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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…
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Highlights From the Elsah, Illinois Holiday Tour 2023
If you’re searching for a quaint Christmas, follow the Great River Road to Elsah, Illinois. The entire village is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This year’s Holiday Tour was a…
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Spotlight on Dave Zettler and his Christmas Cottage
Dave Zettler has been in the floral industry for almost 30 years, most recently as a former business partner of Flowers to the People in South St. Louis. He continues helping his clients…
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December Perennial of the Month-Blue grama grass
It’s the time of year when we talk about ‘winter interest’ again. Gardens with primarily perennial plantings can look fantastic from spring through fall. But once the freezes set in and most perennials…
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December Shrub of the Month-Red twig dogwood
The muted colors of the winter garden palette have some showy stand-outs, and one is the red-twig dogwood Cornus sericea. (Formerly known as Cornus stolonifera.)Red twig dogwood grows typically 6-9′ high and wide.…
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December Tree of the Month-Eastern white pine
The noble white pine (Pinus strobus) has a long, rich history in the U.S. David Culross Peattie (A Natural History of Trees) goes as far as to say, “In the three hundred years…
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November Tree of the Month-Bald cypress
Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) can be described as the evergreen that really isn’t. In summer, the needles look like other evergreen conifers such as yew or spruce, but come fall, they turn a…
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November Shrub of the Month-Oakleaf hydrangea
Hydrangeas are some of the most versatile shrubs for St. Louis. There is a hydrangea for just about every garden location. Wet and shady, full sun and dry, Dry shade! Tight spots and…
