The Philadelphia Flower Show is an annual rite of spring for me, even if it comes a few weeks early. It invariably inspires me and gives me hope that I will soon be gardening.

The 2019 show titled “Flower Power” pays homage to the music and culture of the 1960s and the 50^th anniversary of Woodstock. It also explores the pervasive role that flowers play in our lives. The show runs from March 2 through the 10.  

This year a world-renown event, the FTD World Championship, will at the show from March 1-3. The championship will bring together top designers from 23 countries for the three-day competition. Visitors can watch designers compete during the opening days of the show. The competition has not been held in the United States since 1985. Visitors can watch designers compete and their displays will remain on display for the entire show.  

Continue reading Flower Power Comes to Philly →

Once common, the Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly has become a rare sight in Maryland.
Its decline reflects changes in the environment. There has been a loss and degradation of its habitat. Heavy browsing by large deer populations has depleted host and nectar plants on which the butterfly depends. A loss of wetlands has also reduced its habitat.
Butterflies lay their eggs on host plants. The emerging caterpillars eat the host plant’s leaves. Although they may eat many leaves, the plants are built to survive. Most caterpillar species are highly selective about the type(s) of plant they can eat. The monarch caterpillar, for example, will only eat milkweed, Asclepias spp., leaves.
A beautiful, medium-sized butterfly, the Checkerspot has black wings with orange and white markings. Its wings span about 2 1/2 inches.

Continue reading Be a Checkerspot Champion →

The White turtlehead, Chelone glabra, with its regal stems and inch-long, snapdragon like white flowers, should win a ribbon in any flower show. And a spot in most Piedmont gardens.

A great, late-summer bloomer, it flowers from August to October. The blossoms, which may be tinged with pink, combine well with Joe Pye, Eutrochium purpureum; False goat’s beard, Astilbe Biternata; ferns; and other plants

A favorite of butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds, they are a key host plant for the rare Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly, Maryland’s state butterfly. Continue reading White Turtleheads Brighten Late Summer Gardens →