Another Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day – the 15th of each month, when garden bloggers blog about what’s blooming. We had a fairly “blooming” Valentine’s Day yesterday. This little display in my living room features the Peace Lily or Spathe Plant, Spathiphyllum floribundum. My husband helped support the cut flower industry by giving all three of [...]
Valentine’s Day is only a few days away, and you might be pondering on what to give your sweetheart as a token of your affection. Last year I wrote about Plants that Say “I love you . . . “. This year, I’ll talk about a few of my favorite Valentine’s plants in more detail. Consider [...]
Kissing under a mistletoe sprig or kissing ball is a festive and romantic Christmas tradition – but this plant has a side that is less savory. . . A parasitic plant, mistletoe grows on the branches or trunk of a hardwood tree and sends out roots that penetrate into the tree and take up nutrients. [...]
Paperwhite narcissus bulbs are fabulous to force for holiday bloom. “Forcing” is when you get things to bloom outside of their usual season. Paperwhites (Narcissus papyraceus, from the Tazetta group of daffodils) are great for forcing because unlike most other daffodils, they do not require a cold period. Their fragrance is wonderful. And they usually bloom [...]
After a cold and breezy Saturday, the wind calmed down a bit on Sunday, Mother’s Day, and there was some sunshine off and on. This allowed us to have fun in the garden! Last year my daughter agreed to sell her old, seldom-used swing set that had been taking up potential gardening space in the [...]
Many of us celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by wearing green or drinking green beer. Being half Irish on both sides of the family, I also celebrate by cooking corned beef and cabbage, with Irish soda bread on the side. And I typically buy a Shamrock Plant: Oxalis regnellii. Shamrock is a tender pot-plant that grows from [...]
In honor of President’s Day, I would like to present some plant names that pay tribute to our past presidents. It’s not uncommon for scientists to name plants or other organisms after people, as you can see here. For the benefit of my horticulture students, I’m including some plant family information, too. Washingtonia is a [...]
Anthurium, with it’s bright red, long-lasting, heart-shaped bract, says “I love you!” Valentine’s Day is a time when we express our affection in words and actions, and often through flowers. At the end of a long dark winter, the gift of fresh blossoms is most cherished. A dozen roses is the traditional symbolic romantic offering. [...]