Herbaceous ornamentals add interest to our yards and gardens with bright, beautiful flowers and interesting foliage. Whether native, non-native, sun-loving or shade-tolerant, herbaceous plants invite wildlife, provide for pollinators, and bring us enjoyment with color, texture and fragrance.
Native & Naturalized Selection
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Chenille, the French word for caterpillar, refers to a type of yarn with a characteristic texture and appearance that is echoed in the pendulous blossoms of the tropical plant Acalypha hispida, leading to it’s common name of chenille plant. If you want to know more about this exotic species grown as a houseplant or seasonal annual in our part of the world, read this article…
The National Garden Bureau has declared 2011 the “Year of the Zinnia”. Among the easiest flowers to grow, these annuals come in a wide range of colors, heights and flower types. It may be hard to choose from the hundreds of cultivars and hybrids. To learn which ones I particularly like, read this article…
Tradescantia zebrina is a popular houseplant grown for its variegated foliage. This tender perennial native to southern Mexico and Guatemala can also be used as a seasonal groundcover or trailing accent in containers. To learn more about this tough plant in the spiderwort family, read this article…
There are plenty of green groundcovers, but not as many that offer the interesting contrast of golden foliage. The leaves of Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’ vary from lime green to brassy gold, depending on light exposure. This vigorous, very low grower is useful in containers as a trailing plant or to fill in around larger perennials. Learn more about this cultivar by checking out this article…
Lots of people keep a plant of Aloe vera on hand, but did you know there are many other small species that make great houseplants? These compact succulents from Africa can have very ornamental foliage as well as pretty flowers. To learn more about these tender exotic plants, and how to grow them in a cold climate, read this article…
This time of year frost is bound to nip non-hardy plants still outdoors. If you have any of the tender “bulbs” (plants which grow from fleshy storage structures even if they aren’t technically true bulbs) you’ll need to get those into storage for the winter soon. Find out more about preparing these plants to save for the next growing season in this article…
The white blossoms of garlic chives begin to bloom in late summer or early fall. Although edible, this perennial is more often used as an ornamental. Learn more about Allium tuberosum in this article…
With the heat, humidity and mosquitoes of August you many not feel like working in the garden at this time of year, but a little time spent dividing crowded clumps of bearded iris now will pay great dividends in the future. These plants do best when divided every few years, and the process is really quite simple. To get detailed instructions, read this article…
With big, bold crimson flowers, ‘Lord Baltimore’ hibiscus is a showstopper when in bloom. Not a tender tropical hibiscus, but a hardy herbaceous perennial, this tall plant is great as a specimen, an accent in the mixed garden or at the back of a perennial garden. To learn more about this flashy flower, read this article on ‘Lord Baltimore’ …
Almost everyone knows the ‘Stargazer’ lily. This hybrid Oriental lily was introduced in 1978 and still is one of the most popular cultivars today. To learn more about this gorgeous, easy-to-grow plant, read this article on “Stargazer’ Lily …
The white-lined sphinx is a common moth that occurs throughout most of North America. To learn more about this charismatic moth – and its immature stage that just might be living in your garden – read this article…
The genus Sisyrinchium is a large group of annuals and perennials with narrow leaves that produce a grass-like appearance. Another common feature of many species is the blue to purple flowers with yellow centers – prompting the common name of Blue-eyed Grass. To learn more about this group of plants native to the Americas, read this article…
