Daylilies Explained: The Flower Taking Over Gardens Worldwide

Sempervivum: The Timeless Garden Guardian

 

Sempervivum, often called “hens and chicks,” is a hardy succulent steeped in folklore and resilience. Native to the mountains of southern Europe, particularly the Alps, Carpathians, and Pyrenees, Sempervivum gets its Latin name from semper (always) and vivum (living), a testament to its tenacity in poor soils and harsh climates. These plants formed green carpets on rocky roofs, dry stone walls, and churchyards, believed to ward off lightning and evil spirits—an old wives' tale that even Charlemagne reportedly took to heart, ordering them planted on every roof.

Beyond myth, Sempervivum offers practical beauty. Its rosettes range in color from silvery green to deep burgundy, often tinged by sun and season. Each "hen" sends out offsets—the “chicks”—spreading in tidy, low mats perfect for rock gardens, container arrangements, or edging paths. Drought-tolerant and deer-resistant, they thrive on neglect. Give them full sun, lean soil, and good drainage, and they’ll reward you for years without complaint. Water sparingly and avoid rich fertilizers, as too much pampering can lead to rot.

One little-known fact: Sempervivum is monocarpic—it blooms once, then dies. But don't mourn the mother rosette too long. Before her swan song, she sends out plenty of offspring to carry on her lineage. The star-shaped flowers, often pink or red, rise on tall stalks like a final salute to the sky. This curious lifecycle makes them an emblem of continuity and patience—ideal for gardeners who enjoy watching nature unfold in its own slow rhythm.

Sempervivum’s rustic charm, resilience, and low-maintenance needs make it a smart and soulful addition to any garden. Whether you're planting in alpine troughs, old teacups, stone steps, or roof tiles, these little survivors will find a way to flourish. Visit GoGardenNow.com to explore our curated collection of Sempervivum and let these ancient guardians bring enduring beauty to your garden. Let us know—where will your hens and chicks make their home?

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Delosperma Jewel of Desert Series 'Peridot' PP23566 - Dazzling Color for the Garden

Delosperma Jewel of Desert Series 'Peridot' PP23566, commonly known as Iceplant, is a hardy, low-maintenance perennial that brings dazzling color to any garden. This compact, mat-forming succulent features lush, green foliage that serves as a perfect ground cover, thriving in full sun and well-drained soil. Its starry, daisy-like flowers shine in a striking yellow-green hue with a golden center, creating a bright and cheerful display from spring through fall. Exceptionally long-blooming and drought-tolerant, 'Peridot' is perfect for rock gardens, borders, and container plantings, attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies while requiring minimal care.

If you're looking for a vibrant, low-water solution to enhance your garden, Delosperma Jewel of Desert 'Peridot' is the perfect choice! Its resilience against heat, poor soil, and even cold temperatures down to USDA Zone 5 makes it an excellent option for gardeners of all experience levels. Plus, it's deer-resistant and thrives in tough conditions, making it ideal for xeriscaping and low-maintenance landscapes. Add this stunning variety to your garden today and enjoy season-long color with virtually no effort—your outdoor space will thank you!

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Delosperma Jewel of Desert Series 'Opal' PP27056 - Exceptional Performance

Delosperma Jewel of Desert Series 'Opal' PP27056, commonly known as Iceplant, is a vigorous, drought-tolerant perennial that brings a stunning splash of color to gardens and landscapes. This low-growing succulent forms a dense mat of fleshy, green foliage, making it an excellent ground cover for sunny, dry areas. Its vibrant, daisy-like flowers display a mesmerizing blend of soft lavender-pink petals with a bright yellow center, creating an eye-catching contrast. Blooming profusely from spring through fall, 'Opal' provides continuous interest while attracting pollinators such as bees and butterflies. It thrives in full sun and well-drained soils, making it ideal for rock gardens, borders, and containers.

Highly resilient, Delosperma Jewel of Desert 'Opal' is exceptionally tolerant of heat, drought, and poor soils, making it a perfect choice for low-maintenance landscapes and xeriscaping. This variety is also deer-resistant and cold-hardy, capable of withstanding temperatures down to USDA Zone 5. Despite its delicate and colorful appearance, 'Opal' requires minimal care, making it a fantastic option for gardeners seeking long-lasting beauty with little effort. Whether planted in mass for a carpet of soft, glowing hues or used as a striking accent in mixed succulent plantings, this Iceplant delivers exceptional performance and visual appeal throughout the growing season.

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Ode to a Pink Chrysanthemum

Oh, blushing bloom of autumn’s grace,

Soft as dawn’s first whispered trace,

You rise where summer bids farewell,

A tender flame where cool winds swell.



Your petals, laced in rosy hue,

Unfurl like drops of morning dew,

Layered deep in silken streams,

A poet’s thought, a painter’s dream.



