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So you think Latin names are difficult, you silly English-speaking person? Hah!Let’s examine first a popular perennial, then the less-familiar story behind its name. GaillardiaA backbone of the sunny garden, “blanket flower” is known and loved world-wide for its array of bright, cheerful, often bicolor blooms.Complex daisy-like flowers feature a plethora of petals with toothy, pointed or fluted tips. Puffy gold/red centers remain attractive and interesting even after petals fade. As you mig

That which we call a weasel snout, by any other name...Lamiastrum ‘Herman’s Pride’ is a lovely ground cover that excels even in one of the toughest landscape niches: The dreaded dry shade.Colorful and sturdy, it spreads slowly, clump by clump, to colonize tricky slopes and other barren places. Hardy in Zones 4 – 8, it stands about a foot tall when in bloom.This interesting, useful plant has two common names. Both are interesting, but only one is useful. “Yellow archangel” resonates at retail: An

When you hear the word “groundcover,” what comes to mind? After “Ho-hum,” probably a few too-familiar genera, right?It doesn’t have to be that way. There are strikingly different, even fascinating, perennials that serve multiple groundcover functions – erosion control, border edging, container “spiller” -- without putting you to sleep. Low-growing doesn’t have to mean low margin.Here’s the lowdown on some short stuff we think highly of.  Sedum teractinum ‘Coral Reef’This is one of the mos

The current hunger for succulent plants of all kinds has increased awareness of this tough, fascinating genus. But do gardeners and growers who’ve recently discovered it realize how long it’s been in cultivation?Mankind’s love for this genus goes back centuries. The name is Latin for “always living,” a testament to its durability. In antiquity, it was used in medicine and magic. Its juicy flesh was credited with healing stings and sores, much as Aloe is today.It’s said that only two things can k