Calendula
Calendula Overview DESCRIPTION Bright and cheerful calendulas, also called pot marigolds, look right at home in a cottage garden, herb patch, or container. Plant this easy-going annual in early spring to enjoy its flowers, which resemble daisies or chrysanthemums, until the heat of summer sets in. In regions with moderate summers, expect calendula varieties to bloom even more abundantly in fall. Add the edible blossoms to soups and salads as a colorful garnish. GENUS NAME Calendula COMMON NAME Calendula PLANT TYPE Annual LIGHT Part Sun, Sun HEIGHT 1 to 3 feet WIDTH 1 to 2 feet FLOWER COLOR Orange, Yellow FOLIAGE COLOR Blue/Green SEASON FEATURES Fall Bloom, Spring Bloom SPECIAL FEATURES Attracts Birds, Cut Flowers, Good for Containers, Low Maintenance ZONES 10, 11, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 PROPAGATION Seed Best Planting Partners Grow calendula plants with other early-season bulbs, such as tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths. Pansies, sweet alyssum, and stock stand…
Caladium
Plant a few of these together to create a statement in your garden or containers. Caladium Care Must-Knows Caladiums grow best in warm, moist, organically-rich, acidic soil. For that reason, don’t plant these heat-lovers too early in the growing season. Early planting in cool earth results in slow growth and tuber rot when the tubers sit for long periods of time in moist soil. A good rule of thumb is to plant caladium tubers in the soil around the time you plant okra seed in the garden or set out tomato transplants in cool regions. A soil temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit is preferred. Plant tubers so their puckered or knobby sides are up, placing them 2 inches below the soil surface and 10 to 12 inches apart. Water plants frequently, keeping soil evenly moist but not saturated. Caladiums will rot in consistently soggy soil. The key to an eye-catching caladium planting is quantity.…
Cabbage
Cabbage Overview DESCRIPTION Cabbage is a classic vegetable that has been a staple in Western diets for hundreds of years. Not only is it nutrient- and antioxidant-rich, but it also offers an attractive rosette of foliage that looks as good as it tastes. It comes in a surprising array of colors and textures. There are early, midseason, and late varieties; round, conical, or flat-head types; selections that have smooth leaves or savoyed (crinkled) foliage; and colors ranging from yellow-green to blue-green, deep green, or purplish red. Each has a distinct flavor, with the red types being among the sweetest. There are a multitude of ways to feast on cabbage. For best flavor, use homegrown cabbage when it’s fresh. (When it’s young and tender, it has a milder flavor.) Add shredded cabbage to mixed salads or in classic or innovative coleslaws. Try stuffing large cabbage leaves, pickling cabbage, or turning it…
How to Plant and Grow Buttonbush
Add this native North American plant to your garden to attract pollinators. Buttonbush, also known as the “common buttonbush,” is a native species of shrub deserving of far more widespread use in landscapes around the United States. They can be planted in gardens of just about any size or style and take well to pruning for shape, but can also be allowed to grow naturally without becoming overbearing. Buttonbush is also ideal for pollinator gardens, providing an ample supply of flowers for native pollinators like hummingbirds and butterflies. Well adapted to a variety of environments, buttonbushes are also very hardy, easy to grow, and excellent for attracting wildlife to the garden, while being deer and rabbit resistant. Buttonbush Overview GENUS NAME Cephalanthus occidentalis COMMON NAME Buttonbush PLANT TYPE Shrub LIGHT Part Sun, Sun HEIGHT 6 to 12 Feet WIDTH 5 to 8 Feet FLOWER COLOR White FOLIAGE COLOR Blue/Green SEASON FEATURES Colorful Fall…
Buckthorn
Give your home a little more privacy with this shrub. Colorful Combinations Call on buckthorn to screen the view into a neighboring yard. This deciduous shrub makes an excellent hedge plant and can easily be maintained at a specific size with an annual pruning. You can also use it as a leafy living wall to enclose a patio. Or try planting a row of buckthorn along a lackluster garage wall to transform the sterile area into a backyard habitat. Landscaping Ideas for Privacy Buckthorn produces berries in summer, making it a stopping place for birds. Pair buckthorn with other berry-producing shrubs to create a bountiful backyard buffet. Try the following easy-to-grow bird-friendly shrubs as companion plants: dwarf cranberry bush viburnum, beautybush (a member of the honeysuckle family), and Oregon grape holly. Buckthorn Care Must-Knows Buckthorn is an adaptable shrub. It grows best in full sun or part shade and moist, well-drained soil. It prefers…
Brussels Sprouts
