Frederick Leeth

In his classic book Mormon Country, author Wallace Stegner noted that nineteenth century Mormons planted rows of Lombardy poplar trees wherever they established settlements in the territory that is now Utah. The trees served as windbreaks and boundary markers, but they were also the flags that marked the advance of Mormon civilization in a hostile territory. In my hometown and lots of other towns all over the United States elm trees served a similar function, marking the spread of middle class residential neighborhoods during the end of the nineteenth and the first third of the twentieth centuries. In the 1960’s almost all of those tall elegant trees fell prey to Dutch Elm Disease, making each municipality a little poorer.

Flowering fiesta Bright Color

I think that one of the best things about gardening is that when I am weeding or planting or pruning, I worry a great deal less about losing my mind.  The seeds of insanity, or at least confusion seem to lurk indoors-—in the stuffed-full file drawers, the paper-strewn desk, and the Everest-like laundry pile.  If I do not get out into the garden for at least a few minutes every day, those seeds tend to take root and the green shoots of chaos quickly establish themselves in my mind.

These were certainly known to the Ancient Egyptians and are probably natives of northern and western Asia. They are extremely hardy.

From the Greek helios, the sun, and anthemon. a flower (Cistaceae). Sun Rose. A genus of evergreen and semi-evergreen shrubs, sub-shrubs, perennial plants and annuals, very free flowering. Numerous named varieties and hybrids are grown and four species are native plants.

After Helen of Troy ; according to legend the flowers sprang from her tears (Compositae). Sneezeweed. Hardy herbaceous perennials from North America, good for cutting and popularly grown for their late summer flowers. The disc of the flower head is very prominent, a characteristic of the entire genus.

Many attractive plants are suitable for cultivation in suspended baskets. For this purpose plants of a drooping habit of growth are preferable, as their pendulous stems, falling over the sides of the baskets, display the flowers or foliage to the best advantage. Hanging baskets are made of various materials; those of galvanized wire are the most popular, as they are light and last for many years. Teakwood or cypress wood baskets are used for orchids of drooping growth.

Planting a tree takes a lot of thought. We may have to consider if we want a tree that is:

Commemorating M. Gaillard de Marentonneau, a French patron of botany (Compositae). Blanket flower. A small genus of annuals and perennials, natives of America, with a long flowering period, useful for cut flowers. Somewhat untidy in habit, the long stalks fall about in wind and rain. Gaillardias need some twiggy stakes to help to keep the flowers clean and in full view.

Tender climbing perennial plants which are free flowering and suitable for growing in pots in the greenhouse, or for planting out of doors. They are closely related to the Snapdragon (Antirrhinum), to whose family, Scrophulariaceae, they belong.

We were fortunate to win at Half Moon Bay, California this year. The competition was intense with 80 entries, 10 of which were over 1,000 pounds. The weigh-off is always on Columbus Day. The winner stays until the following weekend to participate in the HMB Pumpkin Festival.

Apply mist only during daylight hours to avoid excessive humidity at night, which encourages disease. Remember, when the greenhouse cools at night, the relative humidity will rise even with the misting system off. Use a 24-hour timer to shut off the misting system 2 hours before sundown.

View all posts

Use a ventilation system to automatically protect your greenhouse plants from withering heat build-up. No need to daily open and close vents, trying to out-guess the weatherman! Let a thermostatically controlled system do all the work. The thermostat turns the system on at the temperature you select. The fan expels hot air and fresh, cool air is drawn in through the shutters. A fan speed control enables you to adjust the amount of airflow to suit the seasons. A motorized shutter is wide open when on and held closed when off. Select one of our ventilation systems or build your own system from components. Caution: A fan system alone cannot completely cool a greenhouse. Shading is also required. Additional cooling is possible with a misting system or evaporativecooler.

My first reaction to compost tea was a fairly common response, “So you just put compost in a bucket then dump it on your plants?”  Little did I realize all the science and work that goes into making high quality compost tea or AACT (Actively Aerated Compost Tea). 

A term which can be used to describe certain plant diseases which reveal themselves as black spots on the leaves. Some are quite startling in the color contrast with the green of the leaf, for example, black or tar spot on sycamore leaves. But the best known of all ornamental plant black spot diseases is that which affects roses, called rose black spot. In this, the spots are usually circular and well-defined but sometimes they are very diffuse and roughly follow the veins in a branched fashion. In the disease of delphiniums called black spot or black blotch, the black spots are of all sizes and very irregular shapes. In black spot disease of elm leaves the spots are shiny, coal black, and slightly raised.

When I moved to my current apartment I had windows along the south wall perfect for a winter garden, but no patio or yard in which to put my compost. The solution? A compost column built from two recycled two-liter plastic bottles, an idea from the University of Wisconsin’s Bottle Biology Resources Network.

Evergreen succulent with a mat-forming growth habit, that bears rosettes of pointed, thick leaves, many times with bristly margins, or covered with a web of white hair. Royanum has yellowish-green, red-tipped leaves. Star-shaped, reddish-purple flowers are held in flat cymes on the terminal ends of hairy, upright stems. The rosettes die after flowering but are replaced by new rosettes on lateral runners. An old-time favorite used in concrete planters on either side of the front entry. Great in window boxes or niches.

