Gardens are like kaleidoscopes changing colors and patterns from season to season and year to year.
It can be difficult to recall a garden’s design from one month to the next, much less the previous year. Which native plant will appear first, which will be the last to bloom? Where should more flowers or a touch of color be added?
What is a gardener to do? Take photos.
In Full Bloom
Th PHS Philadelphia Flower Show will be “In Full Bloom” June 11 to 19. It will be held outdoors in FDR Park for the second year in a row.
This year’s theme, “In Full Bloom,” was chosen to suggest good health, well-being and a passion for life. The result? A gorgeous and colorful show.
2022 Exhibitors
The show includes numerous events and garden displays. One major element of the show are the large, intricate displays by the world’s premier floral and landscape designers. Another not-to-be-missed facet every year: the entries of horticultural specimens by individuals and clubs. The competitions are highly prestigious and competitive. There are separate divisions for amateurs and professionals.
Continue reading Get Ready to See PhiladelphiaEarly Spring: Golden Alexanders, Zizia aurea
Need a spot of sunshine in your garden? Golden Alexanders, Zizia aurea, cheery golden flowers bloom from as early as April continuing through early June.
A native of Maryland, its natural range includes Eastern Canada and the United States from the Atlantic Coast to the eastern Great Plains. They grow in zones 4 to 9.
It attracts butterflies and other insects but it is deer resistant.
This carefree, very low maintenance little plant grows 1 to 2 feet high and wide. In the proper setting, it will quickly colonize and your garden, meadow or meadow/forest border should be filled with them. Within three years, one plant has become over three dozen in my garden. They transplant easily so you can fill in bare spots, give them to friends or pot them for plant sales. This highly underappreciated garden gem would be a great addition to any garden or meadow in Maryland.
Continue reading Natives for Every Season