Featured plants in the Lou!
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November Shrub of the Month-Virginia Sweetspire
What if you could find a shrub with fragrant spring flowers that attract pollinators, was also super low maintenance, didn’t get over five feet tall or wide, takes sun or part shade, had…
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November Perennial of the Month-Variegated Solomon’s Seal
It’s not often that I rave about a perennial. But when a perennial performs well in dry shade, has adorable, fragrant flowers, beautiful foliage, AND amazing fall color, I can’t help but spread…
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October Tree of the Month-Full Moon Maple
If the king of trees is the mighty oak, and the magnolia is queen, surely the Japanese maples are the princes in this royal family. Among the thousands of cultivars between Acer japonica…
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October Anti-Plant of the Month-Kudzu
You might have heard “The vine that ate the South” when it comes to the highly invasive vine, kudzu (Pueraria montana ) which has plagued the southeastern region of the US. Native to…
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October Perennial of the Month-Toad Lily
If you think the most exotic perennial you can grow in the shade is a hosta, meet the toad lily, Tricyrtis formosana. Toad lilies resemble tropical orchids with their six tepals (When sepals…
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September Tree of the Month-Aspen
Anyone experiencing peak Aspen glow in the Rocky Mountains has thought about growing aspens once they get back home. Unfortunately, if “home” happens to be St. Louis, you are most likely going to…
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September Shrub of the Month-Diervilla
There’s a new kid in town that could beat out burning bush (October ANTI-Shrub of the Month-Burning bush) for spectacular fall color. This kid comes in a compact size and is as low-maintenance…
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September Anti-Perennial of the Month-Sweet Autumn Clematis
My heart skipped a beat the first time I saw sweet autumn clematis, Clematis terniflora, scrambling up a trellis in full bloom. I promptly purchased the vine and planted it on my gate…
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August Tree of the Month-Paperbark Maple
A favorite among tree-geeks is the paperbark maple, Acer griseum. It’s love at first sight with its diminutive stature and irresistible cinnamon colored exfoliating bark. Even the samara seeds are adorable. The unique…
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August Shrub of the Month-Variegated Hydrangea
We continue with our Year of the Hydrangea, featuring one of the most frequently asked about plants in my garden: the variegated hydrangea Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Mariesii’. I use these prolifically in my shady…
