Compared to ubiquitous carex and calamagrostis, Anemanthele lessoniana is a less-frequently used ornamental grass (not to mention a bit of a mouthful!). But it deserves wider fame, so I thought it was time to show it some love on the blog. Commonly known as Pheasant’s Tail Grass (and once known as Stipa arundinacea), this is […]
Perennials
Buddleia ‘Blue Chip’ a solid investment
Earlier this summer, Proven Winners and Gardenimport kindly sent me a selection of new shrubs to trial. One of those was Buddleia Lo & Behold ‘Blue Chip’ – a new miniature butterfly bush. By name alone, I wasn’t totally stoked on this plant. I’ve always wanted to like buddleia (also spelled buddleja). What’s not to […]
Book review: Hardy Succulents
Hardy Succulents in two words: Eye candy. I love the look of succulents: their drama, their modernism. And maybe, just maybe, I covet them because I can’t really grow many of them all that successfully here, even though I’m in practically-balmy Zone 8. So I was really excited to receive a copy of Hardy Succulents: […]
Earth Day garden and baby update
“Oh the days are long/ ‘Til the baby comes…” – Sinead O’Connor That’s right – I’m still waiting for this baby. One week past my due date and just learned today that the baby, which for the last nine months has been perfectly positioned, has rotated and is now posterior. This just confirms my suspicions […]
Identify this
heuchera leaf spot, cocoons
Spring shopping spree
It’s amazing how quickly you can drop $150 at the nursery. But I got a lot of bang for my buck (see above), and I did it in less than half an hour, all during a business call my husband had to take on our Easter Monday holiday. I apologize for the infrequency of posts […]
Reader garden featuring Cotoneaster bullatus
I got the most wonderful e-mail from a reader in Victoria the other day. (Victoria is southeast of Vancouver, across the Straight of Georgia. I think that when gardeners die they go to Victoria; it’s a very mild Zone 9, and a lovely city to garden and live in.) Anyway. Pat wrote in response to […]
Nepeta ‘Walker’s Low’
The Perennial Plant Association has awarded Nepeta ‘Walker’s Low’ (Zones 3-8) the title of Perennial Plant of the Year for 2007. Named after its origins, not its growth habit, Walker’s Low catmint has silver-green crinkled foliage and a profusion of long-blooming, deep lavender-blue flowers. It’s low maintenance and aromatic, and supposedly disease- and pest-free. I […]