Phalaris, A Family of Beautiful GrassesPhalaris, sometimes called 'Ribbon Grass', 'Reed Grass' and 'Canary Grass', is a genus of grass which, except for Antarctica, can be found growing worldwide. We know from this, the grass will grow under a large variety of conditions.
Weigela Florida As Privacy ScreenI had never grown weigela. I learned a lot in a short amount of time. First, I learned just how easily cuttings can be rooted. 4-6 inch tips taken from the plant, inserted into soil and covered with a clear plastic dome will readily root. It takes about 6 weeks for good root formation.
Winterizing a Geranium Part 2This is the second part of my winterizing a geranium. Twice during the winter soak it for two hours in water. Take your geranium out of the paper bag it has been in all winter. Put it in a pot with potting soil.
Growing Mammoth Elephant EarsThis is my tip for to get large elephant ears. You can get the rhizomes (large seed). The mammoth rhizomes are approximately 3 to 5 inches round. They must be kept dry and at room temp. until ready to plant. The time to plant is late spring.height of 6 feet.
Geum in BloomI had never heard of this beautiful flower before last year. A dear friend of mine recommended it for along my picket fence when we were at a garden nursery together. The small delicate orange flowers look good even after all the petals have fallen off.
The Balloon FlowerPlatycodon is another member of the Campanulaceae Family (bell flower). It is a very winter hardy perennial. It can withstand 3 degree temperature. It is native to East Asia.
Clematis Elsa SpathI recently showed you a picture of the Niobe clematis. It has been in constant bloom since that time. It has just about stopped blooming. Another is taking its place.
Weeding A FencelineSeveral years ago, we fenced our front yard and planted perennials and bulbs to poke through the pickets. We didn't cut beds at the time, so the grass grows intermixed with the plants. We have been removing each picket fence panel and cutting out the sod around the plants.
Calibrachoa (Million Bells) HardinessI'm not very familiar with these plants and the fairly new cultivars. I'm sure most of you have seen them in garden centers. They are usually sold under the common name, 'Million Bells'.
Give Hosta Its Own NicheHosta is said to be a shade loving plant. However, it will grow in full sun, sometimes producing large plants. I've seen long rows of huge plants placed where they get full sun all day.
The Long Awaited Wisteria BloomSome varieties of wisteria have a raceme, that can be as long as 30 inches and covered with over a hundred flowers. The variety I'm growing has a raceme averaging 12-18 inches and is covered with many fully developed flowers. So why would I post a picture of what appears to be a little, underdeveloped raceme?
Japanese AnemoneThis flower is rather new to me. It was given to me a couple of years, ago. Just today, I learned it's name. It is a Japanese anemone. One of it's popular common names is 'wind flower'.
Florida Cardinal Caladium MagicCaladiums are one type of plant that can add beautiful color to the shady parts of your yard. They are tropical beauties that come in a wide variety of colors and patterns.
Tradescantia Pallida (Spiderwort)Shown is a Tradescantia pallida, sometimes known as spiderwort or Wandering Jew. It is just beginning it's yearly bloom period. Given to me without a variety name, I have grown it for several years, now.
Dividing Small Clumps Of HostaLift the clump from the ground or pot at a time when the soil is a little dry. The drier soil can be shaken loose from the roots. With the roots exposed, one can get a rather clear idea of where to sever the clump.
Growing AchimenesThe Achimenes has many common names. A few are Magic Flower, Nut Orchid, Widow's Tears, Hot Water Plant and Cupid's Bow. I prefer the botanical name and pronounce it 'uh-KIM-in-nee', with the accent on the second syllable. The word 'Achimenes' is either singular or plural and the ending 's' is not usually pronounced.
Try Pachysandra for Ground CoverI have 2 suggestions. Pachysandra is great for covering the area around a tree where, because of shade or shallow tree roots, grass is difficult to grow. Like all ground covers, it fills in nicely after a year or three, while still being easy to control.
Find Plants on FreecycleThis spring, I put a request for perennial plants on a site called freecycle.com and received so many replies I picked up more plants than I could use. The extras, I shared with friends and family.
CelosiaI used to grow very tall celosia but in recent years I could not find any seed. Someone online was gracious enough to send me some seed.
Vinca (Periwinkle) as a GroundcoverI have found Periwinkle (vinca) to be a plant that will live almost under any condition in California. I couldn't get anything to grow in a border along my shady sidewalk and I decided to try vinca. My parents bought a house in 1946 that had a bank of vinca already there.
