Plant Talk

My appreciation for shade trees has certainly changed over the years. Like many gardeners, it was a group of plants I valued yet rarely used in designs or planted! Of course, perspectives change and I am now a huge proponent of planting shade trees. I have grown especially fond of trees that can tolerate the abuses associated with tough sites and are beneficial to wildlife. Hackberry or Celtis occidentalis was a shade tree I initially learned in school, although I recall

During my drive to work, I pass a number of homes whose landscapes mostly consist of a tidy row of shrubs paired with a neatly trimmed lawn. The spring may offer some floral enhancement, but by-and-large, the landscapes remain a steadfast green. Few homeowners consider replacing some of those shrubs and the lawn with a stylized meadow featuring sweeps of various flowering perennials and grasses. This style of design provides color, texture and a much-needed habitat for our

In this age of readily disseminated literature and specialty nurseries delivering novel and little-known plants to your doorstep, logic would have it that all the intriguing and easily grown plants would be well-known and readily available for purchase. Should a gardener needed to evaluate a plant further, they would need only visit their local public garden where they could see these unique gems firsthand. However, some very good plants have managed to sidestep public gard

I am not certain if it is forgetfulness or simply a lack of patience, but I am always astonished at the number of times I have grown a plant unsuccessfully and opted not to try it again until many years later. A case in point is Bowman’s Root, botanically known as Gillenia trifoliata (as seen below in late May with a backdrop of Physocarpus Coppertina®). I remember exactly where I planted it in 1987 at a garden in Hawthorne, NJ and I did not give the plant much consideratio

By and large, spring ephemerals require a bit of trial and error before a gardener can understand how best to use them in the spring garden. By definition, this group of plants emerge in early spring, flower, set seed and enter dormancy all before or around the start of summer. Their strategy is to complete their annual reproductive cycle before the tree canopy is fully leafed-out and competition for sunlight and water becomes more intense. For the gardener, the challenge

There is an old saying that “good things come in threes.” Supposedly, it stems from an ancient belief that three of something is complete and ideal. Hence, “third time is the charm” and, should you have the good fortune of finding a Genie, you might be the beneficiary of three wishes! Even in the world of gardening, arranging plants in groups of three makes them look more natural. One plant that certainly embodies the beauty of three is the genus of Trillium, as displayed

Snowflakes are magical! Even after this past winter, I suspect most people will still admit snowflakes have a certain enchanting quality. However, for some gardeners, snowflakes do not come from the air but from the ground! Leucojum vernum or Spring Snowflake is among the first of the bulbs to come into bloom, often beginning in February while the ground is still covered beneath an icy blanket (as pictured below in mid-February at Willowwood Arboretum). Like a good snowfa

It’s February! Although the garden is still emersed in winters grasp, February brings growing signs that spring is not far away. Evergreens are certainly one stalwart sign of life, yet there are a number of plants with colorful stems or unfurling flower buds that show the garden is still very much alive despite the temperatures. One plant whose buds are showing signs of life is the Willow, botanically known as Salix . Often overlooked for reasons unknown, there are severa

January is a tough month for gardeners. The days are short, unpleasantly cold and occasionally fraught with ice and snow. The garden is quiet and relies mostly on evergreens for consistent color throughout the month. Admittedly, finding good evergreen ground covers and perennials is more of a challenge, especially if a color other than green is desired! Fortunately, there are several great selections from which to choose, including Euphorbia myrsinites or Donkey Tail Spurge.