A Colorful Fall Garden – Foliage, not Flowers
By the beginning of September, most gardeners are tired of working in their gardens. They’ve planted the old standbys, asters and chrysanthemums for color. If they are a bit adventurous, they’ve also planted Aconitum (Monkshood), Japanese anemones, Tricyrtis (Japanese Toad…
Feasting in Asheville
Sunset at North Carolina Governor's Western Residence I visited Asheville twenty-five years ago for a pre-conference garden tour weekend but never really got to know the city at all. This year, at the end of July and beginning of August,…
Lonicera sempervirens – Trumpet Honeysuckle
Although many people say they want a perennial garden, such a garden need not be exclusively perennials since there are often instances when a perennial will not fill the bill. There is often a need for a vertical element that…
The Glories of Spring
Hyacinthus Blue Jacket' and Helleborus orientalis in front garden. With the exception of everything blooming nearly a month early, this is a typical Cleveland spring – cold and rainy with some very warm, teasing temperatures in between. There just doesn't…
Digitalis – Foxglove
While I wait for Spring to feel like Spring, I’m thinking about what to add to my garden. I’ve tried many foxgloves over the years and frankly, my favorites are the perennials rather than the biennials even though they are…
Evergreen Goundcovers, Part 2
Festuca ‘Cool As Ice’ en masse-rotarybotanicalgarden.org In my last post, I discussed perennials that are evergreen and make great groundcovers. This time, I’m going to suggest some ornamental grasses and sedges. Although most ornamental grasses do not remain evergreen, the…
Evergreen Groundcovers
Homeowners and landscapers face many problems, not the least of which are areas that are difficult to mow but need to look good. This includes short but steep slopes, larger, gentler embankments, and large swathes of flat or rolling ground.…