I remember first using Bidens, also called beggar ticks and burr marigolds, over 25 yeas ago and appreciated it’s drought tolerance and heavy flower production (good for pollinators) despite its …

Technically Day 5 of my involvement with the California Spring Trials (CAST) was yesterday with visits to two sites.  I’m back home now after a brutal series of airport/plane mishaps …

The last full day of our travels around the California Spring Trials was well rewarded at three sites where we enjoyed seeing plenty of color and some fun new selections.  …

Day three of my excursion to the California Spring Trials (CAST) was jam packed full of fun stops and lots of plants like the Evening Scentsation™ petunia (Petunia) seen above at …

A nice shot of ‘Enduring Onyx’ begonia seen meeting with folks and sharing ideas (see Diane, Rick Grazzini, and myself this morning in the photo below).  We had a cloudy …

I again find  myself typing this blog after a full day seeing plant trials featured at the annuals California Spring Trials (CAST) event for 2019. I’m fading quickly so will …

Long day today with a 3:30 am bus shuttle from Janesville, WI to O’Hare Airport to fly to Los Angeles directly.  I joined a pre-arranged meet up with a crew …

I’m a huge fan of using lungworts (Pulmonaria sp.) in the garden and frequently recommend them for part shade and tough soils.  Native to Europe and West Asia, these perennials …

I’ve always appreciated the value of smokebush (also called smoke tree) out in the landscape as a solidly performing woody plant with plenty of “curb appeal”.  This blog includes many …

I’ve long admired the hummingbird mints (Agastache sp.) for their colorful and long lasting blooms throughout the summer.  Directly above and below is the variety Kudos™ ‘Coral’ (z5) and further …