Redbud trees could be considered the poster child trees of the showy April bloomers list. The native Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) and the Chinese redbud (Cercis chinensis) are two of the showiest and most reliable bloomers of spring, flowering faithfully in April each year. The flower colors range from all shades of pink, purple and lavender, to reddish or white, depending on the cultivar ...   >> read article

The royal fern is a solution plant for gardens with wet soil. Royal ferns are named so because they can grow to be rather large, up to 5 feet tall and 5 feet across. They make quite an impact in the garden. Sterile fronds emerge in spring yellowish green and tinged with terra-cotta. Mature fronds are bright green. Being deciduous, pleasing yellow and brown shades appear in fall. They are quite striking when backlit by the sun ...   >> read article

This great little ground cover is ideal for shady, low-traffic areas where you want something soft underfoot. It’s perfect for woodland pathways, rock gardens and especially as a textural contrast between flagstones or in tiny crevices. The foliage of Leptinella squalida is very delicate and is available in several forms, from a soft green with slight hints of bronze-black to the very dramatic ‘Platt’s Black’ with strong bronze-black tones ...   >> read article

Crinum 'Sangria' puts a new spin on a classic Southern plant. Like other crinums, it is tough as nails, surviving on abandoned sites without care for decades. 'Sangria' updates this old staple with spectacular foliage that emerges a deep purple and slowly ages to green. The swordlike foliage eventually flops over, giving the plant a loose, casual feel. Worth growing for its foliage alone, the rose-pink flowers are a pretty bonus.   >> read article

Polygonatum multiflorum has held a rich tradition with European herbalists since medieval times. Primarily used as poultice to reduce excessive bruising, modern science has found Solomon's North American sister P. biflorum to be elementally the same. Botanically, P. biflorum bears two flowers from each leaf axis and P. multiflorum may bear three or more.   >> read article