How many of you think that those showy rhododendrons that bloom so gloriously in spring are just a domestic version of our state flower, the mountain laurel? It is a natural assumption as they appear to be very similar and the impulse to use the names interchangeably is understandable. While they are both members of...

    Monarda punctata L. Spotted bee balm, horsemint or Monarda punctata L. call it what you will but by any name it in an interesting addition to the garden. I picked mine up as a seedling at the Shaver’s Creek native plant sale. I wasn’t really expecting to see it this year as it...

Pruning Clematis We mentioned that sweet autumn clematis blooms on new wood and should be pruned in the spring or late winter to a height of one foot above the ground. There are other rules for different species of clematis.  When they are pruned and how they are pruned frequently depends on the time of...

  Old Man’s Beard Clematis virginiana For those of you who are native plant enthusiasts there is a native version of Clematis terniflora. It is Clematis virginiana or virgin’s bower, also known as old man’s beard. This whimsical common name comes from the fluffy white seed pods that form in in the fall.  This plant...

    Is your garden well weeded, thoroughly mulched and nary a plant that does not have a tag with its proper name inscribed upon it? You don’t know what you are missing!  I looked out the window last week and saw that a 6 foot azalea bush had suddenly sprouted numerous panicles of white...