Plant Spotlight

   What started as sort of an accident became one of the nicest looking plantings around the garden in 2019.  This picture of a two year old eastern prickly pear cactus growing out of sedum angelina started as two separate plantings in the fall of 2017.  The goal was to have sedum beside the cactus and to plant portulacas around it in the spring.  The busy greenhouse season turned into the portulacas not being set out until July.  At that time the sedum had slowly creeped into where the cactus was and it was getting too nice to move.  So...

    Gold is a popular color that has it's tradesmark on the best of the best.  From gold medals at the olympics to golden wedding bands.  Gold is a just the symbolism of excellence and that rings no truer than the gold blooms of rudbeckia goldsturm.  This summer beauty is long blooming, easy to care for, and long lived.     In early spring the clumps of goldsturm rudbeckia start perking up from their winter slumber; as the purple leaves turn back to a rich green.  Slowly, but surely, they begin to send up blooming stalks in late spring. ...

Samba Pink Bicolor So it's hot, possible on the miserable side in some places.  Cool season flowers have vanished, tropical annuals are in full swing in the garden, and the dog days of summer are upon us.  So you have a choice to sit back and relax or you can plug in portulacas! Pazzaz® Nano Fuchsia    If you aren't sure what portulacas are they are virtually God's gift to the brown thumb gardener.  These succulent tropical perennials, which are grown in the US as annuals, live on minimal fertilizer and minimal water. There are a few different foliage types...

They might not be the biggest hens and chicks but this varieties sure gets it's trail on!  An evergreen or shall we say evercobwebby perennial, Cobweb Buttons, are a great groundcover for the front of the border or a rock garden.  They are fairly fast growing when happy or slower growing when the soils are light on nutrients, but either way they still adorn the landscape with a unique texture and color scheme.  A great choice for the xeriscape or quick drying locations.  They are fun to mix in with other succulents, add uniqueness to a miniature garden, or put in...