The apex predators of the plant world are not just for botanical gardens (or horror movies). You can grow Venus Flytraps and more carnivorous plants in your own home—here’s how.
It’s true that most plants need plenty of sunlight to grow and flourish, obtaining the sustenance they need to bloom, sprout, and spread from exposure to solar energy. Caring for a variety of houseplants is
How to Grow Bigonias
ca. 1980s-1990s --- Conservatory --- Image by © Elizabeth Whiting & Associates/CORBIS
We rounded up greenhouse inspiration to inspire your next backyard project.
Saxifraga arendsii ( Mossy Saxifrage ) A low cushony perennial, reaching a maximum size of 8 x 10 inches. Great for the shady rock garden. The showy, white, pink or red, cup-shaped flowers are borne during early to late spring. Hardy zones 3 to 7 in partial shade on cool, moist, very well drained soil. It is not drought tolerant. * photo taken on Apr 15 2022 in Elkridge, MD * photos taken on July 8 2023 in Thornbury, ON 'Blood Carpet' Flowers are red, fading to pink. 'Cloth of Gold' Golden foliage and white flowers. 'Purple Carpet' Purplish-red flowers. 'Snow Carpet' White flowers. 'Touron Neon Rose' * photos taken on Apr 4 2011 in Columbia, MD * photos of unknown internet source 'Touron Red' * photo taken on Apr 4 2011 in Columbia, MD 'Touron White' * photo taken on Apr 4 2011 in Columbia, MD * photo taken on Mar 1 2023 in Columbia, MD Saxifraga fortunei A vigorous, runner-spreading clumping perennial, reaching up to 1 x 1 foot in size, that is native to northeast Asia ( from eastern Siberia to Sakhalin; south to northern China to Korea & Japan ). It is usually found on moist coastal rock cliffs and along mountain streams. The fleshy, scalloped, rounded leaves are up to 4 x 4 ( rarely 7 x 8 ) inches in size. The foliage is velvety deep green with silver bands along the veins above; red beneath. The light pink or white flowers, up to an inch in length, are borne mid to late autumn. Hardy zones 6 to 8 ( 5 on protected sites ) in full sun or partial shade on moist, fertile, light, acidic, well drained soil. Requires light to moderate shade. It hates peat moss so use ground bark instead. 'Berry Bright' Deep bronze foliage and intense rosy-pink flowers. 'Rubrifolia' Reaches up to 1 foot with coppery to reddish foliage. 'Wada's Variety' ( Red Rockfoil ) Reddish-purple foliage contrasts with pure white flowers borne during summer. 'Windsor' More vigorous and taller, with flower stalks reaching up to 2 feet in height. Saxifraga pensylvanica ( Eastern Swamp Saxifrage ) A perennial, reaching up to 3 feet in height, that is native from Saskatchewan to Kenora, Ontario to Michigan's Upper Peninsula to northern New York State to southern Maine; south to eastern Missouri to central Ohio to central Virginia. It was uncommon on the Ohio shore even back in the 1800s. The foliage is mid-green. The greenish-white flowers are borne mid-spring to early summer. Saxifraga stolonifera ( Mother of Thousands ) Also called Strawberry Saxifrage. An interesting groundcover for shade, forming large colonies quickly, spreading by red stolons or runners with plantlets at the tips. A single plant can form a colony up to 3.5 feet across in 5 years. The Mother of Thousands is native to western China but also naturalized in Japan. It is found on wet rock talus in mountains in the wild. The basal rosette of composed of rounded evergreen leaves are up to 4 x 5 ( rarely 6 x 7 ) inches in size. The foliage is gray-green with silvery veins above, reddish beneath. The small white ( spotted pink ) flowers, up to 0.8 inches in size ) are borne on green stalks up to 2 feet in height, from mid summer to mid autumn. Hardy zones 7 to 9 ( zones 6 on protected sites ) in light to moderate shade on just about any moist, well drained soil, preferrably humus-rich. Very easy to grow and soil tolerant. It is also very heat tolerant when in shade, making it an excellent plant for the Mid Atlantic and Deep South. * photo taken on annual Horticultural Society of Maryland Garden Tour * photo taken on June 23 2013 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC * photos taken on June 1 2014 @ Maryland Horticulturalist Society Garden Tour, Ellicott City * photos taken on May 27 2017 @ Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, Vienna, VA 'Eco Butterfly' Foliage is yellow with a pattern of green resembling that of a butterfly in shape. The flowers are white. 'Harvest Moon' Foliage is brilliant orange-red, later turning to bright golden-yellow and covered in red bristles. The flowers are pale pink, borne during autumn. 'Maroon Beauty' Vigorous spreader. Foliage is maroon with silver-gray lining above; purple below. 'Tricolor' Hardier than species. Foliage is deep green and variegated with silver and pink above; red below. The flowers are white. Saxifraga x urbium Also called Saxifraga umbrosa. A perennial, reaching up to 8 inches, with small, white ( red in center ) flowers, borne late spring to early summer. The oval leaves are up to 2 inches in length. They are bright above, reddish beneath. An excellent plant for the rock garden. Hardy zones 5 to 7 in full sun to partial shade. Saxifraga veitchiana Native to China and very similar to S. stolonifera, except for unmarked matte-green leaves that are reddish-brown beneath. Hard zones 7 to 9 ( zone 6 on protected sites ) and is easy to grow, being very tolerant of poor soil, heat and drought if its requirement of light to moderate shade are met. Saxifraga virginiensis ( Early Saxifrage ) Also called Micranthes virginiensis. A perennial, reaching up to 1 foot, that is native to rock outcrops and dry wooded slopes in eastern North America ( from Manitoba to Manitoulin Island to Tobermory, Ontario to Blind River, Ontario to New Brunswick and Maine; south to northern Louisiana to South Carolina. The toothed, ovate leaves are mid-green. The white flowers are borne from early to late spring. It thrives in sun or shade on well drained soils.
