The Gardeners' Apprentice My house was built in 1882. Two years later, in 1884, botanist Luther Burbank (1849-1926) began to build a better daisy. Another seventeen years passed while Burbank crossed various daisy species. Finally, in 1901, he introduced a new ornamental plant named after one of California’s natural wonders. The Shasta daisy, Leucanthemum x superbum, was born, … Read more
There are some plants, like roses and pansies, that I cannot resist. Then there are the plants that I have resisted for years, usually for no good reason. Last week, however, I saw a plant that passed instantly from the “resistible” to the “irresistible” category. The plant was a scabiosa, sometimes known as “pincushion flower,” … Read more
I love a good sale, and right now plants are marked down all over the area. It’s a good time to take a look at the bare spots in your beds and borders, on your porches and patios, as well as in your containers. Making improvements is easy and at the moment relatively cheap. There … Read more
