipped light shrimp
Style Arm Color: Light peach pink
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 3 -40 °C (-40 °F) to -37.2 °C (-35)
Flowers: Showy
Ploidy: Tetraploid
Parentage: 00-221C: (Venetian Glass x Society Page) X Haunted Heart
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Rose (Rosa 'Charisma')
Bloom size: Medium: 2-3"
Petal count: full: 26-40 petals
Rose bloom color: Orange and orange blend
Extra Bloom Info: In small clusters
Rebloom: Good
Class: Floribunda
Extra Color Info: Red/orange/yellow blend
Growth Habit: Medium, 3-4 feet, upright
Fragrance: Mild
Hybridizer & year: Bob Jelly, 1977
Optimal growing zones: USDA zone 6 and warmer
Awards: AARS
Plant Habit: Shrub
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Plant Height: 3-4 feet
Plant Spread: 2-3 feet
Leaves: Deciduous
Flowers: Showy, Fragrant
Flower Color: Bi-Color
Flower Time: Spring, Summer, Fall
Uses: Cut Flower
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Parentage: Gemini x Zorina
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An important correction: The lovely photos that we share in our newsletter each week are the most popular photos that our members have uploaded into our plant database. Most of the photos they post are their own creations, but sometimes companies give them permission to post photos that belong to their company, as well. The generosity of the companies who share their photos with us is much appreciated.
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Well, this is awkward, but last week a member posted a photo from a company, and the photo was attributed to their username, and there was no mention of the company, and your editor failed to notice the oversight. We want to rectify that. That lovely image below was provided by Mountain Crest Gardens.
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Mountain Crest Gardens® is an online succulent nursery, family-owned in Northern California since 1995. They grow the largest selection of succulents available online and ship them year-round to all US states & territories. The collection includes over 1,000 types of named succulents including rare varieties, gift boxes, cuttings, and affordable bulk trays for event favors and landscaping. No wholesale account is needed and orders of $45+ qualify for free shipping. The nursery has over 60,000 five-star reviews and sites including Newsweek and MarthaStewart.com list it as the #1 online succulent shop. All orders are quality guaranteed and include tons of free care guides, videos, and customer Q&As. You can also chat with the very knowledgeable customer service team if you have any questions about your order.
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 Photo by Ursula
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 Photo by Neela
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 Photo by prabhisetty
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 Photo by HamiltonSquare
"You can see why this cultivar is named ‘’Embers’."
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 Photo by Joy
"https://www.singtree.com/plants/details/r-medusa"
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 Photo by gwhizz
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 Photo by prabhisetty
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 Photo by NMoasis
"In bright light this has a distinct orange-ish hue. It's really more of an orange-red than actual orange"
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 Photo by sugarcane
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 Photo by Ursula
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Together with Victory Seed Company Get early veggies! Now is a great time to get started with a cool season garden. The family that runs Victory Seed Company has selected many of their favorite spring vegetables and put this collection together for you, all for just $29.95 with free shipping to the US! Lettuce, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and much more. Order yours today.
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Active threads from our forums:
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The numbers from this week:
335 members joined.
2,967 posts written in our forums.
1,232 photos posted to the plant database.
471 plants added to personal inventory lists.
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 It is the life of the crystal, the architect of the flake, the fire of the frost, the soul of the sunbeam. This crisp winter air is full of it. John Burroughs
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