NAMED - Garden Guide
Aucuba Japonica 'Gold Dust'
All gardens have problem spots - those areas where it seems that nothing will grow. Often, this tends to be in the shade - either under a large tree or the eves of a house. This week we are featuring an evergreen that will...
Backpack Blowers
Backpack blowers are more commonly used by professionals and are mostly powered by 2-stroke gasoline engines. The harness, which has a blower fit into it, is worn on the operator's back. The engine and fan are also placed on...
History of Parsley: Parsley in Greek History
Native to Mediterranean, parsley has been cultivated and used in culinary and medicine for thousands of years. In times of Hippocrates (he was born around the year 460 BC on the Greek island of Kos) parsley has been used in...
Spring Wild Flowers
Wildflowers are flowers that grow in the wild, undisturbed by human intrusion. These flowering plants are commonly annuals or perennials. Many of the spring wildflowers are weeds with attractive flowers. Blooming in a variety...
The Great History of Roses
It was roses, roses all the way.- Robert Browning What's in a name? That which we call a rose; By any other name would smell as sweet. - William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act 2 scene 2
Botanical Prints for Scientific Research and Collecting
Botanical prints have a wonderful dual purpose: they are lovely aesthetic pieces, akin to fine art, but also have the meticulous detail necessary for science.Botanical prints frequently reflect the preoccupations of society...
Patio Umbrella Buying Tips: Fabric Choices
Patio Umbrella Fabric Types: There are many new and exciting fabric options available for Patio Umbrellas on the market today including Plastic, Cotton, Vinyl, Polyester, Olefin and Solution Died Acrylics. The decisio
Types Of Palm Trees
There are more than 2,500 species of palm trees in different parts of the world and most are available in the United States. Some of the most common species found in Florida and California include the Florida Royal Palm,...
Windmill Palm Trees, Tropical Accent Plants, Cold Hardy for Northern United States and Canada
The Cold Hardy Windmill Fan Palm tree originated on the island of Chusan off the east coast of China, and the Windmill palm tree is frequently called the Chinese or Chusan Fan Palm. Robert Fortune smuggled Windmill palm plants...
Modern Hybrid Canna Lily Improvement
Modern canna cultivars (varieties) began appearing 250 years ago with the collection of native wild cannas that are technically referred to by botanists as species. Canna wild species produced large leaves that were fast...
The One Essential Kitchen Herb
Basil, (Ocimum basilicum), has been around for a long time and was originally named by Theophrastus (you know, the guy who co-founded and then replaced Aristotle as head of the Peripatetic school of philosophy back in 323 B.C.)...
Daylilies - The Perfect Perennial
Common Names: Daylily, tawny lily, lemon lily
Botanical Name: Hemerocallis. Family: Liliaceae.The botanical name comes from the Greek hemera (day) and kallos (beauty). Daylilies are so named because each bloom lasts only...
All About Roses
You'd have to have been living in a cave not to have heard of the most popular flowering plant of all time, the rose. Just mentioning the rose plant can spark a quick conversation among even the shyest people. Just about anyone...
Backpack Blowers
Backpack blowers are more commonly used by professionals and are mostly powered by 2-stroke gasoline engines. The harness, which has a blower fit into it, is worn on the operator's back. The engine and fan are also placed on...
The Truth About Hosta Virus X
Hosta Virus X or HVX as it is known by its acronym is a dangerous, contagious virus that is killing hostas in both North America and Europe. It first started showing up in North America about five years ago when mutated looking...
What are the Most Popular Rhododendrons?
The first Rhododendron to be classified and named was Rhododendron hirsutum. It was discovered by the 16th century Flemish botanist, Charles l'Ecluse. When it was introduced to Britain in 1656 from the European Alps,...
What Is The Hosta Finder
The Hosta Finder is a reference for over thousands of cultivars. It supplies hosta prices, size, color, and nurseries that sell a particular hosta. The basic function of the Hosta Finder is two-fold. First it helps you find or...
The Best of the Yellow-Blooming Magnolias
The first magnolia tree was discovered in 1703 and was named for Pierre Magnol, a French botanist. Over the next 250 years dozens of species were discovered and hundreds of hybrids introduced, all with blooms in various shades...
Ancient Fig Trees Through History
The fig tree, Ficus carica, possibly originated in Northern Asia according to archeological fossil records. Spanish missionaries brought it to the United States in 1520. Historical Sumerian tablets record the use and...
The Most Popular Roses
When most think of flowers the image that comes to mind is that of a rose. A rose can be used to express any kind of emotion. It can indicate love or it can denote sadness. It can bring a peace of mind or it can excite the...