Projo Garden Blog

Licorice plant, an ornamental groundcover

This past summer I was introduced to a new species of licorice plants (in the genus helichrysum, family Asteraceae, with hundreds of species). They were planted as a low-growing groundcover along both sides of my front walk, partially covered by portulacas and torenias, hardly noticed by anyone.

Most people pay very little attention to non-flowering plants and trees. I believe it is human nature to be more attracted to flowers and multitude of colors than just the green. Perhaps that is why we so look forward to the autumn foliage and are unwilling to let it come to an end each and every year.

There have been several non-flowering plants in my garden, from ivy to ornamental grass and herbs...

6.27.02

...as well as ferns and dusty miller (The latter I grow for the beautiful lacy, greenish, silvery leaves -- I usually trim off the yellow flowers ).

Now, most flowers are gone but the licorice is thriving and expanding, with multiplied branches creeping along the cement walk. Their silvery leaves look just lovely, glistening in the bright sunlight.

Licorice plants are tender annuals and they will not last much longer as the temperature dips down further.

Each time I step outside.. I take a long look at the lovely, silvery shine on the leaves while reminding myself.. " Look thy last on all things lovely.."

11.18.09

American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)

The beautyberry is a relatively new shrub for me. I bought it from a local nursery in the early fall of 2007 after seeing the very unusual purple berries on the arching stems. I was told that the berries would get darker and stay on the branches well into winter.

There was not enough space in my front garden, so I planted the small shrub next to the azaleas at the upper level of my back garden. Last year the shrub was transferred to a bigger area further back at the lower level.

It appeared to like the new location and had grown both in height and width (now at least 4 x 4 ft.).

I enjoy the light pink blossoms during the summer before they gradually turn into bright, shiny, purple berries.

8.20.09

I have cut off several branches and removed the leaves to make some arrangements, showcasing the berries' unique color.

There are still lots of berries left on the plant.

11.16.09

I hope they will still be around when the snow arrives .. hopefully not so soon.

12.7.08

American beautyberry belongs in the family Verbenaceae, according to this website.

Daisies - for spring, summer and fall

Daisies are very popular white flowers in the family Asteraceae, with yellow centers that attract bees and butterflies.

Most of us think of Shasta daisies when we use the term daisies; they bloom in the spring and summer; some re-bloom in the fall.

11.9.09

Shasta daisy is a hybrid of the genus leucanthemum, created by an American botanist, horticulturist and a pioneer in agricultural science, Luther Burbank (1849 - 1926) supposedly because of "the clean white petals of this daisy reminded Burbank of the snow of Mount Shasta in California", according to the Perennial Plant Association which also named it as 2003 perennial plant of the year.

Shasta daisy has been part of my garden for many years. One year I even tried the ones with fringed petals but these did not come back the following year.

I planted Nippon daisies, also called Montauk daisies, three years ago both in the front and back garden.

These belong in the genus nipponanthemum. Their leaves are arranged differently and there are multiple flowers on one stem. Nippon daisies are fall flowers, with large blooms over beautiful green foliage; although they have yet to gain the popularity of Shasta daisies.

The burning bush ( Euonymus alatus )

It was the fall of 1989. While driving to Norwich, Conn., I saw beautiful, massive, red bushes along stretches of highway. I decided that I would like to have one.

A single, small burning bush was planted in the partly sunny area by my driveway. It grew and expanded rather quickly. Initially, I tried to make it into a topiary - in the shape of a peacock. However as years have gone by, it became more difficult to maintain the shape and its height.

I had to prune it down every few years to prevent it from taking up too much space needed for other ornamental plants, flowering annuals and perennials in my front garden.

I still get to enjoy the bright red color of the leaves and the orange fruits every year, especially around this time when most of the autumn foliage is gone.

Euonymus belongs in the family Celastraceae.

The burning bush carries biblical significance, as an object in the Book of Exodus at the location where Moses was appointed by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt into Canaan, according to Wikipedia. It is also the symbol of Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Canada, New Zealand and Taiwan.

Silene, the forgotten beauty

Silene was introduced to me in the spring of 2008. They were planted in the sunny area in my front garden, close to the ice plant, as a ground cover.

6.20.08

Silene flowers are very small, light and dainty-looking. The petals are deeply notched. The ones I had were in pale pink. There are about 500 species of silene and the flowers come in red, darker pink and white. It belongs in the family Caryophyllaceae and in the same genus as rose campion.

