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This year the All-America Selections (AAS) celebrates 88 years of testing and introducing improved flowers and vegetables. AAS was founded in 1932 to foster the development, production and distribution of new and improved horticultural and agricultural varieties of flowers, bedding plants and vegetables in North America. Plants are evaluated at a network of over 50 trial gardens... Continue Reading →
Early in the spring, we often get anxious for better weather and more time outdoors. One of the things that can help us with that is to plant spring blooming bulbs in our landscapes and gardens. The time for planting spring blooming bulbs is in the fall, but this might help you plan your garden... Continue Reading →
Your yoga classes, meetings, and concerts are canceled. Theaters are closed. The kids are out of school and you’re being encouraged to stay home. In this time of Covid-19, here are a few suggestions to cultivate something good from the National Garden Bureau. Written by C.L. Fornari, GardenComm member. Start some seeds. Nothing is more life-affirming than checking each morning to see... Continue Reading →
For their shrub of the year, the National Garden Bureau has chosen hydrangea, a very popular and much sought-after shrub. Known for their nostalgia as well as their modern design appeal, hydrangeas are beautiful in the landscape, a container garden or used as cut flowers. The word origin of hydrangea comes from the Greek words for... Continue Reading →
2020- The Year of Lavender This year the National Garden Bureau has chosen lavender as their perennial of the year. The “Lavender Lifestyle” is real! Everywhere you look, people are incorporating this multifaceted plant into their daily lives. It’s seen in gardens, as well as in kitchens and décor. It’s even a special part of health... Continue Reading →
This year the National Garden Bureau is promoting iris as their bulb of the year. Irises are among the easiest of perennials to grow from bulbs, roots or rhizomes. The genus includes some 250-300 species featuring showy flowers. In fact, the iris takes its name from the Greek word for a rainbow, which is also the name for... Continue Reading →
This year the National Garden Bureau features Lantana as its annual flower of the year. In the 18th century, lantana was a popular greenhouse plant in Europe and breeding efforts were extensive, resulting in hundreds of available selections. The most commonly available species, Lantana camara, is a tender plant winter hardy to zone 8. Although lantana is not... Continue Reading →
One of the most enjoyable ways for gardeners to get through the dark, cold days of winter is to begin planning next summer’s gardens. Over the next few weeks, we’ll look at plants - annuals, perennials, edibles, trees and shrubs – to consider for addition to your gardens this summer. First, we’ll take a look... Continue Reading →
“Recipes, instruction manuals, last testaments: by making seeds the plant condenses itself, or at least everything it knows, into a form compact and durable enough to survive winter, a tightly sealed bottle of genetic memory dropped onto the ocean of the future.” Michael Pollan For gardeners who grow their plants from seed, seeds are... Continue Reading →
Many people enjoy growing houseplants, watching them grow or bloom. According to WebMD, the following benefits are a few of those provided by houseplants. Add moisture to the air. Low indoor humidity increases your chances of catching a cold or flu, or having dry itchy skin. Purify the air by removing volatile organic compounds. Good... Continue Reading →
Pantone, a company with world-renowned authority on color, each year selects a Color of the Year. Living Coral, a vibrant warm coral hue with a golden undertone was the featured color for 2019, but for 2020 they have selected Classic Blue, a calming deep blue. Pantone forecasts global color trends and their Color of the... Continue Reading →
Christmas cactus, amaryllis and poinsettias are popular gift plants during the holidays. They are beautiful, and fortunately, are not difficult to grow. Here are a few tips for each, to keep plants healthy until next Christmas, if you gave or received one this year. Poinsettias Many poinsettias hold their leaves and remain attractive after the... Continue Reading →