In fading light, you stand so bold,

A breath of warmth in autumn’s cold,

Your beauty sings in twilight’s glow,

A fleeting love the seasons know.



Oh, pink chrysanthemum, bright and true,

A final kiss of summer’s hue,

Through fleeting days, your petals shine,

A bloom of grace—so soft, so divine.

 

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DIanthus - Flower of the Gods

 

Dianthus are drought tolerant and fragrant plants that make a beautiful border or ground cover which attracts butterflies, resists disease, and deer don’t like them. You pretty much cannot go wrong with this plant.

The name, Dianthus, literally means "god flower". The name was given by the Greek botanist, Theopharastus. Modern gardeners agree it is simply divine. Dianthus blooms profusely with small, carnation-like flowers from spring into summer. Ours are drought tolerant, salt tolerant, cold hardy and heat tolerant.

 

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Yarrow - Her Sunshine Plays Upon Thee - THE VIDEO

Four Reasons Why You Should Grow Daylilies

Have you ever wondered whether you should grow daylilies? Here are four reasons why you should.

Daylilies have been cultivated for over four thousand years. That’s right. The plants we now know as daylilies were prized by Chinese people for medicine and food. It was not until they were imported into Europe around the 16^th century that they were grown for their ornamental value. They are now among the most popular of garden perennials worldwide for their beauty and low maintenance.

Each day brings something new. Though each flower lasts only one day, many more follow. The name – Hemerocallis – is the combination of two Greek words meaning “beautiful for a day.” The color palette used to be limited to yellow, orange, and red. Thanks to dedicated gardeners and plant breeders, available colors range from white, yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, vivid combinations, soothing pastels, and various color patterns. There’s always something fresh.

There are differences in sizes and forms. In addition to the vast range of eye-popping colors, daylilies come in many sizes and forms. There are tall ones, short ones, gigantic flowers, tiny flowers, ruffled and doubled blossoms. By carefully choosing from the many varieties, you can vary the height, color and texture in your perennial border.

Daylilies are easy to find, cultivate and propagate. If a friend has a few in her garden, you can simply ask for a division, stick in in your pocket and plant it at home. You can also purchase them online and in garden shops. Daylilies thrive in most soil types without fertilizer, insect or disease control. Don’t believe it? They can even be found growing in roadside ditches with no care whatsoever. They usually multiply each year forming clumps, so you can look forward to daylilies for many years. The daylily is the perfect perennial for every garden.

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Ditch lilies

 

Echinacea And Natural Immunity

 

For some reasons during the pandemic crisis du jour, the advantage of natural immunity seems largely ignored, or worse. That’s tragic. In our household, however, do what we can to build our immunity. In our view, we are responsible for our own health to the extent that we are able.

I start most days with a few squirts of liquid Echinacea (E. angustifolia, and E. purpurea) extract from fresh herbs. Echinacea (aka Coneflower) is native to eastern and central North America, and has been used for generations to improve health.

Here are a few snippets gleaned from Healthline.com:

“Native Americans have used it for centuries to treat various ailments.

“Today, it’s best known as an over-the-counter herbal remedy for the common cold or flu. However, it’s also used to treat pain, inflammation, migraines and other health issues.

“Both the plant’s upper parts and roots are used in tablets, tinctures, extracts and teas.

“Echinacea plants contain an impressive variety of active compounds, such as caffeic acid, alkamides, phenolic acids, rosmarinic acid, polyacetylenes and many more.

“In addition, studies have linked echinacea and their compounds to many health benefits, such as reduced inflammation, improved immunity and lower blood sugar levels.“

MedicalNewsToday says, “Echinacea plants contain a complex mix of active substances. Some of these compounds may have antimicrobial and antiviral properties, while others may support the immune system in other ways.

“Like many other plants, all types of Echinacea contain phenols. Phenols control the activity of a range of enzymes and cell receptors.

“They protect the plants from infections and ultraviolet radiation damage, and they may have beneficial antioxidant properties.”

But MNT includes the caveat, “Few scientific findings support the use of Echinacea in any treatment.” On the other hand, apparently some scientific findings DO support the use of Echinacea, we’re just not informed of them.

Being a native American plant, you’d expect Echinacea to be relatively easy to grow. So it is. A few years ago, I spotted a white variety of Echinacea purpurea thriving in the median strip of a street in Blacksburg, VA. If it’ll flourish there, it will probably grow in your garden.

For tips on planting and care, go to GoGardenNow.blogspot.com.

Also, check out Echinacea at GoGardenNow.com.

 

 

5 Bee-Friendly Perennials for Your Garden.

They’ll Grow Just About Anywhere!