Transforming your barren, coastal home landscape into a seaside oasis can be an impossible task to imagine undertaking. The constant challenges of poor, sandy soil, shifting dunes, glaring sun, strong winds, and salt spray could be enough for many to throw in the trowel. Paying attention to the microdimates around your coastal nook can help you to create the perfect Etera Shoreline View garden. The plants in this Etera signature collection are adapted to survive in well-draining, droughty soils, but it is always wise to improve the soil with healthy topsoil and compost, as well as using additional drip irrigation while the plants are getting established. Mulching the garden with compost, seaweed, or other organic material will seal the soil against moisture loss and erosion and continue to improve your garden’s bloom. The Shoreline View collection will especially benefit in a position sheltered from the wind, such as nearby a fence, wall, or hedgerow, or on the leeward side of a sand dune. A combination of smart garden techniques and sturdy Etera Perennials that thrive in tough seaside conditions allows you to garden against all odds in the surf and spray of America’s coastal villages

Regular mowing is essential to the production and maintenance of a good lawn. Unless this is assured, expense, and work on all kinds of recommended treatments are of little value.

Lately, I have noticed that the mail-order garden supply catalogs are full of Asian-themed garden accessories such as pots, traditional bamboo fences, and stone lanterns. This seems to go along with the trend toward Asian-inspired minimalism in home décor. In California and the Pacific Northwest, traditional Asian and Asian-inspired gardens have been popular for years. Can a national vogue for Chinese and Japanese gardens be far behind?

The colors chosen in the planning of a garden are very much a matter of personal taste but there are particularly pleasing combinations.

With increasingly busy lifestyles, even keen gardeners find it hard to devote enough time to their garden. Here we discuss how you can create a low maintenance garden that still looks attractive.

Today I went out my back door and noticed that one of my rosebushes was, unexpectedly, sporting a fresh new flower bud.  It was within a day or so of opening up–small, greenish and obviously defiant of the season.  The bud was an oddity on a rosebush that is itself an oddity.  When I bought the small white-flowered shrub last summer it had one blossom that was half white and half red, and looked as if it had been half-dipped in red paint.  Though my February bud was not a “half and half” flower, I took its appearance as a harbinger of spring, plucked it, and delivered it to a friend who shares my belief in such things.

Garden rutabaga, such as ‘Bronze Top’ and ‘Purple Top Improved’ often replace winter turnips. Rutabaga are hardy, and the large roots may be left in the ground until Christmas at least. You can also lift the roots in October, cut off the foliage and store the swedes indoors in dry sand.

From the Greek echinos, a hedgehog, opsis, like, referring to the spiky appearance of the flower heads which resemble a rolled-up hedgehog (Compositae).

It has been estimated that a 10m (30ft) row of spinach supplies just about the right amount for a family of four during the summer months. But one sowing is not sufficient. Fresh young foliage is demanded and where spinach is much appreciated, successional sowings should be made fortnightly between late March and mid-July. For later autumn supplies and for pickings in the following spring, a sowing should be made in a sheltered position in mid-August.

Japanese Maple seeds have a very hard outer coating as do many ornamental plants. Under natural conditions, the seeds would have to be on the ground for almost two years before they would germinate. All that happens the first winter is the moisture softens the hard outer shell, and the second winter germination begins to take place. For all of this to happen in the proper sequence so the seedlings sprout at a time of the year when freezing temperatures or hot summer sun doesn’t kill them, takes a tremendous amount of luck. You can improve the odds by controlling some of these conditions, and shorten the cycle.

Perhaps the most popular native shrub in the whole encyclopedia is Mountain Laurel. The eastern mountains from New England to Georgia are full of it, but nobody finds it tiresome. Its evergreen foliage is an asset, but what sweeps the public off their feet is the brilliant show of bloom in June. It is altogether irresistible.

Most of us can’t afford ‘grand design’ in our gardens, bringing in professionals for TV-style makeover. But we are always looking for hints, tips and ideas that will give our gardens a distinctive look. It can be as simple as where to place a deckchair or arranging a group plants. Here Ruth Chivers takes a look at what we can learn from the major summer Shows.

Drought-tolerant plants have become increasingly popular as eco-conscious individuals and gardeners seek sustainable landscaping solutions. These resilient plants are designed to thrive in arid conditions, requiring minimal water input while still adding vibrancy and beauty to your garden or landscape. With climate change and water scarcity concerns on the rise, the demand for drought-tolerant options has surged. Incorporating these plants into your outdoor space not only conserves water but also reduces maintenance efforts. From vibrant succulents to hardy native species, our selection of drought-tolerant plants ensures a lush and thriving garden that aligns with environmentally friendly practices. Explore our collection to transform your landscape into a water-efficient, visually stunning haven.

Don’t just chop them up at Halloween, used in soups, pies, and stuffed, pumpkins make a delicious addition to our autumn menus. Fiona Lawrenson spills the beans

A seed is an embryo plant and contains virtually all the materials and energy to start off a new plant. To get the most from one’s seeds it is needful to understand a little about their needs so that just the right conditions can be given for successful growth.

Valentine’s Day has just passed, and if you were lucky, someone you love gave you roses to celebrate the occasion. All the romance and fragrance in the air bring to mind one of history’s great love stories-that of Napoleon and Josephine. Naturally the whole tale is full of roses.

There are dwarf and taller pea varieties. Although plants of the short, dwarf varieties may be grown without supports it is the custom to provide all garden peas with supports of some sort. Twiggy brushwood of the height the plants will attain is much liked by gardeners.

From the Greek erodios, a heron; the style and ovaries resemble the head and beak of a heron (Geraniaceae). Heron’s bill. Hardy perennials, closely related to the hardy geraniums, or crane’s bills. There are dwarf species suitable for the rock garden and taller border plants.