By Claire Jones
Floating above the border on long, willowy stems, Japanese Anemones (Anemone hupehensis) are stalwart perennials that bring elegance and longevity to the garden. Unlike many perennials that fade after only a few seasons, Japanese Anemones are dependable performers—I’ve had clumps blooming faithfully for over 30 years. Reliable and deer resistant (not deer proof!), they spread …
Continue reading "Windflowers in Fall: The Enduring Beauty of Japanese Anemones"
Few plants spark as much debate as the butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii). Garden centers sell it for its showy blooms and its promise to draw in butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees. On the surface, it feels like the ultimate win-win: beauty for us, deer proof, and nectar for pollinators. But dig a little deeper, and the …
Continue reading "Should You Plant a Butterfly Bush? The Benefits and the Drawbacks"
It happens every summer - honey extraction. After babying the bees, feeding, monitoring, re-queening, splitting, and just plain worrying about them, now is the moment of truth. How much honey did they deposit in the combs for me to rob from them? I won't leave you in suspense - I extracted 120-130 pounds from two …
Continue reading "Spinning Honey – Honey Extraction Start to Finish"
Introduced in 1919 in packing material from China and starting in Tennessee, Japanese Stiltgrass, Microstegium vimineum, has rapidly spread across the eastern United States and as far west as Texas, and become a menace to native plants. Spreading from seeds that can remain viable for 5- 7 years, stiltgrass can appear in lawns, ground covers, …
Continue reading "Japanese Stiltgrass Strategies"
Once in a while, a new plant comes along that I fall in love with—for its ease of growing, beauty, and all-around usefulness. This time, it's the annual Monarch Magic Ageratum, introduced by BallFloraPlant, a one-of-kind plant . Commonly known as Floss Flower, it gets its name from the fine, thread-like texture of its tiny, …
Continue reading "Ageratum Monarch Magic – Butterfly Magnet"
Gardening here in the mid-Atlantic the past couple of summers has been more challenging than previous years because of our increased and prolonged heat 'domes' where we have hit the triple digits for multiple days in a row. Excessive heat can affect all the plants in your garden adversely and can negatively impact growth, development, …
Continue reading "Strategies for Gardening in Extreme Heat"
