Author: Nancy McDonald, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission. If you are like me and grow lemon verbena, you now have a very large plant. What started as a small seedling in the spring has grown in size, approaching 60 cm (2 feet). So, what to do with this abundance? A Delightful Herb Let…
Nasturtiums, with their vibrant flowers and lush foliage, are not only a visual delight but also an incredible edible. Both the leaves and the flowers of the Nasturtium plant are known for their culinary uses due to their distinctive peppery flavor, similar to watercress or arugula. Here’s why nasturtiums are considered an incredible edible: Culinary…
In spring, this magnificent, brightly silver-spotted beauty will produce profuse clusters of large cobalt-blue flowers. A knockout! It is our best, true dark-blue, and grows into a magnificent landscape specimen, according to TerraNova Nurseries. Great for use in a shade garden, mixed beds, shrubs with high branching, or woodland. Plants wilt quickly if the soil…
This is a gorgeous and striking shade accent plant that was named the 2012 Perennial Plant of the Year. Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’ is incredibly stunning in the garden from early spring to late October, with sky blue forget-me-not blooms in the spring and stricking silvering leaves through the fall. It is best suited to woods…
Lantana plants are low-maintenance and easy to care for with the right materials. Lantanas can grow in any sunny location with well-draining soil. They’re usually planted in the spring once the last frost has passed and the cold has begun to subside. Why grow lantana? Lantana plants are commonly used as an indoor or…
Veronicastrum virginicum, also known as Culver’s Root, is a tall, hardy perennial with lovely whorled leaves. In the early and middle summer, the plants are topped with prickly racemes that are densely packed with small tubular white florets. The inflorescences have many branches that resemble a beautiful candelabra. Prairies, damp meadows, and open forests are…
Virginia waterleaf, Hydrophyllum virginianum, is an excellent choice for shady areas and woodland gardens. It can spread quickly from rhizomes and fill open areas, where some gardeners use it as a groundcover. Where to find Virginia Waterleaf Virginia waterleaf is a perennial typically found in low woods, thickets, ravine bottoms, bluff bases, river flood plains…
The Saskatoon Berry Bush is a woody, perennial shrub that can yield fruit and adapt to a variety of soil types and climatic conditions. The Saskatoon is a small to medium-sized shrub or tree that is a member of the Rose family. It shares a kinship with the mountain ash, apple, and hawthorn. Saskatoon berry…
Blackberry bush is the plant for you if you are searching for simple fruit to grow in limited space. In many areas, these sweet-tasting blackberries grow untamed in the forests and alongside trails. In the wild, they successfully contend with a range of weeds. They’ll grow easily if you put a few of them in…
Partridgeberry is a low-growing, creeping, and woody herb that is evergreen, perennial, part of the Rubiaceae family. From Newfoundland down to central Florida and west to eastern Texas, partridgeberry can be found all across the eastern United States. It naturally occurs in woodland settings, primarily on sand slopes along creek or river banks. However, it…
The white trillium (Trillium grandiflorum), also known as the wake-robin and the white lily, was officially adopted as Ontario’s floral emblem in 1937. These perennial wildflowers are ideal for shade gardens and wooded wildflower gardens. The Eastern North America piedmont and mountains are home to the perennial wildflower known as the white trillium. In nature,…
Purple trillium, one of the most popular forest wildflowers, ushers in spring with its lovely, fragrant, maroon-purple blooms. It is one of the most iconic native perennial flowers. It has three leaves, three petals, and three sepals. This beautiful plant looks best when planted in groups or blended with other forest wildflowers and ferns. It…
The hoary vervain, or Verbena stricta, is a type of herbaceous plant falling under the Verbenaceae family. The flowering plant is most commonly found in different states of the United States, namely Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Kansas, among many others. While it is native to most of the states, it has…
The four-flower yellow loosestrife, or Lysimachia quadrifolia, is a species of herbaceous plant in the Primulaceae family. It is indigenous to Canada and the eastern United States. An upright, branched form called Lysimachia quadriform grows to a maximum height of around 2 feet (0.61 m). It thrives on calcareous soils under moist to rainy circumstances….
Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) produces fantastic fruit and it is easy to grow. This berry bush provides a second pleasure: It is an ornamental beauty with beautiful colours throughout seasons. White flowers in the spring, dark green leaves thorugh seasons that transform into blackish purple berries with dark red leaves in the fall. Various jams and…
False Solomon’s Seal boasts beautiful white blossoms, scarlet fruit, and fragrant petals. It is native throughout North America. It grows from 30 to 75 cm tall and has light green alternating leaves and a zigzagging stem with a flower head or cluster of fruit at its tip, depending on the season. You might be interested…
Starry False Solomon’s Seal has attractive foilage, flowers, and berries that form a dense groundcover once established. The narrow oval-shaped leaves are about 3-12 cm long (2”-5”) and arranged alternately in 2 rows along the stem. A showy flower with bright white flowers and green, oval-shaped leaves that attract birds. It is paired well with…
Blue Cohosh is well-known for its effects as a female health supplement. Native Americans employed roots and flowers as herbal medicine to cure a variety of diseases and as a general tonic. Blue cohosh is thought to have actions comparable to those of the hormone oestrogen. It is a lovely wildflower with distinctive spherical blue…
Lanceleaf Tickseed is popular and ideal for the garden, outdoor pots and containers. It has bright yellow spring daisy-like blooms that bloom from spring to early summer on thin, upright stalks. This plant grows in grasslands and meadows. It grows quickly and thrives in a sunny, dry setting. Bees, birds and butterflies are drawn to them, all…
Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea) is an important early source of pollen and nectar for newly emerging bees and other insects. It is an early spring bloomer and its yellow colours can be stunning, especially when grown in clusters; they bloom for about a month. The stalks showcase pointy, toothed leaves that sport a deep green coloration….
Hydrangeas are hardy fellas that don’t require a whole lot of fuss. They produce beautiful flowers that form various shapes from large globes to pointy cones. And not only do the shapes vary, but their colours can range from white to shades of pinks, blues and purples. You’re likely familiar with the big, impressive blooms…
This beautiful woodland wildflower has showy, drooping, bell-like flowers that turn from red into yellow. Its lovely floral display, ease of growing, and overall charm make Red Columbine a great plant for the home garden. It is at its peak in spring when its dangling blooms offer ornamental interest and food for ruby-throated hummingbirds. Red…
The Passion Flower is listed as hardy in USDA hardiness zones 5-9; however, it may actually struggle in zone 5 and may not survive very cold winters. If you live below zone 6 you should plant Passion Flower in a sheltered area near a wall so and provide the roots with protection against the cold in the wintertime
Rhodora is a thin, erect-branched shrub that seldom grows taller than 3-4 feet. This small northern shrub has stunning blooms that appear before or alongside the leaves. Rhodora canadensis, also known as Canada rosebay, is a deciduous shrub native to northeastern North America and a member of the heath family. It is most commonly found…
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