Category: Plant Profile
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Did I Lift My Dahlia Tubers too Early?
It’s midnight and I just got an email from Firefox with the subject “Keep that Weird Thing You Searched for Private.” Their bots must have detected my “weird” searches for “Did I lift my dahlia tubers too early,” “How do I find the eyes on my dahlia tubers,” “I think…
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Plant Profile: White Snakeroot
In mid-to-late October, you might see some ubiquitous tiny, white pompom flowers in a lot of part-shade woodland spots. It has probably popped up in your own garden. This is white snakeroot (Ageratina altissima) in the aster family. It was previously classified in the genus Eupatorium rugosum because of its…
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Plant Profile: Bronze Fennel
I have always been confused about fennel. I had it growing in a border years ago and watched it grow all summer to 6′ tall. I searched the base for the edible bulb, but it didn’t look at all as substantial as the fennel at the farmer’s market. I then…
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Echinacea, a Solid Performer
First of all, the name Echinacea comes from the Greek “echinos,” for hedgehog. That alone is reason enough to want a whole prairie full of these plants. Surely, they are named for the spiky, hedgehoggy-looking cones in their center. Eastern purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is native to all but nine…
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My Top Three Part Sun Perennials
Candytuft Candytuft loves full or part sun. It’s really hardy, low maintenance, and spreads nicely while respecting other plants. It’s white pincushion blooms are striking at their peak in mid-Spring, and the greens stick around well into Fall. It also attracts beneficials and butterflies. A very happy fairytale perennial. Euphorbia…
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The Difference Between German, Roman and English Chamomile
It’s the European Union of HERBS! So English and Roman are the same thing. Let’s just get that out of the way. But German is a whole nuther Genera. So here are the basics: GERMAN CHAMOMILE My German chamomile is beautiful in the Spring, but gets out of control by…
Heart of the Garden 