Vitex agnus-castus Vitex is one of the most liberally reseeding plants I have ever grown. In an interesting twist, it got a couple of its nicknames — chaste plant and monk’s pepper — from old ...
Frilly, Pink, and Easy to Grow: Chinese Fringe Flower
Chinese fringe flower (Loropetalum chinense) has become a go-to shrub for southern gardeners in recent years, and for good reason. In addition to its attractive deep red leaves, this ...
With Salvia, There’s Something for Everybody
Salvia, a genus of plants in the mint (Lamiaceae) family with nearly a thousand members, is known for its toughness. Heat tolerant, chill tolerant, drought tolerant, impervious to pests and ...
Create a Sustainable Landscape with Essential Native Trees and Shrubs for the Eastern US
Trees and shrubbery are the backbone of an outdoor landscape. However, sometimes we wind up with a yard full of vegetation not well suited to our locale, that performs poorly and does little to ...
How, When, and Why to Cut Back Ornamental Grasses
Ornamental grasses are increasingly being used in our landscapes as an alternative to shrubs. In any region of the country, you can find native grasses that do quite well, and add textural variety and ...
Enjoy Prehistoric Wonder with Sago Palm
For an impressive dose of prehistoric drama, consider sago palm (Cycas revoluta). Like ferns, these giant beauties have been around since before the dinosaurs, and their stunning display is ...
A Medicinal and Visual Delight: How to Grow Feverfew
TANACETUM PARTHENIUM To many in the herbal medicine community, feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) is known as a natural headache remedy. But in the gardening community, this shrubby herb is appreciated ...
Persian Shield: An Exotic Specimen Plant
STROBILANTHES DYERIANUS Persian shield (Strobilanthes dyerianus) is a stunning ornamental plant that originates in the warm and humid nation of Myanmar, where it grows as an evergreen ...
Easy Landscaping with Ornamental Grasses: Simple Tips for Carefree Success
How does your garden grow? Well, we know that trees and shrubs are the “bones” of a garden – they provide a framework around which we can create an overall structure or theme. Perennials are ...
Restoring Habitat with Charlotte Adelman and Bernard Schwartz’s Midwestern Native Shrubs and Trees
I just finished reading the recently published gardening handbook, Midwestern Native Shrubs and Trees: Gardening Alternatives to Nonnative Species, by Charlotte Adelman and Bernard L. Schwartz. It’s , ...
