False Sunflower – August Plant of the Month
False sunflower is our August Plant of the Month for 2024. Also known as ox-eye sunflower, this native perennial has become quite popular in the garden. With recent breeding work in favor of more colorful cultivars, there is a plant for everyone. False sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides) is native east of the Rocky Mountains and is […]
Shade Plants You Did Not Know You Needed
Recently while perusing several gardening magazines, I came across some interesting shade plants. And it made me think more about my own shade gardens. When I first started at Kansas State University, I did not even know about shade gardening. Back home, everything was prairie and savannah. But now that I live among trees, I […]
Fall Blooming Flowers
When we think of fall, flowers are not the typical idea. Leaves turning colors are what most of thinks about. But there are a number of fall blooming flowers which can certainly add depth and color to the garden. Why talk about it in July though? Because if we are to have fall blooming flowers, […]
Agastache – July Plant of the Month
Agastache is our July Plant of the Month for 2024. Also known as hummingbird mint, anise hyssop, and hyssop, agastache is a great native perennial for many areas of the garden. It is native to North America with around 17 species. A member of the Mint Family, there are 2 species commonly found in the […]
Heat Loving Perennials
When it comes to summer, you want to have as many heat loving perennials as possible. At least, here in the Central Great Plains, where daytime temps can reach 110 degrees F and nighttime temps may stay in the 80, we do. Of all the 25 heat loving perennials mentioned below, I have 23 in […]
Coreopsis – June Plant of the Month
Coreopsis is our June Plant of the Month for 2024. This genus of plants contains 80 some species and dozens of hybrids across North, South, and Central America. The genus Coreopsis is also its common name., although tickseed is another common name for the plant. Over the last few decades, coreopsis has become one of […]
Thistles – The Good and Bad
Thistles often get the worst reputation, because many are invasive in pastures and lawns. But did you know there are several native thistles which are important parts of the native ecosystem? We will go over the various thistles, both natives and nonnatives. It is always important to distinguish between the two, since there are insects […]
Powerful Perennials – Top 10
What are powerful perennials? These are perennial flowers that rock the garden each season. They are long blooming, long lasting, long lived, and good for pollinators. Picking a top 10 is the hardest part, because there are a lot of powerful perennials to choose from. What is it that gardeners want in their gardens? Hopefully, […]
Native Wildflowers – Late Summer Bloomers
Late summer and into fall is a hard time for native wildflowers. While there are many things still blooming from earlier, not much gets going this time of the year. Except for aster and goldenrods, the 2 big powerhouses of late summer blooms. Even though not much else starts to bloom now, you can still […]
