At my last garden (in Toronto), I dug a large flower bed in a full-sun location with the express intention of preserving it as an area for growing cut flowers destined exclusively for the vase. The first year I planted varieties that can be difficult to blend successfully in static herbaceous borders, such as bells of Ireland, gladioli, sunflowers and tuberoses. But due to … [Read more...] about Cut flowers, harvested fresh from your garden
Abelia
Baptisias: Favourite almost-native perennials
I purchased my first blue false indigo (Baptisia australis) in 1990. At the time, it was considered a rare plant and was the only species in its genus that could be found at specialty nurseries. But within 20 years a number of excellent hybrids were released, and Baptisia australis achieved mainstream status when the Perennial Plant Association named it their Perennial of the … [Read more...] about Baptisias: Favourite almost-native perennials