Looking for an unusual spring flowering bulb? Guinea hen flower sports a variable, checkered pattern on the nodding, bell-shaped flowers that are only about 2 inches long. The dark colored flowers (shades of red, pink or purple) are best sited where they can be appreciated up close. Learn more about Fritillaria meleagris by reading this article…
Cutleaf toothwort is one several woodland plants that are harbingers of spring with their early flowers. Although small, this charming spring ephemeral is eye-catching with its distinctive leaves and soft white flowers. Easy to grow, it’s a great addition to any woodland garden, or to just appreciate the colonies that fill many natural areas. Learn more about this native species by reading this article…
Skunk cabbage is one of the first plants to bloom in the spring, with odd flowers like something from a science-fiction movie. The plant can bloom when there is still snow on the ground. The bizarre flowers are followed by huge rosettes of broad leaves that disappear by summer. Read this article to learn more about this interesting native plant…
Looking for a low-maintenance, fall-blooming perennial? The Perennial Plant Association’s Perennial of the Year 2016 could be just the ticket. With pure white flowers held on wiry stems well above dark green mounds of foliage, Anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’ makes a statement in the fall garden. To learn more about this great ornamental, read this article…
Ornamental grasses are a great addition to the landscape. Switchgrass is a North American prairie native that adapts readily to the garden, especially several cultivars that have been selected for their attractive shape or color. Learn about this low-maintenance, warm season grass with airy, pink-tinged flower spikes in this article…
This time of year the leaves of Virginia creeper turn from an average green to a brilliant crimson red, painting tree trunks and the ground on woodland edges with bright color once temperatures cool. Learn more about this vigorous native vine that adapts to many different conditions and soils in this article…
Anise hyssop is a great plant for attracting bees, butterflies and beetles. Learn more about this native species in this article…
Not all Lamiums are created alike. The European species L. orvala is a tall, clump-forming plant with whorls of spotted purple-pink flowers that resemble orchids in spring. When the flowers fade the big leaves provide good contrast to grassy or fine-textured foliage in the garden. To learn more about this species of ornamental plant, read this article…
Mayapple is a native wildflower with distinctive, deeply lobed, umbrella-shaped leaves. It forms dense colonies in open deciduous woodlands and other shaded sites. It can be a wonderful groundcover, outcompeting most weeds in a woodland garden or naturalized setting. To learn more about this unique herbaceous perennial, read this article…
Learn how to plant and care for mums to keep them blooming from late summer through fall.
Every year, the National Garden Bureau selects one ornamental flower to feature in their “Year of the” program. 2015 is the Year of the Gaillardia. This native North American plant is both a common wildflower in places and a colorful garden ornamental, with new cultivars being developed all the time. Learn more about blanket flower in this article…
What’s blooming in your late season garden? There aren’t as many choices of shade-loving perennials that flower in the fall as those that bloom in spring or summer, but one to consider is Tricyrtis hirta. Learn more about this Japanese species of toad lily with exotic-looking, orchid-like flowers by reading this article….
