Poppy flowers–members of the Papaver genus–are bright additions to the summer garden. Poppy flowers bear solitary or double cup-shaped flowers from 2 to 4 inches (5-10cm) across. Flowers often have a crepe-papery texture. Colors can be white, yellow, pink, red, orange, salmon, and purple. There are annual and perennial poppy flowers. Best known are the […] More
Primrose is a large genus of popular garden plants. There are at least 425 species of hardy and tender perennials commonly called primroses or primulas. Primroses are usually semi-evergreen. They produce rosettes of narrow to broadly rounded leaves and clusters of tubular, bell-shaped, or funnel-shaped flowers. The name primrose is believed to come from the […] More
Veronica, best known as speedwell, is a vigorous, easy-to-grow plant with a rich palette of colors including true blue, violet-blue, pink, and white. Veronica is a group of long-blooming annuals and perennials. Speedwells grow 12 to 36 inches tall depending on the species. They bear colorful 6- to 8-inch spikes of tiny flowers mostly in […] More
Mimulus–commonly called monkey flower–is a spreading perennial commonly grown as an annual. Mimulus produce dragon-like two-lipped flowers that cover the plant from summer to early fall. Flowers bloom in shades of red, pink, yellow, and orange. Flowers are often spotted with contrasting colors. The Mimulus genus includes about 150 species of annuals, perennials, and shrubs. […] More
English daisy — Bellis perennis—is an easy-to-grow, short-lived perennial commonly grown as a biennial or annual. It bears colorful small daisylike flowers atop rosettes of bright green leaves. English daisies are members of the Asteraceae family. Plants grow in tufts or with branching stems. The solitary daisy-like heads have yellow disks and white, pink, or […] More
Ice plant is the name given to several colorful low-growing plants often used as groundcovers—especially in mild winter regions, but also grown as houseplants in cold winter regions. These perennial plants are grown as summer-flowering annuals for window boxes and hanging baskets as well. Ice plants are commonly succulent perennials, subshrubs, or annuals. Almost all […] More
Gaillardias are short-lived perennials and annuals grown for their long-lasting brightly colored daisy-like flowers that appear from summer into early fall. Gaillardias bear single and double flowers in shades of red, red-orange, maroon, and yellow. There are about 30 species of Gaillardias. They are native to central and western North America. Most Gaillardias grown in […] More
Love-lies-bleeding, Amaranthus, is a heavy-looking plant with brilliant cascading flowers. The ropey, tassel-like flowers fall from the top of the plant. Blossoms last as long as 8 weeks. Love-lies-bleeding is easy to grow. The poorer the soil the more brilliant the foliage of amaranthus; soil too fertile will result in disappointing foliage. Amaranthus grows readily […] More
Centaurea cyanus–commonly called Bachelor’s button or cornflower–is a hardy annual and member of the Centaurea genus which includes dusty miller and mountain bluet. Bachelor’s-button is one of the most popular annuals with its bright blue tufted round blossoms. Centaurea cyanus is a bushy plant with grayish-green, lance-shaped leaves, and dense thistle-like flower heads. It grows […] More
Dianthus–commonly called garden pinks–are bushy upright plants with lance-shaped leaves and domed heads of sweet-scented flowers that bloom pink, red, burgundy, white, or bicolored in summer. Garden pinks are a mainstay of cottage garden beds. The term “pinks” is an archaic common name for the Dianthus species. There are many dianthus species. Three commonly grown […] More
Consolida–commonly called larkspur looks very much like delphinium; they are members of the same genus. Larkspur has spurred, delphinium-like flower stalks in pink, blue, or white rising above feathery, softly downy, mid-to-dark green leaves. Larkspur is a favorite choice for cottage gardens and annual borders. Larkspur is the name commonly applied to the annual species […] More
Lobularia–commonly called sweet alyssum–has fragrant white blooms from late spring to early fall. Sweet alyssum is a ground-hugging perennial, grown as an annual. It has narrow mid-green leaves and is considered invasive in some areas. Lobularia maritima is a perennial but is generally grown as an annual. The plants grow 4 to 10 inches tall. […] More
Stephen Albert