Dec 20
Dahlias are among the most spectacular flowers of late summer and fall. A single genus can produce tiny button-like blooms, perfectly rounded pompons, spiky cactus flowers, elegant waterlily forms, and enormous “dinner plate” flowers approaching a foot across. Their colors are just as varied, ranging from white and soft blush to yellow, orange, coral, pink, …
Dec 19
Lavender is one of the most recognizable plants in the herb and flower garden. Its silvery aromatic foliage, upright purple flower spikes, and unmistakable fragrance make it valuable in borders, cottage gardens, pollinator plantings, herb gardens, gravel gardens, and containers. The genus Lavandula belongs to the mint family, Lamiaceae, and includes numerous species and hybrids …
Dec 18
Coneflowers are among the most dependable native perennials for sunny North American gardens. Their sturdy stems, rough green foliage, prominent central cones, and large daisy-like flowers provide weeks of color during summer while supporting bees, butterflies, other pollinators, and seed-eating birds. The best-known species is Echinacea purpurea, commonly called purple coneflower or eastern purple coneflower. …
Dec 16
Daylilies are among the most forgiving and long-lived flowering perennials for a sunny garden. Their arching, grasslike foliage forms substantial clumps, while leafless flower stalks rise above the leaves carrying a succession of trumpet-shaped blooms in colors ranging from lemon yellow and orange to pink, red, burgundy, purple, cream, and nearly white. The genus Hemerocallis …
Dec 15
Phlox is one of the most versatile groups of flowering plants for North American gardens. Depending on the species, a phlox can form a carpet only a few inches tall, spread through a shady woodland garden, fill the front of a summer border, or rise 4 feet high with enormous clusters of fragrant flowers. The …
Dec 14
Hydrangeas are among the most dramatic flowering shrubs for gardens, combining large leaves, long-lasting flower clusters, and a remarkable range of sizes and growth habits. Depending on the species, a hydrangea may form a compact shrub for a foundation planting, develop into an 8-foot specimen covered with cone-shaped flowers, produce richly colored oaklike foliage in …
Dec 13
Roses have been cultivated for centuries, yet they remain some of the most versatile flowering plants in the garden. A rose can be a compact patio plant, a formal hybrid tea producing long-stemmed flowers, a sprawling shrub covered with hundreds of blooms, a groundcover, or a climber trained across an arbor or wall. The genus …
Dec 12
Hollyhocks are classic cottage-garden flowers, sending tall spires of colorful blooms above fences, walls, perennial borders, and old-fashioned garden beds. Few plants create as much vertical drama from such a small footprint. A mature hollyhock can rise 5 to 8 feet or more, with flowers opening progressively up the stem in shades of white, cream, …
Dec 11
Bee balm is one of the most valuable flowering perennials for a sunny pollinator garden. Its shaggy, crown-like flowers rise above fragrant foliage during summer, attracting bumblebees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other wildlife while adding brilliant shades of red, pink, purple, lavender, and white to perennial borders. The name bee balm is used for several species …
Dec 10
Coreopsis is one of the easiest ways to add months of cheerful yellow, gold, red, pink, or bicolored flowers to a sunny garden. Commonly called tickseed, these daisy-family plants range from compact edging perennials to airy, fine-leaved plants and quick-growing annual wildflowers. Many garden coreopsis species are native to North America, making them especially useful …
