Articles Index
Moonbeam Coreopsis Plants
Moonbeam coreopsis plants (tickseed) are one of the threadleaf flower varieties. Reaching 2x2 feet they bear clusters of light yellow, daisy-like flowers.
Patriot Hosta
Patriot hosta is a green and white variegated type and a sport of the Francee. Learn how to grow this plant here, including its sunlight or shade requirements.
Chinese Juniper Shrubs – Blue Pfitzer, the Pom-Pom Bush
Blue Pfitzer Chinese juniper shrubs are known for their jaunty pom poms. The bushes usually come with this poodling, and you just prune to maintain it.
Pruning Shrubs
Familiarize yourself with the basics of pruning shrubs in this introduction, including the proper cutting angle to use when cutting. It's easy once you learn how.
Golden Shadows Pagoda Dogwood
Pagoda dogwood is an understory tree in the wild. Grow its child, Golden Shadows in your shade garden and marvel at its strikingly variegated leaves.
Japanese Umbrella Pine Trees
Japanese umbrella pine trees are not easy to grow. I give you growing tips here in case you still wish to try, while describing their worthy features.
Hosta Halcyon: Blue Hosta With Textured Leaves
Halcyon hosta is a ground cover or edging plant for shade. Among the best of the blue hostas, it holds its color well and has moderately-textured leaves.
Heather Plants
Winter heaths and heather are primarily sub-shrubs (Calluna and Erica). Learn how to grow them and which one is the Real McCoy (Scottish).
The German Iris, Batik: Flowers That Are Works of Art
German iris comes in many cultivars. Learn here how to grow Batik (from placement and planting to fertilizing and division), a gorgeous bicolored hybrid.
Jane Magnolia: Tree or Shrub to Brighten the Spring Yard
Jane magnolia tree is just as often classified as a shrub. Want to learn more? Need help planting one? Know how to care for it? I supply information here.
Little Titch Catmint (Nepeta Racemosa or Mussinii)
'Little Titch' catmint (Nepeta mussinii or Nepeta racemosa) stays short and is, in fact, considered a dwarf. This makes it more suitable for tight spots than '6 Hills Giant' catmint, for example.
Allium Schubertii: Ornamental Onion That Looks Like Fireworks
Allium schubertii is that ornamental onion that looks like fireworks exploding. I describe these bulb plants and tell you how to grow them in this introduction.
Lamium Galeobdolon
Yellow archangel plants (Lamium galeobdolon) are shade ground covers similar to L. maculatum. To distinguish this yellow-flowering plant from the latter, some use the botanical name Lamiastrum (false deadnettle).
Blue Chiffon Rose of Sharon
Blue Chiffon rose of sharon has violet-blue hibiscus flowers. The blooms have exquisite burgundy markings on their lacy centers like other Hibiscus syriacus shrubs.
Double Rose of Sharon: "Sugar Tip"
One double rose of sharon is Hibiscus syriacus "Sugar Tip." This double rose of sharon (shrub althea) has pink flowers and leaves with creamy white edges.
Blue Hill Salvia
Blue Hill salvia plants are perennials in zones 4-8. Learn how to grow them and care for them so as to enjoy their flowers throughout the summer.
Miss Ruby Butterfly Bush
Miss Ruby butterfly bushes bear pink flowers from early summer to well into fall. Care for this shrub is easy, since even pruning is optional.
Flowering Quince Shrubs
Should you grow flowering quince shrubs? These spring-blooming bushes have their good and bad points, which I relate while telling you how to grow them.
Victoria Blue Salvia
Victoria Blue salvia plants are treated as annuals north of planting zone 7. The true-blue flowers bloom throughout the summer.
Montauk Daisies
Montauk daisies are late-bloomers (offering fall flowers) with shiny foliage. They tolerate deer, drought and salt. Learn how to grow this exceptional plant.
Fringed Bleeding Heart Plants
Fringed bleeding hearts bear leaves that are fern-like in appearance. In fact, their foliage is the reason some prefer them to the showier Dicentra spectabilis.
Virginia Sweetspire
Virginia sweetspire shrubs are flowering bushes. But these shrubs are most valuable for their red fall foliage, as the cultivar name 'Merlot' suggests.
Six Hills Giant Catmint
6 Hills Giant catmint is a good Nepeta to grow if you have space. A large, showy groundcover, this plant will rebloom with a bit of care.
May Night Salvia
May Night salvia plants are perennials in zones 3-9. The flowers, which bloom throughout the summer with deadheading, are darkly colored.
Rock Cotoneaster Plants
Rock cotoneaster plants are popular in rockeries. A low-growing shrub, rockspray can function as a ground cover when you need a bit more height than usual.