Dwarf Irises & Other Delights
No matter how much you think you know about plants, there are still plenty of surprises that await. With nearly 400,000 plant species identified world wide, it is little wonder that every time you s...
Category Archives: Bulbs
Sweet Violets, Jupiter’s Beard, and Paperwhites
Two weeks ago, I asked if any readers had sweet violets (Viola odorata) in their gardens. Here are some of your responses: “I have some sweet violets growing in my yard and they have been doing quit...
The Greatness of Bulbs
Greatness may best be evaluated not by natural talent or achievement or an applause meter, but by response to adversity. The greatness of plants is thus demonstrated, since many of them can be cut to...
Fleru-de-lis is Really an Iris
When the mob overthrew the monarchy during the French Revolution, one of the first acts of the new governing authority was to remove the flower that had been visible for centuries on flags, shields, ...
How to Grow Garlic
In New York, when five cents was worth a lot more than it is today, they used to say that “a nickel will get you on the subway, but garlic will get you a seat.” As most people know, garli...
Permanent Plants: Bulbs, Rhizomes, & Tubers
I often receive inquiries from readers about the suitability of using a certain plant, typically exotic or unfamiliar to them, for covering large areas in their yards or gardens. My advice is always ...
Rhizomes
At first glance, it would appear that we humans have it much easier than plants. If we find ourselves in a place we don’t like, all we have to do is pick ourselves up and move to another spot. ...
Summer-Flowering Bulbs
As spring comes to a close, bulbs are probably the last thing on a gardener’s mind. Bulbs are for planting in fall so that you can look at their flowers in spring, but forget about them as summ...
Tulips and tulip magnolias
If you visit New York City at the beginning of spring, as I did last week, you will marvel at the clouds of blossoms in white and pink that cover the Japanese cherry trees (Prunus serrulata) and orna...
Irises: Carefree Backyard Orchids
The time is now for irises, whether you prefer classic bearded fleur-de-lis irises or native, Pacific Coast irises. Last week I had the privilege to visit two horticultural venues that featured irise...
