Borders – Edging the Garden with Plants
Recently, I became much more aware of the various types of borders in my gardens. Why you ask? Because of the curse of the lawn mower. Since late summer 2021, I have had an endless string of bad luck with mowers. First, our long running rider broke down and refused to go. The repair man […]
Goldenrods – October Plant of the Month
Goldenrods are the October Plant of the Month for 2022. One of the most recognized fall flowers, goldenrods are native across the entire United States. Despite its wide distribution, it is often blamed for the allergies associated with hay fever, which is caused by ragweed, not goldenrod. However, that blame is starting to disappear as […]
Bonesets – September Plant of the Month
Bonesets are the September plants of the month. Members of the Aster Family, and closely related to blazingstars, bonesets are found primarily from the Rocky Mountains eastward. The name boneset comes from break-bone fever, an influenza-like fever, which causes severe bone pain. Native Americans used Eupatorium perfoliatum (Common boneset) to treat the fever. Native to […]
Quilled Flowers – Quirky Flaws of Nature
What are quilled flowers? Flower petals which are rolled or “quilled”. These petals can be found in many plants of the Aster Family, and they are one of my favorite things to collect in the garden. Already, I have several perennials with quilled flowers, and I am looking to add more soon. Nature helps the […]
Fountains – Adding Serenity to the Garden
Fountains in the garden can bring peace and serenity. The sound and movement of water in the garden is like a symphony in full glory. Water is music, and fountains are the easiest way of adding that music to the garden. They do not have to be huge; they can be as small as a […]
Favorite Natives (And Nativars) of the Author’s Garden
How many favorite natives can you have? I have been gardening for more than 30 years, and adding natives into my gardens from the very beginning. At my parent’s home in North Central Kansas, I recognized several natives which made their way into my container gardens, and eventually into the landscaping I did for my […]
Perennial Salvia – May Plant of the Month
Perennial salvia is our May Plant of the Month. I have to admit, this was not one of my favorite perennials for a long time. Mainly because of overuse of 1 cultivar in the landscape. I do not like plants that get too much attention; we need more diversity in our gardens. But now, after […]
Plants for Winter Interest in the Garden
Now that winter is finally upon us, I like to look at my garden and think about the future. Right now, the snow is settled over the landscape, and I can see what looks good in it. Plants for winter interest are definitely needed. But we also want plants with multiple season interest. If we […]
Dry Streams – Adding Functionality to the Garden
Dry streams are a way to hide or transform water using locations within the garden. These areas are not rain gardens, but low and sloped spots that water runs through quickly after a rain. It might be the location of the downspout outflow, a sloped spot in a level lawn, or a drainage swale used […]
