Category: Magazine Article Archives

Kentucky Wisteria merits space in midwest gardens Wisteria is a genus that can be divisive in the plant world. Their unmistakable blooms can transport you to another land, filled with afternoon tea and romantic whimsy. In the wrong location, wisteria’s long, rambling vines will transport you to the Little Shop of Horrors. Wisteria is a member of the pea family (Fabaceae).

Annuals to covet and grow Impatiens ‘SunPatiens Compact Tropical Rose’ Can you believe ‘SunPatiens’ are celebrating their 10 year anniversary? Ten years of rollicking good fun, phenomenal new introductions, and, in effect, turning the impatiens world on its ear from Day 1. New for 2017 is ‘SunPatiens Compact Tropical Rose’, the first of the compact ‘SunPatiens’ to offer variegated yellow/green

Pansies are such a friendly-faced flower! But until the 19th century most people considered them a weed. Today, pansies are a hybrid plant cultivated from those wildflowers in Europe and western Asia. Much of the collection and cultivation of pansies can be attributed to plantsmen and women in the UK and Europe more than 200 years ago. For example, Lady

All-America Selections, the only non-profit trialing organization for plants that demonstrate great garden performance throughout North America, presents 11 exciting new AAS Winners for the 2017 garden season. We’re featuring the flowers this month, the vegetables in the March issue. Each of the following varieties was trialed in North America by professional, independent, volunteer judges during one growing season. Each

These days it seems that our living spaces are getting smaller whether by desire or necessity. Yet we still want to add green life into our homes. It’s a good thing then there are small plants that can fill any small spot in your home. With a little digging you can find a world of small plants from a micro

Favorite Festive Flower When our children were young, we established a family tradition of shopping for a live Christmas tree. Also on the list of holiday décor was a wreath for the door, garland for the fireplace mantle, and an amaryllis or two for seasonal indoor color. Naturally, any excursion that concluded with hot chocolate was enough motivation for kids.

Looking for a stunning shrub to be a highlight in the winter landscape? Winterberry is a solid contender. Ilex verticillata, commonly called winterberry, is a deciduous holly that is native to North America where it typically occurs in swamps, damp thickets, low woods and along ponds and streams. So she’s a natural for saturated areas in the Midwest like rain

Meet dwarf Fothergilla, Fothergilla gardenii, an attractive three-season deciduous shrub that has been a stalwart performer in my garden for years. From the onset of spring through the conclusion of fall, she never disappoints. In early April the white, bottle-brush blooms appear with honey-like fragrance, and typically last for a couple of weeks. Then are replaced by beautifully textured green

Jewel of the summer garden It seems as though the hot days of summer are behind us, and did you notice the heat-loving crape myrtles shine? Long a beloved staple in southern gardens as large bushes or small trees, crape myrtle has become more popular with zone 6 Midwestern gardeners, and for good reason as this fast growing plant has