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COLCHICUM—AUTUMN CRUCUS
Have you seen the lavender-colored crocus-type flowers that emerge in local gardens in the fall? To me, these flowers look like they should be growing in the spring because of their pastel-purple flower color when the colors of fall are oranges and yellows. These flowers are Colchicum, sometimes known as fall or autumn crocus, but
Romance Cherries
We have always loved cherries. When my husband, Jerry, was a child, his mother bought some “Flathead Cherries” and he found out that Flathead Lake in Montana was a cherry growing area. (Flathead is not a variety of sweet cherries—many varieties are grown around Flathead Lake.) He loved to eat sweet cherries and although living
Lilacs
by Jan Cashman 6/13/20 Everyone loves lilacs…and what’s not to love? Lilacs (genus Syringa) are beautiful to look at and wonderfully fragrant. They are hardy in our climate and grow well in our local soils that tend to be alkaline. Lilac bushes are long-lived; they make good hedges. If you choose carefully, you can have
Why are pollination, pollinators, and pollinator plants so important?
By Jan Cashman 7/20/20 Pollination is one of nature’s most important functions; it is the way many plants reproduce. Pollinators assist plants with reproduction; they take pollen from one plant to another. If plants aren’t properly pollinated, they can’t bear fruit or produce seeds to grow new plants. Many plants are wholly dependent on the
Why are pollination, pollinators, and pollinator plants so important?
Pollination is one of nature’s most important functions; it is the way many plants reproduce. Pollinators assist plants with reproduction; they take pollen from one plant to another. If plants aren’t properly pollinated, they can’t bear fruit or produce seeds to grow new plants. Many plants are wholly dependent on the presence of pollinators to
Barberry
There are many reasons why barberries are one of the most popular deciduous shrubs—they are deer resistant, they do well in full, hot sun, and have thorns that keep animals and foot traffic away. They are dense, respond well to pruning, and are hardy. Barberries are dwarf shrubs that are perfect for small planting spaces.