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February Tree of the Month-Lacebark Pine
There is a moment in every plant-geek’s life when they fall, perhaps plumet is a more accurate term, into deep, eternity-length, floral love. It might be that one yellow orchid among all others…
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February Shrub of the Month-Mugo Pine
Native to the mountains of Central and Southern Europe, the mugo pine (Pinus mugo) has been confusing (and frustrating) homeowners and newbie gardeners for years. In the wild, the mugo pine can grow…
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February Perennial of the Month-Crinkled Hair Grass
How many Missouri native plants can also be found on four other continents? Crinkled hair grass, Deschampsia flexuosa, can brag about calling Europe, Asia, Africa, and North & South America home. So, what…
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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…
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A Garden-Lou Visit with Larry and Marian McCord
There are no words that can bring comfort during a parent’s worst nightmare-a child’s suicide. No words can describe the pain. No answers to the thousands of questions that arise after such a…
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April Tree of the Month-Crabapple
If one could bottle up the scents of childhood, for me, it would be the lingering smell of melting tinsel against C7 Christmas tree bulbs, The sharp scent of Bactine on scraped knees,…
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April Shrub of the Month-Burkwood Viburnum
Burkwood Viburnum, Viburnum x burkwoodii is what we call a “hybrid” in the plant world. If you aren’t a botanist or horticulturalist, that little “x” in the botanical name is the clue that…
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A Visit to the Shoenberg Arid House
It might have been a cool, wet spring so far, but things are hot and dry down at Missouri Botanical Garden. Hot as in “arid,” unlike the typical St. Louis Summer known for…
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Garden-Lou Spotlight on Lynette Dowell
When you work with microorganisms in a clinical laboratory all your life, you need to find balance from such a sterile, fluorescent-lit workspace. Lynette Dowell, a retired medical technologist, worked in microbiology all…
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February Shrub of the Month-Bowling Ball Arborvitae
Plants can be beautiful. Plants can be ugly. Plants can be everything in between. Thuja occidentalis ‘Bobozam’ MR. BOWLING BALL, aka Bowling Ball arborvitae, is one shrub that, to some people, goes from…
