How many times have you pined over a new variety you’ve seen in a catalog or nursery? Speaking for myself, I’ve been seduced by the newest varieties too many times and then disappointed by their performance. My most recent disappointment has been the new Echinacea hybrid, ‘Sunrise’. When I first saw ‘Sunrise’ echinacea I was spell-bound with its beautiful yellow color and intoxicating fragrance ...   >> read article

Coleus are certainly not new. They have gone in and out of popularity since Victorian times. Now they’re back with exciting new and beautiful varieties that add some real dash to beds and containers. They can be as bright and gaudy as a Hawaiian shirt or as formal as a black tie. Since the foliage is always ‘in color’, you never have to worry about the flowers, which are actually rather ugly and should be pinched off ...   >> read article

The first time I saw Tibouchina grandifolia was in a mass planting at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. It was many years ago but I was taken aback and have never forgotten the 5-foot-tall plants loaded with vibrant purple blooms. It was not until six years ago that I purchased a plant and was able to enjoy its beauty all year. In fact, our Tibouchina stored in the greenhouse bloom heavier in the winter to the delight of all ...   >> read article

I met perennial Chinese woodland peony (Paeonia obovata ssp. obovata var. willmottiae), a come-hither autumn siren, in the woodlands of Chanticleer garden in Radnor. Her scarlet sterile seeds in split seedpods beckoned full attention in an otherwise green textural setting with some pastel blooms. Come spring, the Chinese woodland peony is a delicate white beauty. A single cup-shaped flower per stem sits on soft green, tapered, ovate foliage ...   >> read article

Arkansas beardtongue (Penstemon arkansanus) is an herbaceous perennial native to portions of the Central and South Central U.S. However, when planted in the garden, it is hardy to a much broader geographical range that includes Pennsylvania. Its unusual common name comes from the appearance of a prominent hairy, sterile stamen called a staminode within each flower ...   >> read article