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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…
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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…