Rosemary bushes thrive easily with minimal maintenance and can live for up to 15 years. They are ideal for gardens and landscapes because they can be grown in the ground or in a pot, planted to spill ...
SUPER helpful list of how to get started with some of the best ways for making money farming - even on just a SMALL homestead!
Discover the power of forest fungi in improving soil quality and protecting your food forest from disease.
Paperwhites can bloom more than once with proper care. Here's what to do with your paperwhite after it blooms to ensure it will come back next season.
When you’re walking down the forest, chances are you’ll see mushrooms with their brown hats, green moss that looks inviting to lay your head on, maybe even a deer running by. But there is a whole hidden tiny world that the human eye cannot see that easily and that world is truly mesmerizing to look at.
Considering there are more than 12,000 ant species around the world, it is no wonder they can be a problem for gardeners and homeowners. Ants can wreak havoc on plants in no time, not to mention find their way into your home.
Take a peek inside this vine-covered, vintage-style cottage.
20 - 30 Inches 12 - 16 Inches 12 - 16 Inches 51cm - 76cm 30cm - 41cm 30cm - 41cm Features Bicolored burgundy-bronze foliage graces compact, well branched plants. Award Winner Adaptable As Houseplant Heat Tolerant Deadheading Not Necessary Resists: Deer Characteristics Plant Type: Annual Height Category: Medium Garden Height: 20 - 30 Inches 51cm - 76cm Spacing: 12 - 16 Inches 30cm - 41cm Spread: 12 - 16 Inches 30cm - 41cm Flower Colors: Blue Flower Shade: violet blue Foliage Colors: Brown Foliage Colors: Green Foliage Colors: Red Foliage Shade: Burgundy brown foliage with chartreuse edges Habit: Upright Container Role: Thriller Plant Needs Light Requirement: Sun or Shade The optimum amount of sun or shade each plant needs to thrive: Full Sun (6+ hours), Part Sun (4-6 hours), Full Shade (up to 4 hours). Maintenance Category: Easy Bloom Time: Grown for Foliage Hardiness Zones: 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b Water Category: Average Soil Fertility Requirement: Average Soil Uses: Container Uses: Landscape Uses: Mass Planting Uses Notes: Use in beds, borders and containers. Maintenance Notes: Many people feel that coleus look best before they flower. We have worked hard to choose coleus that bloom late in the season or not at all. To keep foliage in top shape, pinch off the blooms as they appear if you wish. Rules of Thumb for Overwintering Plants Indoors: 1. Choose only healthy plants 2. Bring Plants indoors before frost damages foliage 3. Treat for disease and insects before bringing plants indoors 4. Place in bright areas and add humidity using pebble trays or spray bottles 5. Be careful not to over water 6 When active growth starts in spring fertilize and prune as needed 7. Introduce your plants slowly to outdoor conditions in spring An application of fertilizer or compost on garden beds and regular fertilization of plants in pots will help ensure the best possible performance. This jazzy new Coleus for sun and shade features maroon red leaves with luminescent chartreuse to yellow margins, forming a very well-branched plant that works well in landscapes and containers. Like all ColorBlaze® Coleus, it is bred to take the heat and bloom very late in the season, if at all, extending its garden performance into the fall. Professional Growing Information
English garden for all seasons. Winner "Overall Gardener of the Year" Garden News National Garden Competition 2010. Winner Daily Mail National Garden Competition 2007. www.fourseasonsgarden.co.uk
Ever wonder what Permaculture really is? It's more than just gardening! Learn here with Permaculture 101: The Basics.
The large glossy leaves of bergenia bring rich colours and texture to late autumn borders
Eurybia divaricata (White Wood Aster) is an upright, bushy perennial boasting flat-topped clusters of small starry white daisies with pink to yellow centers in late summer and fall. Blooming for weeks, the flowers are quite small, 1 in. across (2.5 cm), but they are produced in such great quantities that they literally cover the plant. Borne at the tips of thin, nearly black, cascading branches, they are quite attractive to butterflies. The leaves are about 3 in. long (7 cm), heart shaped, and coarsely toothed. One of the few asters that tolerates shade, White Wood Aster can be used at the edge of woodlands or placed at the front of the border.
How to care for a Nephthytis plant with clear growing instructions; from an indoor plant expert with 20+ years of hands-on career experience
Check out the 13 most beautiful gardens on Pinterest to inspire your outdoor goals. Cottage-core, beach vibes, desert oasis, and more!
A Kalanchoe is an easy care, flowering, succulent plant that blooms all winter indoors. Read how to grow, identify, and care for at Houseplant411.com.
All about Philodendron Brasil care! From step-by-step propagation tips with photos, to discussions on light, fertilizing, watering, soil and more!
Everything you need to know about caring for Aglaonema, or the Chinese Evergreen. Including an intro to many of the colorful varieties available!
Baking soda benefits in garden
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Caring for your plants is all about routine! Check out how I keep my plants happy and healthy.
