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December Vine of the Month-American Bittersweet
For floral designers searching for natural materials to make wreaths, bittersweet is a great find. The cheery red berries look great in both fall and winter holiday décor, and the vines can be…
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December Perennial of the Month-Texas Sedge
We keep hearing about new lawn alternatives that require less maintenance and are better for the environment. Most native alternatives for the St. Louis area seem to belong to the Cyperaceae family, also…
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A Christmas Visit with Dave Zettler!
It’s just not Christmas at Garden-Lou without Dave Zettler and his Christmas Cottage! In the front yard, Santa, all nine reindeer, and a band of Victorian musicians greet visitors, but inside, the cheery…
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A Holiday Journey to Cheekwood Estate
Nashville, TN In 1932, the Cheek family moved into their recently constructed estate just in time for the holidays. Now, the estate and gardens are a year-round destination, but even more so during…
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November Tree of the Month-Sweetgum
Those of us who are graced with the ownership of a mature sweetgum tree (Liquidambar styraciflua) know that it is a tree for all seasons…for it is ALWAYS gumball season. Most people are…
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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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A Garden-Lou Visit with Jim Haegele
Jim Haegele’s favorite time in his garden is the evening, when the lights start to come on and the garden transforms. “Everything looks its best,” says Jim. But the transformation from day to…
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A Garden-Lou Visit with Frank and Jane Myers
A quick overall glance of Frank and Jane Myers’ backyard garden reveals beauty, color, and a designer’s eye, but only the most curious visitor will spot the bashful cherub under the asters, the…
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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…