8.20.08

I have not seen Silene around at any local nurseries I frequented this year.

I had totally forgotten how much I had enjoyed silene's quiet, subtle beauty last year ... until just a few weeks ago when I happened to discover a couple of silene flowers blooming above the light green foliage at the same spot they were last year.

I brought some indoors the other day.

11.8.08

They looked lovely in the tiny vase.

11.9.09

It is my pleasure to share this little beauty with you.

The last rose

I took the picture of this yellow rose on a sunny afternoon, just yesterday. It's probably my last rose of the year.

There are fewer and fewer roses blooming in my garden as the temperature drops to low 40s.. .then low 30s at night time. A few buds are yet to bloom, but they may stay unopened in the freezing temperatures.

11.11.02

There were no roses in my garden during the first few of the 22 years of my gardening life. I never thought I would be capable of planting and caring for roses, which are known to be prone to aphids, powdery mildew, black spot and fungal disease.

I also did not have enough space with full sun, which is a prerequisite for growing roses. After the very large oak tree at the corner of my property was cut down and turned into a wooden sculpture in the early 90's; I gathered enough courage to grow roses.

I have tried all kind of roses -- tea rose, tree rose, climbing rose, groundcover rose and beach rose (rosa rugosa).

Most of my roses came from Jackson and Perkins. I have had many varieties of hybrid roses, i.e. Mr. Lincoln, French Perfume. Many of them died after a few years and had to be replaced. I believe the harsh winters in New England make it difficult for the roses to grow healthy unlike those grown in the warm and sunny climate.

I am willing to settle for fewer blooms and the need to replace and replant. Deadheading (cutting off the stem at the first 5-leaflet leaf after the flower died) is required to promote branching and flower production during the blooming period, as well as pruning and fertilizing.

The beauty and fragrance of each rose is worth all the work and effort I must put in.

The word rose came from a Latin word, rosa, which was borrowed from Greek, rhodion, according to Wikipedia. The genus rosa has more than 100 species in the family Rosaceae, with thousands of hybrids and cultivars.

The rose is a symbol of love and beauty.

It is the national flower of England and the United States and the state flower of Iowa, North Dakota, Georgia and New York.

Autumn joy sedum

Sedum is one of the herbaceous perennial flowering plants that requires zero care or maintenance. They are drought tolerant, supported by the nature of their succulent foliage.

9.24.06

Sedum is a very large genus of about 600 species in the family Crassulaceae, which includes Jade plant, Kalanchoe and Hens and Chicks.

Sedum, also called stonecrop, came from a Latin word, sedere, meaning "sit" as in sitting atop the stones, according to about.com:landscaping.

8.29.06

My sedums, both in the front rock garden and backyard, have been around for many years.

11.7.08

The flowers bloom in clusters from August to November, in many colors ranging from light to darker pink to reddish rust.

9.8.05

Sedum is considered a plant for all seasons. I leave most of the flowers to dry on the plants all through the winter months.

11.7.09

I also look forward to seeing their first fleshy leaves breaking through the ground, collecting water drops as early as March.

3.13.06

Sedum are suitable as cut flowers to be enjoyed indoors.

9.8.02

All the things you may not have known about Chrysanthemum!

Chrysanthemums are the most popular plants sold between August and November.

11.6.09

Chrysanthemums or the hardy mums contribute to varieties of colors in the garden more than any other flowering plants in the fall.

10.14.08

Chrysanthemum is a name of genus in Asteraceae family, which has about 30 species, many hybrids and thousands of cultivars.

According to the National Chrysanthemum Society (NCS), "the chrysanthemum bloom which appears as a single flower is actually hundreds of flowers called florets. Two kinds of florets are present in a single bloom, disk florets and ray florets. On a daisy type chrysanthemum the outer parts are ray florets and the center or eye is composed of disk florets". The bloom forms are classified into 13 classes.

10.30.08

The NCS was incorporated in 1954, claiming memberships in almost every state with local chapters (no R.I. chapter yet). They also hold an annual convention and show around mid-October or early November (the last one, the 66th , was held in Ashville, N.C. Oct. 15-18, 2009).

Chrysanthemum is November birth flower.

In the meaning of flowers, chrysanthemum symbolizes optimism and happiness.