When it gets plenty of sun, nutrients, and water, this striking vegetable will reward you with a bumper crop of delicious sprouts. Brussels Sprouts Overview DESCRIPTION A slow-growing, cool-season plant in the cabbage family, Brussels sprouts bring an interesting visual character to the garden with their tall, upright stems studded with small, green, edible orbs. This tasty vegetable is also full of vitamins and minerals. GENUS NAME Brassica oleracea Gemmifera group COMMON NAME Brussels Sprouts PLANT TYPE Annual, Vegetable LIGHT Sun HEIGHT 1 to 3 feet WIDTH 1 to 2 feet FLOWER COLOR Green FOLIAGE COLOR Blue/Green SPECIAL FEATURES Good for Containers ZONES 10, 11, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 PROPAGATION Seed Tasty Combinations As a garden plant, Brussels sprouts has a striking appearance because of its relatively large leaves, much like its cousins cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli. As it grows, Brussels sprouts shows off a thick stalk where the…
Broccoli
Broccoli Overview DESCRIPTION Growing broccoli for the first time can be surprising because this vegetable demands just the right conditions to grow perfectly: extended cool weather in spring and fall (or during winter months in mild areas). Instead of gigantic supermarket-size heads, the home gardener will likely get smaller ones—but they’ll also be very tender. The edible part of the plant is actually a cluster of flower buds. Most varieties produce one large head 50 to 55 days after transplanting into the garden. If you leave the plant in place, smaller secondary buds will develop on side shoots. Other cool-season vegetables from the same species (Brassica oleracea) include Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and kohlrabi. GENUS NAME Brassica oleracea COMMON NAME Broccoli PLANT TYPE Vegetable LIGHT Part Sun, Sun HEIGHT 1 to 3 feet WIDTH 1 to 2 feet FOLIAGE COLOR Blue/Green ZONES 10, 11, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,…
Bradford Pear Tree
Snowy early-spring blossoms and a tall pyramidal shape make flowering pear the ideal lawn tree for home landscapes. It also tolerates urban conditions such as air pollution. Select smaller, narrower varieties such ‘Chanticleer’ and ‘Valiant’ for street-side tree planting. A bonus is the fall color; ‘Redspire’ is a good choice for deep purple-red fall foliage. The tiny fruits appeal to summer birds. Bradford pear Overview DESCRIPTION Snowy early-spring blossoms and a tall pyramidal shape make flowering pear the ideal lawn tree for home landscapes. It also tolerates urban conditions such as air pollution. Select smaller, narrower varieties such ‘Chanticleer’ and ‘Valiant’ for street-side tree planting. A bonus is the fall color; ‘Redspire’ is a good choice for deep purple-red fall foliage. The tiny fruits appeal to summer birds. GENUS NAME Pyrus calleryana COMMON NAME Bradford pear PLANT TYPE Tree LIGHT Part Sun, Sun HEIGHT 20 to 20 feet WIDTH 15…
How to Plant and Grow Boxwood
This evergreen shrub is so versatile in the landscape. What makes boxwood so appealing is this plant’s ability to be shaped into different formal structures. It’s difficult for most plants (that are constantly growing) to be constrained in such a formal matter, but not with boxwood. Typically, boxwood, hardy in Zones 4-8, has one major flush of growth in the spring but usually won’t outgrow its shape because of its dense branching. Their glossy green leaves are a good addition to almost any garden space. Boxwood Overview GENUS NAME Buxus COMMON NAME Boxwood PLANT TYPE Shrub LIGHT Part Sun, Shade, Sun HEIGHT 1 to 3 feet WIDTH 2 to 8 feet FLOWER COLOR Green FOLIAGE COLOR Blue/Green SEASON FEATURES Winter Interest SPECIAL FEATURES Good for Containers ZONES 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 PROPAGATION Stem Cuttings PROBLEM SOLVERS Deer Resistant, Good For Privacy, Groundcover Where to Plant Boxwood Always assess the planned site…
How to Plant and Grow Bougainvillea
This tropical native needs some room to grow. If you’re looking for a tough tropical vine with lots of color, you’ve found it! Bougainvillea plants are tough as nails, which includes their nail-like thorns. These plants put on a spectacular show of color in spring on their fresh new growth. If you’re thinking of planting a bougainvillea in your garden, be sure to allow plenty of room for it to spread and grow; some varieties reach 40 feet. What many people think of as the blooms of bougainvillea aren’t actually blooms at all. The showy paper-like structures are a modified leaf called a bract. These bracts hide the actual flowers inside, which are small and trumpet-shaped in whites and yellows. The showy bracts are typically found on new growth, with the showiest display following their winter dormancy. Normally, you’ll see the best blooms following a dry winter. Bougainvillea Overview GENUS…