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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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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 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 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 Perennial of the Month-Joe Pye Weed
One of the best perennials for structure in the garden is the Joe Pye weed, Eutrochium, previously known as Eupatorium. It’s a perennial that makes a statement, almost shrub-like with its presence. And…
