Blog

For the billionth time…Are there body parts in your gardens? Not exactly, we hope -- but there are some very fine plants named for anatomical features. And they won’t cost you an arm and a leg.Coreopsis auriculata ‘Nana’“Mouse-eared tickseed”Why “mouse-eared?” Because the specific epithet auriculata is Latin for “eared,” or “having ears.” It refers to two adorable little lobes (aww!) that form at the base of the main leaf. Cute as a bug’s ear!C. ‘Nana’ is a dwarf form of an American native peren

Are there body parts in your gardens? Not exactly, we hope -- but there are some very fine plants named for anatomical features. And they won’t cost you an arm and a leg.Digitalis “Foxglove”Right at your fingertips!Some say the Latin genus name, which refers to fingers, i.e., digits, was back formed from an old common name. “Fingerhut” is German for “finger hat,” a sewer’s thimble. An alternate explanation is that the lovely tubular flower resembles the finger of a glove, with the tip removed.Yo

If you grow ornamental grasses – and if not, what are you waiting for? – you probably know Sesleria autumnalis, a.k.a. “Autumn moor grass.” But have you met its equally-pretty, equally-hardy cousin Sesleria caerulea? Let us introduce you. A Scandinavian native, S. caerulea stands a cute, compact 8 – 12” tall. It’s hardy in Zones 4 – 7. “Blue moor grass” blooms in spring, with small purple panicles that mature to silvery green. The slender blades are glaucous blue on top, deep green bel

From the formal grounds of Tudor mansions to the simplest summer cottage, every garden welcomes the Royal touch. They’re a dramatic focal point as individual specimens, or an eye-popping, traffic-stopping show when planted in masses.They’re also terrific as the “thriller” in large containers. Keyword: “large!”Royal Collection Pennisetum varieties thrive on warm weather and full sun. Nobly bred, these bold, dark beauties fill your big-ticket big containers with remarkable style and speed. Hardy i

Beyond 'Karl Foerster'It’s rank blasphemy to rank any ornamental grass higher than world-famous Calamagrostis xa. ‘Karl Foerster’. It is, after all, the first grass ever named Perennial Plant of the Year, and rightly so. It’s a handsome workhorse that makes a designer look like a genius. And it’s one of our top sellers. You won’t hear us dis it.But we WILL say there are other options in that very same species that give you Karl’s legendary reliability in a fresh, different look: Stripes!‘Eldorad