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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

Call us biased, but we think every garden should include grasses.We know some don’t, but we’re working on it.Call us crazy, or lazy, but y’know what else we think?We think gardeners and landscapers should leave grasses right where they are in fall. Let ‘em stand. Ignore them while you do other cleanup chores. Ornamental grasses provide movement, interest and sound even in winter, even when dormant, just as they did all summer. Standing proudly through a blanket of snow, they give gardeners some

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