Category: In the Garden

Goodbye Moles & Voles!

May 23, 2019 | In the Garden

What can we do about moles and voles in the home lawn and landscape? First, we need to know how to tell the difference between the two, in other words “know thy enemy!” For more information on how...

Byzantine Gladiolus-A Treasured Heirloom Bulb

May 20, 2019 | In the Garden

Byzantine gladiolus or sword liliy (Gladiolus communis subspecies byzantinus) is an old fashioned favorite that has been growing in Southern gardens for hundreds of years. A true perennial, this...

Weed of the Month – Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus)

May 16, 2019 | In the Garden

The bright green leaves of yellow nutsedge have started to actively grow in landscapes this month. Sedges are classified separately from broadleaf and grassy weeds. Sedges have triangular shaped...

Praying Mantids

May 8, 2019 | In the Garden

Do you have a favorite insect? One of mine is a praying mantid. All mantids are excellent hunters and get their name from their prayer-like hunting pose. They sit and wait for their meal to get...

Deutzia

May 6, 2019 | In the Garden

Slender deutzia (Deuzia gracilis) is a fantastic, but underused deciduous shrub for the sunny to partly sunny landscape. There are several cultivars of Deutzia available, and most produce a...

Interesting Summer Annuals

Apr 29, 2019 | In the Garden

Tired of planting the same old marigolds, petunias, and begonias? Try some different annuals in your garden this year. Many provide pollen and nectar for pollinating insects and attract...

Banana Shrub

Apr 25, 2019 | In the Garden

Banana shrubs (Magnolia figo; formerly Michelia figo) are drought tolerant, evergreen shrubs with beautiful, creamy yellow flowers, which are edged in purple and look like miniature Southern...

Weed of the Month – Red Sorrel

Apr 18, 2019 | In the Garden

Red sorrel (Rumex acetosella) is a perennial weed that is easily identified by its red flowers and spade-shaped leaves. It is a member of the buckwheat family and native to Europe. The plant...

Earth Stars

Apr 15, 2019 | In the Garden

Earth stars (Cryptanthus species) are different from most bromeliads. They are terrestrial which means they are grown in rich, organic soil. Cryptanthus means “hidden flower” in Greek because the...

Forget-Me-Nots

Apr 11, 2019 | In the Garden

A few years ago a friend, who was a native Alaskan, gave us a seed packet of alpine forget-me-nots (Myosotis alpestris) that she purchased on a visit back to her home state. We really didn’t think...

Plantings for Pond Shorelines

Apr 8, 2019 | In the Garden

Are eroding shorelines interrupting your picturesque pond view? Shoreline erosion can be a significant pond maintenance issue because it contributes to infill of ponds, water quality issues, and can...

Bulbs in the Landscape

Apr 4, 2019 | In the Garden

Spring bulbs will soon fade, and the foliage of hardy summer bulbs will start to emerge. Even though it may be tempting, do not remove foliage from the faded spring bulbs that have past their prime....