Gardens and wildlife just seem to go together, sometimes too much so. (Deer and rabbits come immediately to mind.) Thoughts of flowers, birds and butterflies most often enter one’s head. But there are other creatures worth accommodating. I’m thinking of bees.

Why bees? 

Well, because they are very important. For example, bees are major contributors to the well-being of a host of living things by the not so simple act of pollination, which, by the way, they do by accident.

For many folks, “BEE” is synonymous with “honeybee.” But those aren’t the only ones that deserve attention. In fact, the common honey bee is not even native to North America. There are over 4000 species of native bees in the United States.  There are sweat bees, stingless bees, bumblebees, long-horned bees, cuckoo bees, leaf-cutter bees, carpenter bees, and a blueberry bee.

Bees could use our help.

Bees suffer from loss of habitat, mites, pesticides, wax moths, and colony collapse disorder. I doubt that any are actually in danger of extinction, though. (I expect someone will write to argue otherwise.) Still, it never hurts to be generous and help other creatures set upon by trials.

You can help in various ways, but some of the easiest and most obvious include the following:
    • Avoiding insecticide use when bees are present;
    • Providing nesting places, or leaving some plant litter around the garden so bees can find their own;
    • Providing a water source (Bees will line up around the edges of bird baths to drink.)
    • Providing lots and lots of flowers.

Bees LOVE flowers!

There are very few that bees will not visit. For some, any flowering weed will do. But there are some things that bees look for especially in a flower. These are:
    • Pollen
    • Nectar
    • Scent, even if imperceptible to us
    • Color (Bees especially like blue, purple, violet, white and yellow.)

With that in mind, here are five flowers for you to grow that bees love, and they’ll flourish almost anywhere.

Achillea

Achillea, commonly called Yarrow, is a perennial herb native to parts of Europe, Asia and North America.   Yarrow produces flat flower clusters in hues of red, pink, gold, yellow and white. Flowering begins in the spring and continues well into summer or even fall. Feathery, fern-like leaves are green or gray and have a fresh, spicy fragrance.  Yarrow is perfect for borders and naturalizing in mass plantings, fresh- and dried flower arrangements. It grows well in zones 3-8.

Coreopsis – known by the unflattering name of “tickseed” – is a bright-flowered plant with blossoms shaped like large asters. Color is mostly yellow, but there are some in pink shades, too. Maintenance is minimal. It’s a sunny summer flower that will lift your spirits. Coreopsis thrives in USDA climate zones 4-9.

Echinacea (Coneflower) is loved for its beautiful, showy flowers, and has been reputed for centuries to be an herbal remedy. It requires very little maintenance, too. Popular colors include pink and white. Echinacea is perfect for climate zones 3-8

Nepeta 'Blue Wonder'

Nepeta (Catmint), of course, is adored by cats and their servile humans, but bees go crazy around it, too. Catnip plants are wonderful for the herb garden. The alluring flowers and aroma are pleasing to all. Catmint colors include blue, blue and deeper blue. Though native to Europe, it is right at home anywhere in climate zones 3-9.

Rudbeckia (Black-Eye Susan) attracts bees, butterflies, and birds which love the seeds. All Black-Eyed Susans are reasonably drought-tolerant. They're especially suited to naturalizing, wildflower meadows, cutting gardens, wildlife gardens, native plant collections, heritage and cottage gardens. Colors are shades of yellow and orange. Rudbeckia is native to North America, and since there are very few states where it cannot be found, you know it’ll thrive in USDA climate zones 3-9.

“But”, you say, “I’m afraid of bees!”

That’s called melissophobia. Actually, though, you’re not so much afraid of bees as you are of bee stings. Am I right? Fear less. Bees are not interested in you. They only sting in self-defense or to protect their homes. As a former bee-keeper, I speak from personal experience. Many were the times I’d slowly approach the hives without protection of long sleeves, veil and gloves to sit and observe the wondrous little creatures. Some would fly up to inspect me. Sometimes another person would join me. So long as one of us didn’t thrash about, the bees would buzz off and go about their beesiness.
Think how much satisfaction you’ll feel with a garden full of flowers for the bees, knowing that you’ve done some good.

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National Garden Bureau Announces: 2019 is the Year of Salvia nemorosa!

National Garden Bureau (NGB) announces 2019 as the Year of Salvia nemorosa! Salvia nemorosa is a hardy salvia that thrives in most gardens. Popular varieties you might have heard of include ‘Mainacht’ (MayNight), ‘Caradonna’ and ‘Ostfriesland’ (East Friesland). Those are all great selections, but new ones are now available. Look for ‘New Dimension’, ‘Bordeau’ ‘Salute’, ‘Swifty’, the Fashionista™ series and Salvia ‘Blue by You’.

In addition to the article by NGB, you should also read my article, The Saving Graces of Sage, for lots of great info.

