Growing

Aralia cordata ‘Sun King’

Some people are suckers for variegated foliage but not me. I can easily pass up a one of a kind variegated pine or magnolia. Show me a chartreuse leaved plant though and you have my attention. My affection for chartreuse first started with Salvia ‘Golden Delicious’ and then ‘Wasabi’ coleus but now I am enamored [...]

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What is Your ‘Little Black Dress’ of the Garden?

I did a little plant shopping yesterday.  I wanted to get my planters looking pretty but this season I wanted it to be as quick and simple as possible because with all my other projects I just don’t feel like I have the time or creative brain-space to dedicate to the task at my normal [...]

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A New Respect For Serviceberry

I am going to start out by admitting that I have never been impressed with serviceberry. The first serviceberry or shadblow (Amelanchier spp.) that I encountered was in Pennsylvania in 1996. I was told that it was an impressive, native tree that was being promoted as a replacement for the over-used Bradford pear. When it flowered, [...]

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Peking Lilac

First of all, last week was pretty awesome. The weather in Maine has been pretty good and then on Wednesday, we had our spring board meeting for CMBG in Chicago. It was in the mid-80′s when we landed in Chicago and tons of people were out running and biking along Lake Shore Drive. On Thursday [...]

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Inspiration: Not Gardens – Knot Garden by PEG

Karen M’Closkey and Keith Vandersys of Peg OLA have been making interesting projects with the use of parametric software and laser cut weed fabric.   Patterns are precut to customized designs which are then laid out on site and seeded.   The inexpensive and relatively easy installation and maintenance are helping them to create interesting landscape features.     I [...]

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Epimedium wushanense

It was around 15 years ago when I first heard about the genus Epimedium. This was while we lived in North Carolina and I worked at Plant Delights Nursery. Here was an evergreen groundcover that flowered, could grow in the shade, and was pretty tough. Since that time, whenever I hear anyone talk about Epimedium [...]

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The Himalayan Blue Poppy

If there is one plant that catches people’s attention, it is the Himalayan blue poppy or Meconopsis. The blue poppy is fascinating because of the big, beautiful, blue flowers that are held above the light green foliage. The 4 petals surround an orb of yellow-tipped stamens which gives it the poppy-like appearance. The allure of [...]

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