Plant Profiles

Below are links to articles posted in Plant Profiles.

Red Hot Poker – Something not to grow, and bunnies.

When I first got into gardening I was attacted to large blooming perennials, and planted mostly those. I have come a long way since then, namely I appreciate things like edibles more, interesting foliage, and length of bloom time as much as bloom shape, size, or color.
But sometimes that interest in large blooming perennials rears [...]

Weeping Larch, Larix decidua ‘Pendula’, Like a big Bonsai

Somewhat as a followup to my previous post Niwaki: Bonsai in the Garden, about training unpotted garden trees in a bonsai fashion, today I bought a weeping larch.

Long time readers of this blog will I know that for years and years I have wanted a Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar, Paul James had one on his [...]

Pinus Cortorta Taylor’s Sunburst Update

I first blogged about this tree last summer when I planted it, well after it’s spectacular Spring color had faded. So, it was definitely time to do an update, with the pretty colors, which have lasted, so far, around 8 weeks.

The color is spectacular, just as I had hoped. This is basically a conifer [...]

How to Grow Hardy Hibiscus or Rose Mallow

This is a plant with many names, hardy hibiscus, rose mallow, swamp mallow, etc. It is a wonderful plant and should be in almost every garden.
A North American native it can be found growing wild in the south, but it has been hybridized and many beautiful cultivars are available for the entire country. It is [...]

Thuja (standishii x plicata) “Green Giant”

Green Giant Thuja’s are fast becoming one of the most popular plants for the landscape, and for good reason. They are one of the fastest growing known evergreen trees. They can grow as much as 5 feet per year or more.
The result from a supposed cross between a Japanese thuja and the US native western [...]

Dawn Redwood: Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Gold Rush’

In addition to the cedar I bought yesterday, I also bought a seqouia, a redwood, for here in Michigan. Crazy you say? Well, apparently, notsomuch.

What gardener doesn’t dream about having a massive redwood in their yard, and if we could live for a thousand years we might be able to get one, [...]

Himalayan Cedar: Cedrus deodara ‘Karl Fuchs’

My recent post about what a real cedar is was not a coincidence, I have been looking at buying one, and today I did.

I have wanted a cedar for years, even since I saw Paul James’ on his show. Paul has a weeping Blue Atlas cedar, Cedrus atlantica, and it is absolutely gorgeous… and not [...]

Now you Cedar, Now you Don’t

I have a peeve, and thy name is Cedar. Or is it?
People are confused, I was confused, confusion abounds, what is a cedar? What isn’t? I’ve even seen articles, writing by some sweatshop overseas writing shops I’m sure, that are completely mishmashed confusing true cedars with fake ones. That is the quality you [...]

Video: How to Build a Raised Island Bed with Retaining Wall Bricks

I’m doing videos now, this is the first one I’ve posted (though the fourth I’ve filmed). Some notes.
1. Expect to spend around $5 a linear foot for a 2 brick above ground (3 rows total) retaining wall as in the video. This assumes $1.50 per brick.
2. Use high quality soil for back filling. I used [...]

Carpet Phlox, a great groundcover

When this blog started I really liked Ice Plant and it was my favorite groundcover. Not anymore. As much as I liked ice plant for it’s drought invulnerability and it’s nonstop all summer long flowers, it is only marginally hardy here and I had problems keeping it coming back.
I planted some carpet phlox way back [...]

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