Chrysanthemum was recognized as the official flower of the city of Chicago in 1961.

Chrysanthemums were first cultivated in China as a flowering herb in the 15th century BC, according to wikipedia, and later introduced into Japan where the Emperor adopted the flower as his official seal. There is a 'Festival of Happiness' held in Japan to celebrate the flowers.

The name Chrysanthemum was given by Linnaeus, from Greek words (chrysos = gold and anthemon = flower)

The chrysanthemum was used as a powerful antibiotic and antiseptic in traditional
Chinese medicines to treat angina and high blood pressure.

In Feng Shui, chrysanthemum brings laughter and happiness to the home.

Chrysanthemum plants have been shown to reduce indoor air pollution by the NASA Clean Air Study.

Chrysanthemum is the title of the classic short story, by John Steinbeck (1902 - 1968).. which included these passages...

"They'll grow fast and tall. Now remember this. In July tell her to cut them down, about eight inches from the ground."
"Before they bloom?" he asked.

"Yes, before they bloom." Her face was tight with eagerness. "They'll grow right up again. About the last of September the buds will start."

10.2.02

There are several chrysanthemum plants in my sunny front garden. The biggest one is by my front steps. Pinching the tips of the new growth made the plant full and bushy with more buds. Most of them have yet to fully bloom. This year it has grown to more than 4 feet in diameter. There are countless buds on them and I hope the blooming will continue for a few more weeks.

11.6.09

Gaillardia, Blanket flower

Gaillardia is in the same family as daisies and sunflowers (Asteraceae). It was named after M.Gaillard de Charentonneau, an 18th-century French magistrate.

I do not always have gaillardias in my garden every single year.

However this past spring I planted a few of them, both single and bi-color. I have enjoyed the blooms all through the summer and now the plants look even healthier with bigger flowers and many more buds yet to bloom.

Gaillardia flowers are very attractive with red, vibrant, ray petals. Blooming period is listed as May to September. Yet my blanket flowers continue to bloom well into November.

Like most flowering plants, they like full sun and occasional watering, although they are known to be drought tolerant. I usually add liquid fertilizer every 4 -6 weeks.

Gaillardia makes lovely fresh cut flowers.

Aster, the flower for fall

Aster, a flowering perennial in the Asteraceae family, is very hardy and almost care-free.

10.30.09

I have had mine in the front garden for many years and I can count on them to come back every year.

9.22.06

The flowers bloom in clusters, surrounded by small dark green leaves. I can always find several bees around the tall bush on any sunny fall day.

Aster prefers full sun and moist, well-drained soil. The blooming period is from August into fall, when most colorful summer flowers are fading away.

10.25.09

Aster comes from a Greek word meaning star, named for the shape of the flower head.

9.19.08

Aster is September birth flower.

According to the meaning of flowers, aster symbolizes love and daintiness.

Zinnia doesn't get enough attention

Zinnia is a genus of flowering plants named after a German botanist and physicist, Jahann Zinn (1727 -1759), and referred by Julia Brittain in The Plant Lover's Companion as "flamboyant Mexican flowers"; yet this beautiful flower has never received enough attention and respect!

Zinnia has also received the honor as Plant of the Year 2000 by the National Garden Bureau; yet most people tend to overlook zinnia, in comparison to let's say -- roses, tulips, dahlias or chrysanthemums.

I truly feel indebted to zinnia for adding colors and brightening my garden year after year. I cannot imagine a summer without zinnias. I prefer to start mine from small plants as I tend to have problems with seed-starting. They like full sun and occasional fertilization. The blooming period is all through the summer into early fall. I still have a few left but the flowers are getting smaller since the weather has turned quite cold in the past few weeks.

Zinnia is in the family Asteraceae. You can find many shades of red, pink, green, yellow, gold, orange; but never in blue. Once in a while I have been lucky enough to find the ones with bi-colors.

I have spent hours watching bees tip-toeing on the flowers, butterflies flittering from one flower to the next and even watching the praying mantis munching on the pollen. Thanks to zinnia, I get to observe these interesting creatures as I admire the unique beauty and richness of zinnia. One added bonus when compared with tulips, I do not have to worry about the squirrels disturbing or destroying the blooms.

According to the language of flowers, zinnia symbolizes "thoughts of absent friends."

My towering celosia

Celosia, a tender annual, is supposed to be about 1 to 3 feet tall.

