Surfacing at the end of winter like a horticultural life raft, the week-long Philadelphia Flower Show is salvation for gardeners grown weary of cold weather. The Philadelphia Convention Center, a cavernous place, is filled with flowers and plants, from tulips to exotic orchids to beautifully grown succulents. Flowers strut their stuff in display gardens and … Read more
Plant taxonomists are the scientists who make it their business to classify the world’s flora according to common characteristics. In the last thirty years or so, DNA has become a major player in this effort. Now plants that dirt gardeners, horticulturists and plant scientists only suspected of family relationships have been grouped or regrouped based … Read more
On the garden magic scale, butterflies rank pretty high, but I think hummingbirds stand even higher. On a normal spring or summer day—provided that your chosen habitat is not a glass office tower—you will probably catch a glimpse of a butterfly, even if it is only a common cabbage white. The arrival of a hummingbird, … Read more
Lewisias are beautiful plants that I include, along with ornamental sweet peas, in my litany of horticultural failure. A few years ago, I was smitten by a lovely little pink-flowered lewisia that I saw at a plant sale. I thought I understood its needs, so I brought it home and planted it in a reasonably … Read more
Life is full of dichotomies. I freely admit to falling madly in love with a different plant every few weeks during the growing season, but I am also remarkably faithful to plants that have served me well over many years. Hardy geraniums fall into that latter category. Hardy geraniums, also known as cranesbills, are Geraniaceae … Read more
