Tropical Hibiscus

When the growing season begins, gardeners eagerly fill garden borders, pathways and containers with colorful annuals. This is, of course, our way to kick-start what will soon be the bonanza of blooms. As spring-blooming trees, shrubs and perennials prepare to present a festival of colors, annuals lead the way. Gardeners put forth the same effort with outdoor gathering places, like

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Summertime Green

Summertime Green We gardeners can get carried away with always focusing on colorful flowers and foliage. Yes, such is important to a beautiful garden and landscape but don’t forget the GREEN! I find myself enamored with summertime’s green leaves, the sizes and shapes of leaves, and level of translucency in the leaves. Our intense summer sunshine (we’re at the latitude

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Plant Garden Scents

Close your eyes and follow your nose around the garden. Here are some fragrant-blooming shrubs that local gardening gurus plant to stimulate their sense of smell. Korean Spice Viburnum Susan Mertz of Loma Vista Nursery really likes Korean Spice Viburnum (Viburnum carlesii) for its early blooms and easy care. She says, “They are such a useful plant in the landscape

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Ninebark

Ninebark? Why not ten or eight bark my husband inquired. These are the type of questions I get when walking through a garden and trying to talk about plants with him. Gladly, this is my chance to wax poetic about plants. Here begins my enthusiasm about Ninebark. Physocarpus opulifolius, commonly called ninebark, is an upright, spreading, somewhat coarse, deciduous shrub.

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Hydrangea for Every Garden

Not far from several bars at Westport in Kansas City is an oakleaf hydrangea that I have admired for many years. No doubt, it has received substantial abuse from late night revelers wandering back to their cars after hours of fun. Yet, this plant is always beautiful with huge flowers in the summer, gorgeous fall foliage and attractive bark in

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Tall Bearded Iris

Growing Tall Bearded Iris and Memories in Kansas City If you are reading this magazine, then you probably already have much experience with Tall Bearded iris. Maybe like me, a friend gave you a fan of leaves with a small bulb on the bottom and said, “plant this, it’s purple.” Hopefully, you took their advice and discovered just how rewarding growing

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