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WHERE IN THE WORLD DID WE GET THIS PLANT?Geography Lessons in the Garden, Part 1A good mixed perennial border is like a trip around the globe. Let’s start up north and work our way south, as wise migratory birds and human snowbirds do before winter sets in. This particular migration takes us from the world’s largest island to the USA.Polemonium boreale ‘Heavenly Habit’The specific epithet is the ticket. “Boreal” is Latin for north, as in the Aurora borealis, a.k.a. the northern lights, a common

Don’t look now, but critters have taken root in your garden. Relax, they’re friendly – and they’re animals in name only.  Let’s meet one... heck, make it two – in a single species!Ordinarily, pigs and rabbits are two of the absolute worst visitors one could imagine in the garden. The rabbits will polish off everything above ground, while the pigs will root, root, root for what’s left.We think you’ll be glad you made an exception for two of our favorite floral fauna. Miniature Fountain Gras

Flights of Fancy in the Backyard Zoo! Don’t look now, but critters have taken root in your garden. Relax, they’re friendly – and they’re animals in name only. Let’s meet one... heck, make it two – in one plant!Aquilegia: Bird of prey, or bird of peace? The genus name comes from the Latin for eagle (aquila), because the long petal spurs reminded Linnaeus of an eagle’s talons. But the common name, columbine, is from the Latin for dove (columba), because someone else thought the flower resembl

Welcome to the backyard zoo! Don’t look now, but critters have taken root in your garden. Relax, they’re friendly – and they’re animals in name only. Let’s meet one.Echinacea: This popular native genus is so named because its spiky central seed cone reminded a botanist of the echidna, a.k.a. the spiny anteater. A quirky animal from Down Under, the echidna has spikes like a porcupine and lays eggs like a bird.That critter’s namesake perennial, a.k.a. coneflower, has burst out in in a stagger

Meet our September Rock StarAbout the Rock Star AwardOur Rock Star award honors ECG employees who demonstrate a sustained high level of performance and inspire others.This month we honor Jonah Camp.Jonah came on board in 2017 as general greenhouse labor and rose to the position of assistant perennial grower at the Milton farm. He lives on site and is a night watchman in addition to his plant care duties.Jonah’s manager and colleagues had lots of good things to say about this young man, especiall