 Life is full of beauty
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Reblooming Irises
Bearded irises have come a long way from the simple Iris pallida -- sometimes fondly called Grandma's flags -- that were grown in so many gardens 60 or more years ago. One of the least demanding of all perennial plants, irises are undergoing a radical transformation regarding color, flower form, and reblooming abilities. |  |
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How to Grow and Care for Pachypodiums
These spiny succulents come in a fascinating variety of shapes and sizes, from the more common trees to species that grow just a few inches high. Most make white or yellow flowers and show a striking seasonal growth pattern. |  |
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Creating a Planting Calendar
Spring weather in many parts of the country can be erratic, with unseasonably mild weather followed by a severe cold snap. To help you avoid the temptation of planting too early, make a calendar with planting times for various crops. |  |
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Sharpening Tools
Even top-of-the-line tools need regular cleaning and sharpening to perform their best. Sharp pruning tools make cleaner cuts, allowing plants to heal faster, and sharp digging tools save you time and energy. |  |
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Fungus Gnats
Outdoors, natural predators and the vagaries of weather keep fungus gnat populations in check. But indoors, in hobby greenhouses or on potted plants, fungus gnat numbers can sometimes soar. |  |
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Get the Scoop on Your Soil
The answers to many gardening dilemmas are rooted in the soil. Soil testing is the best way to determine if the nutrient levels are adequate and if you have a problem with toxins such as lead from lead paint. |  |
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Compost Bins & Worm Bins
My household of four generates about 2 gallons of garbage a week, more if it's a big cooking weekend. Recent studies report that at least 20% of what goes to landfills is food waste, and I steadfastly refuse to contribute to that. I also have a yard and garden that contribute a whole lot of brush, leaves, etc. To deal with that much organic matter, we have set up two different systems. |  |
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Edible Landscaping - Herb Gardening Basics 101
Millions of households in the United States grow herbs — and with good reason! In addition to their obvious role in cooking, herbs are also attractive and add color, interesting textures and forms, and rich or subtle fragrances to the home and garden. |  |
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Together with Bluestone Perennials Want to try something a little different this year? We're pleased to present two brand-new Hydrangeas that will make your garden stand out from the rest. In addition to being undeniably beautiful, these flowering shrubs are also remarkably long blooming and easy to grow. Allow the crisp jade-green florets of Invincibelle Sublime to brighten your landscape, or leave it to the color-transforming flowers of Little Lime Punch to steal the show. You can't go wrong either way. Shop our shrubs now!
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Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus 'Tip Top Alaska Salmon')
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb, Vine
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Leaves: Fragrant
Fruiting Time: Late summer or early fall
Flowers: Showy
Flower Time: Summer, Late summer or early fall
Uses: Culinary Herb, Medicinal Herb
Edible Parts: Flowers, Leaves, Seeds or Nuts
Eating Methods: Culinary Herb/Spice, Raw, Cooked
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Fiddle Leaf Fig (Ficus lyrata)
Plant Habit: Shrub, Tree
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun, Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 10a -1.1 °C (30 °F) to +1.7 °C (35 °F)
Plant Height: 4-50 feet, or more
Plant Spread: 6-35 feet
Leaves: Evergreen, Broadleaf
Fruit: Showy, Other
Flowers: Inconspicuous
Bloom Size: Under 1"
Suitable Locations: Street Tree, Houseplant, Patio/Ornamental/Small Tree
Uses: Windbreak or Hedge, Shade Tree
Resistances: Salt tolerant, Humidity tolerant
Pollinators: Wasps
Containers: Suitable in 3 gallon or larger, Needs excellent drainage in pots
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Tall Bearded Iris (Iris 'Ocean Liner')
Hybridizer: Keith Keppel
Year Of Registration: 2016
Year Of Introduction (May Differ From Registry): 2017
Seedling Number: 08-72E
Classification: Tall Bearded (TB)
Registered Height: 34 inches (86 cm)
Bloom Season: Early Mid
Flower Form: Bubble Ruffled
Bloom Color Classification: Lavender, Light blue
Bloom Color Description: Lavender blue standards deepening in center, darker textured veining; lavender blue falls, overall deeper veining
Beard Color: Lavender
Style Arm Color: Lighter lavender blue
Awards: Honorable Mention, Award of Merit
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: Ghost Writer X Haunted Heart
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Rose (Rosa 'Scarlet Knight')
Bloom size: Large: 4-5"
Bloom shape: High-centered
Petal count: full: 26-40 petals
Rose bloom color: Medium red
Rebloom: Good
Class: Grandiflora
Growth Habit: Medium, 3-4 feet, upright
Fragrance: Mild
Hybridizer & year: Marie-Louise (Louisette) Meilland, 1966
Optimal growing zones: USDA zone 7 and warmer
Awards: AARS
Plant Habit: Shrub
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 7b -15 °C (5 °F) to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
Plant Height: 3-4 feet
Plant Spread: 2-3 feet
Leaves: Deciduous
Flowers: Showy, Fragrant
Flower Color: Red
Flower Time: Spring, Summer, Fall
Uses: Cut Flower
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Parentage: (Happiness x Independence) x Sutter's Gold
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 Photo by LoriMT
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 Photo by Valery33
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 Photo by twixanddud
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 Photo by Gerris2
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 Photo by Gerris2
"First red double kikyo flower on the plant blooming in my indoors winter garden"
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 Photo by ardesia
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 Photo by floota
"PARADE OF PEACOCKS"
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 Photo by ardesia
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 Photo by BlueOddish
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 Photo by RuuddeBlock
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Together with Victory Seed Company This trendy new open-pollinated butternut-type winter squash is one you may have seen in your local high-end grocery store. A vegetable breeder at Cornell, Michael Mazourek, was challenged by chef Dan Barber to create a small butternut that tasted good, and Honeynut is the result. Created as an interspecies cross between butternuts (C. moschata) and buttercups (C. maxima), this interesting cultivar has good levels of resistance to powdery mildew and produces 4-5" miniature butternuts with dark, extra healthy flesh, with much higher levels of beta carotene and Vitamin A than other squashes. The fruit remains green all the way until ripening to orange in the last couple weeks. Garden.org member farmerdill says, "There are now many competitive small butternuts on the market, but this one is still the king of flavor." Get one for your garden today - $3.95 per packet of 35 to 40 seeds.
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Active threads from our forums:
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The numbers from this week:
367 members joined.
4,640 posts written in our forums.
1,494 photos posted to the plant database.
499 plants added to personal inventory lists.
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 Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience. Knowing grass, I can appreciate persistence. Hal Borland
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