Similar stories:
•
BOTANICALS: Heavenly bamboo
What makes this plant special is the color it provides in the garden during all four seasons of the year.
General: Associated with the genus Nandina, it's not a true bamboo but a member of the Berberidaceae, or barberry family. Its origins are China and Japan. The plants are dioecious, meaning male and female flowers are borne on separate plants. Both are needed for cross-pollination for the development of berries. They tolerate drought, cold and heat, but they prefer protection from the wind.
Size: The plant grows to about 6 feet tall.
•
BOTANICALS: Chinese evergreen
Variegated Chinese evergreen
This houseplant's pleasing dome-shaped growth habit, low-light requirements and minimal-care needs make it a mainstay for commercial interior plant design.
General: This plant (Aglaonema commutatum) grows in clumps of broad, 12-inch, spear-shaped leaves that camouflage a 20-inch stalk from top to bottom. Depending on the variety, the foliage is deep green with boldly marked spots, dots or stripes in pale green, white or silvery gray.
•
BOTANICALS: White alder
These trees are useful in problem areas such as spots that are nutrient-deficient or have poor drainage.
General: White alders (Alnus rhombifolia) are appealing for their distinctive white bark, upright shape and contrasting, deep green foliage that covers slightly weeping branches. These fast-growing trees are used as shade trees, windbreaks and background trees as well as trees to control for erosion along waterways. Alders are found where the soil is deep and constantly moist. They tolerate temperatures as low as minus-10 degrees, but they also thrive in temperate zones.
Size: 25 to 40 feet high, 40 feet wide
•
Seeds, a favorite collectible
Saving, swapping, and propagating seeds spreads the wealth, connecting gardeners to all four seasons.
PHILADELPHIA - This summer, there must have been a dozen patches around the tiny borough of Narberth, Pa., sporting huge sunflowers.
It was no accident. The supersize sun-lovers were grown from seeds swapped among neighbors earlier in the year at Bob and Dawn Weisbord's house, as part of the Narberth Greens Flower and Vegetable Exchange.
•
DANIELLE R. SHAPAZIAN: Hoping for an orange thumb in garden
OK, admit it. You're feeling a little smug, all you pumpkin farmers out there basking in the sunlight. You're getting ready to harvest your autumn bounty, those heavy orange mounds of success.
I hate you.
A friend recently told me that her neighbors, living in an upscale part of town, were growing a giant pumpkin in their backyard. I couldn't have been more envious if she had told me that a Mercedes S-Class was parked in their driveway.
Grape hyacinths' tiny, violet blooms have a deep, memorable scent and are wonderful companions planted in boxes or pots with other spring bloomers.
General: The hardy flowers of the grape hyacinth (Muscari neglectum) are relatively impervious to disease but can become fodder for foraging snails because they grow low to the ground. The cut flowers will last four to six days in floral arrangements.
Size: Each flower spike grows 4-6 inches tall. The flowers tend to grow in clusters, or drifts.
Flowers: The grape hyacinth produces blue to dark blue flowers in late winter and early spring.
Cultivation: In early autumn, plant grape hyacinth bulbs 2 inches apart and 2 inches deep in a well- composted flower bed or pot. They prefer full sun or partial shade and a cool, moist, well-drained soil. Soak deeply after planting, and fertilize once a month after growth appears.
-- Source: "California Gardener's Guide" by Bruce and Sharon Asakawa (Cool Springs Press, $24.99)
E-Mail
Print
@Nyx.CommentBody@