8/05

The celosia in my yard is way beyond 6 feet already... and this is the third generation of celosia from the single plant I purchased at my first visit to the spring annual Southside Land Trust plant sale back in May 2007.

10.25.09

Celosia is grown in tropical Asia and parts of the world where the climate is warm. I have had them off and on over the years and most of them have their blooming period during the summer. However this very tall species is still thriving in the cold weather.

9/08

There are two types of celosia - one resembles a cock's comb, called cockscomb or woolflowers because of the wooly flower heads, and the other one is like a feather plume -- soft and fluffy.

I don't have much luck with cockscombs, but my feather ones are just beautiful -- tall, strong, healthy-looking and they keep on producing multiple offspring every year.

Late last fall a woman stopped the car in front of my yard to ask, "What's the name of that tree? Yes, my celosia looks more like a tree than a flowering plant. The main stem is at least 1½ inches in diameter at the base.

I usually bring some celosia indoors to enjoy them as cut flowers. They can also be dried to use in floral arrangements.

10.25.09

Celosia attracts bees. I left some flowers untouched to dry up and to become a precursor for the next generation celosia.

Celosia belongs in the Amaranthaceae family.

Blue-eyed daisy (osteospermum)

Osteospemum belongs in the Asteraceae family, which includes the sunflowers (helianthus) and blanket flowers (gaillardia). They have been part of my annual flower garden for many years. The daisy-like flowers have disc florets and ray florets.

The beautiful blueness on the disc of the flower head is prettiest on the purple flowers.

They are native of Africa and also know as African daisy.

In the early years, I had osteospermum in yellow and orange.

This year I put one in the ground quite early -- back in April. I planted a second one which I received on Mother's Day nearby. Both are doing well, blooming throughout the summer and are likely to continue on into November. These two also appeared to be enjoying the cold weather and the rain.

The light purple and deep purple flowers have become more popular in the past few years. Last fall I tried to keep one going indoors, but it died. Osteospermum needs a lot of sun, plenty of water and rich soil.

They also attract bees and small insects.

I'm now facing with a little dilemma - should I bring one or both indoors?

Osteospermum is considered a hardy plant, but not tough enough to withstand winter in the northeast. Perhaps I'll try again and if they don't survive, at least I'll get a chance to see the blue-eyed daisies a little longer.

My beautiful, my beautiful balloon

"Up, up and away... would you like to ride in my beautiful, my beautiful balloon..." the lyric from the Fifth Dimension's hit by Jimmy Webb came to mind almost every time I look at the blue balloon flowers before they open up.

I am always amazed to learn that a great number of people never saw the balloons and only made a cursory glance at those blue flowers after they are opened as star-shaped, bell-like flowers.

Balloon flower, Platycodon grandiflorus, in the family Campanulaceae is considered to be one of the easiest perennials to grow because it requires no special care.

8.5.03

Mine has to be one of the oldest perennial flowering plants in my garden. It has grown to at least 3 feet. I usually try to deadhead the flowers and trim down the tall flowering stems. I get second blooming in September and October.

There are a few more buds left on the plant at the corner of my front garden. I'll get to watch the balloons a little while longer before having to say goodbye to my last beautiful balloon of the year.

10.8.09

Japanese Anemone, the best fall flower?

I was surprised to read the following, "To say that the Japanese Anemone is one of the best fall flowers would be an understatement -- it is the best. Here is a plant and flower with real charm, refinement, and sophistication" on this website. ( I think most of us consider Chrysanthemum in all bright colors as the highlight flowers for the fall.)

I have always admired the Japanese anemone and tried to have them in my garden. I lost quite a few as they did not survive the winters, including this one with white flowers.

There is still one left that was planted 5 years ago with pale pink flowers; it has been getting bigger and taller and producing more flowers each year with a long blooming period from summer into late October.

8.27.05

This anemone is thriving in a partial sun in my backyard, surrounded by the thick groundcover, ajuga, which apparently helps protecting it during the cold winter. It has grown to about 3 feet.

10.8.09

Being in the backyard, it did not receive fertilization as often as the flowering plants in the front. Yet the blooms have been abundant with good size flowers. I'll remember to be more attentive to it next year.

10.8.09

Anemone belongs in the family Ranunculaceae. The meaning of anemone flower is forsaken or dying hope.