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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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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…
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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 Shrub of the Month-Variegated Hydrangea
We continue with our Year of the Hydrangea, featuring one of the most frequently asked about plants in my garden: the variegated hydrangea Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Mariesii’. I use these prolifically in my shady…
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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…
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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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July Perennial of the Month-Bee Balm
The alliums have gone dormant. The lilies are spent. Even the spring bulb foliage has withered away. The season seems to be speeding along even though summer has only officially started… Why does…
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Highlights from 2025 Pond-O-Rama!
Pond-O-Rama is undoubtedly the biggest annual garden tour in the St. Louis area. 2025 was the 25th anniversary of this event, with 29 hosts spread over the metro region from House Springs to…
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June Tree of the Month-Shellbark Hickory
During a recent trip to the University of Missouri (Mizzou) campus, I couldn’t help but notice the abundance of shellbark hickories, Carya laciniosa. These trees are striking and large, with deep green leaves…
