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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 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 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…
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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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A Garden-Lou visit to the Keith & Cheryl Kowalczyk Garden
Inspiration can come in many forms and from many places. For Keith and Cheryl Kowalczyk, it’s apparent that one of the biggest influences in creating their Sunset Hills garden was travel, but in…