One of the plants you’ll see almost everywhere this time of year is Christmas/Thanksgiving/Holiday cactus. So here are some interesting facts about these beautiful seasonal bloomers. When they bloom in their native habitat in Brazil, they are beautiful spring bloomers that the locals call “Flor de Maia” or May Flower! Holiday cacti are a small … Read more
Amaryllis just showed up a couple of weeks ago and I’m already getting a lot of questions on how to grow these beautiful giants. The good news is they’re a whole lot easier than you might think. There are just a few things to keep in mind. In every grocery store these days, you can find amaryllis … Read more
Today, October 29th is National Cat Day. National Cat Day was established in 2005 and is sponsored by The Animal Miracle Foundation. I’m someone who is lucky enough to be owned by five cats. I’m also someone who has been owned by many cats since I adopted my first cat when I was 15. I … Read more
Beautiful Flowers with an Amazing History In 1593, a Flemish botanist named Carolus Clusius was sent some tulip bulbs by a friend of his who was the Austrian ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. When Clusius accepted the position of curator at the botanical gardens in Leiden, Holland, he took his bulbs with him. The first … Read more
What do Corn Plants, Dragon Trees, and Lucky Bamboo have in common? They are all members of the Dracaena family. Dracaenas are a family of herbaceous plants that are, believe it or not, related to Asparagus! The name “Dracaena” comes from the Greek word “Drakaina” meaning Female Dragon. Some varieties of dracaena have a reddish … Read more
Ever notice how some of the best things in life coming layers? Lasagna, baklava, even pizza (think of tangy sauce with gooey melted cheese on top)! Well, layering bulbs in your garden is fun, easy, and—delicious—to the eyes, at least. How to Plant You can do this in a container or in the ground. For … Read more
Our locally grown peony roots just came in last week and I’m reminded of how much I love these huge gorgeous easy-care perennials. The first peony I ever got was a division of one my grandmother had—and she said it was a division she’d gotten from her mother. Peonies are one of the longest-lived perennials—living … Read more
This past weekend was the first official day of fall—the Autumnal Equinox. The Autumnal Equinox occurs when the sun is directly in line with the equator. On this day, the day and the night are of equal length. From now until the Winter Solstice on December 21, the hours of the night will be longer … Read more
Surprise Lilies, Magic Lilies, Resurrection Lilies, Naked Ladies, Spider Lilies, Hurricane Lilies—these are all nicknames given to various types of Lycoris. Lycoris are strong perennials that send up lush foliage in the spring, which then dies down, then blooms late summer without foliage—hence the nicknames Surprise Lilies, Magic Lilies or Naked Ladies. Because they bloom … Read more
Ah, another fall and another chance to share my top-ten favorite bulbs. Give me a minute while I think about this past spring’s garden—how it looked, what did especially well, were there any surprises…. Okay, I’ve reminisced and I’m ready. So here they are: #10: Alliums From four foot tall giant alliums with 8 to … Read more
