Tag Archives | Garden Plants

GGW Plant Pick of The Month- Tibouchina

I’m leaving for California in a few days to visit some very dear friends. This is an annual visit and sometimes I am able to make it twice a year. It is great to ‘get away’ and connect with friends. There is nothing better than engaging conversations over great food and wine.

For me, the added bonus when traveling is the exposure to local flora. On this trip I’ll be returning to Flora Grubb Gardens, and checking out Annie’s Annuals and Berkeley Horticultural Nursery.

On one of my earlier visits to San Francisco I noticed a lovely small ornamental tree that I have since incorporated into my seasonal displays. Princess-flower (Tibouchina) is the GGW Plant Pick of The Month.

Princess flower (Tibouchina) with Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle' and Picea pungens 'Glauca Globsa'.

Princess flower (Tibouchina) with Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle' and Picea pungens 'Glauca Globosa'

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GGW Plant Pick of The Month- Sesleria

A couple of years ago while visiting the Lurie Garden at Millennium Park in Chicago I was attracted to several groupings of a striking yellow-green tufted grass that I did not recognize. It was compact in its growth habit (10-12″H x 10-12″W), and had silvery inflorescences that were about 18″H. It was growing in full sun yet maintained a bright, crisp color. I later determined it was Sesleria, or moor grass.

Lurie Garden- Chicago, Illinois

Sesleria seems to be an under-used grass, at least here in the Midwest. This summer, I saw several species growing in Piet Oudolf’s garden in the Netherlands and Roy Diblik’s garden (Northwind Perennial Farm) in Wisconsin. I realized I should start experimenting with Sesleria in my own projects. In an effort to raise awareness of the genus, I’ve chosen to highlight it as the GGW Plant Pick of The Month. Continue Reading →

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GGW Plant Pick of The Month- Plants with Variegated Foliage

Dramatic variegated foliage of Canna ‘Striata’ pops in this seasonal display bed with Zinnia elegans ‘Zowie Yellow Flame’ and Z. elegans ‘Uproar Rose’, Rudeckia hirta ‘Indian Summer’, Persicaria polymorpha, Perovskia atriplicifolia, Cleome ‘Spirit Frost’ and Cleome ‘Spirit Merlot’, Lythrum virgatum ‘Morden’s Gleam’ and Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ companions.

Dramatic gold and green variegated foliage of Canna 'Striata' pops in this display bed with Zinnia elegans ‘Zowie Yellow Flame’ and Z. elegans ‘Uproar Rose’, Rudbeckia hirta ‘Indian Summer’, Persicaria polymorpha, Perovskia atriplicifolia, Cleome ‘Spirit Frost’ and Cleome ‘Spirit Merlot’ and Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ companions.

Traditionally, GGW Plant Pick of The Month highlights a specific genus or cultivar. I’m going to try something different for October and feature plants with variegated foliage. They function as important accents in my seasonal displays. Note, photos will include companion plant names as well. Continue Reading →

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October Happenings and Tidbits

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Who would have ever thought that fall would be upon us so quickly? I don’t know about all of you, but my summer just sped by. For those of us living in extremely hot, dry climates, we’re waiting for the first rains of the season to give some relief to our drought-ridden gardens, to bring on a second bloom, and to help extend the vegetable-growing season. For all of you gardeners in colder climates, now is the time for fall cleanup and organizing your garden: dividing plants, removing plantings that didn’t work, taking photos and writing down ideas for next year.

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GGW Plant Pick of The Month: Sporobolus heterolepis

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Oudolf Garden- Hummelo, Netherlands (09/06/2009).

I just returned home from my first trip to Europe. I was drawn to Grass Days at Kwekerij Oudolf, the home and nursery of influential Dutch garden designer and plantsman, Piet Oudolf and his wife Anja. I won’t elaborate on the Oudolf’s SPECTACULAR private garden in this post. I’ll save that for a later date. Oudolf’s work inspired September’s GGW Plant Pick of The Month, Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis). Continue Reading →

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