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February Shrub of the Month-Cornelian cherry
Branches that can be brought indoors and forced to bloom are welcome when spring is taking too long to arrive. One uncommon shrub that is easy to force indoors for long-lasting blooms is…
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February Perennial of the Month-Northern sea oats
The seed heads of Northern sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) seem to whisper in the fall and winter on the slightest breeze. The attractive seed heads are uniquely flat, unlike their fellow fuzzy-headed cousins in…
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February Tree of the Month-Sycamore
The brilliant contrast of crisp white branches against a deep, true-blue sky is one thing that endears the sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) to many. Sycamores can grow to be giants among their neighboring trees…
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A Winter Visit to the Garden of Martha LaFata
Martha LaFata’s one-acre garden becomes an enchanting wonderland after snow. This is why when Mother Nature finally delivered our first real snow for the season on February 16th, I rushed over to Martha’s…
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Missouri Botanical Garden 2024 Orchid Show
It’s February. It’s cold and dreary, and you crave color, flowers, and foliage. You wonder if spring will ever truly arrive or if you’ll EVER see anything lush and lovely again…Enter Missouri Botanical…
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Road Trip Garden-Butchart Gardens
Brentwood Bay, BC, Canada Jennie Butchart had a problem. The old spent limestone quarry that supplied her husband’s cement plant was an eyesore. So, Jennie got the crazy idea of turning it into…
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Road Trip Garden-Portland Japanese Garden
Portland, Oregon The outstanding Japanese Garden at Missouri Botanical Garden has spoiled many St. Louisans, myself included. In all my wanderings, it remained THE top Japanese Garden I’ve ever had the pleasure of…
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January Tree of the Month-Southern magnolia
When it’s below zero, snowing, sleeting, and just plain miserable outdoors, it might help to conjure visions of the deep South. Warm temps and even warmer Southern Charm are one thing the southern…
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January Shrub of the Month-Yew
When I purchased my current home in 1995, the front yard was a poster child of typical mid-century foundation plantings with a square-shaped yew (Taxus spp.) hedge in the standard position under the front…
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January Perennial of the Month-Sweet flag
The typical perennial shade garden usually includes plenty of hostas, ferns, and heucheras. The typical perennial shade garden also looks pretty darn bland over the winter months…in fact, some look completely barren. Winter…