Have you grown salvia in your garden? Plan to? We'd love to hear what you have to say about it. Tell us in the comment section.

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Be Careful How You Hold This Tongue

Cow's Tongue Cactus (Opuntia engelmannii var. linguiformis)

“The best time for you to hold your tongue is the time you feel you must say something or bust.” 

― Josh Billings, American humorist. 1818-1885

Well, I've got to tell you right now about Cow's Tongue Cactus (Opuntia engelmannii var. linguiformis). It's practically surreal in appearance. Its stark, long, tapered pads stretch upward and out like they're reaching for something to lick. If you were to feel its stinging lap on your flesh, you'd quickly withdraw. The pads are covered with spines. Some are long and obvious. Others are fine and barely noticeable, but even those can irritate your skin mightily.

So, you might ask yourself, "Self, what good is a plant like that? Why would anyone want it in their garden?" There are several reasons.

The first is for its sculptural appearance. The fleshy texture and bizarre appearance add a very artistic feature to the landscape. It's useful alone as a specimen plant or among others in a desert-theme garden. The bright yellow flowers of spring and ornamental purple fruits of fall lend a decorative touch.

The second is for its drought tolerance. If you reside in an arid part of the country, or just want to reduce your water bill, Cow's Tongue Cactus is for you. It thrives in poor, sandy soil, too.

The third is for its botanical significance. Cow's Tongue Cactus, like other Prickly Pear cacti, is native to the Americas - specifically Texas. Native plant enthusiasts and cacti/succulent collectors should include it among their selections.

Opuntia engelmannii var. linguiformis also honors history in its name. Linguiformis means "tongue-shaped." The genus, Opuntia, refers to a region in ancient Greece, Opus, where cacti were commonly grown. The species, engelmannii, recognizes George Engelmann. Engelmann (1809-1884) was a German-American botanist who studied native plants of the western frontier. His correspondence with fellow botanist, Ferdinand Lindheimer (1801-1879), is well-known.

As a matter of fact, it's worth mentioning here that this species is sometimes identified as Opuntia lindheimerii var., linguiformis. Lindheimer lived and worked in Texas. His collection of letters to Engelmann, A Life Among the Texas Flora (edited by Minetta Altgelt Goyne), is a classic.

Cow's Tongue Cactus

The fourth reason is for its use as a barrier. This is not one of those hedges you have to prune occasionally to keep up appearances. It manages quite well on its own without becoming unkempt. Believe me, intruders will think twice before trying to trespass. Cow's Tongue Cactus should be in your homeland security arsenal.

The fifth is for its edibility. Yes! You can eat it! The young, fleshy pads can be stripped of their spines, sliced and sauteed. The purple fruits, stripped of their spines, can be cooked to render a delicious, dark burgundy juice for syrups and other desserts.

Cow's Tongue Cactus is easy to propagate. Simply break off a few pads - with gloved hands, of course. Drop them onto a prepared site, and leave them undisturbed to root. A nice little colony will develop within a couple of seasons.

Here are a few tips for growing it.

Bloom Color: Yellow

Bloom Time: Spring

Foliage: Thick, fleshy, tongue-shaped pads

Height/Spread: 4' average height. Plant 6' to 8' apart.

Climate Zones: 8, 9, 10, 11.

Sun Exposure: Full sun

Soil Condition: Well-drained, sandy. Do not over-water. pH 6.1 to 7.8

Features: Sculptural foliage, yellow flowers, purple pear-shaped fruit.

Uses: Xeriscaping, native plant collections, cacti/succulent collections, desert- and Southwestern-themed gardens, edible gardens, barrier hedges.

Have you used Cow's Tongue Cactus (Opuntia engelmannii var. linguiformis) in your garden? Have you seen it in botanical gardens or plant collections? Tell us about it in the comment section. We'd love to hear from you!

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Make Your Garden Sing with 'Pop Star™'

Platycodon grandiflorus 'Pop Star™' - Image courtesy of National Garden Bureau

As I mentioned a few days ago, you can thank National Garden Bureau for many of the wonderful plants in your garden. Folks at the NGB in cooperation with various growers, test gardens and gardeners are always on the hunt for exciting new introductions. This is another I'll highlight.

'Popstar™' is a great new variety of Platycodon grandiflorus. Translated literally, it means "broad bell with large flowers." The species also goes by the names Campanula grandiflora,  Campanula glauca, and Platycodon glaucus. Common names include Balloon Flower, Chinese Bellflower, and Japanese Bellflower.

Platycodon belongs to the family Campanulacaea, but is the only species in its genus. It's native to East Asia including Japan, Korea, China and parts of Russia.

Here are some growing tips:

Bloom Color: White, pink and blue.

Bloom Time: Repeatedly throughout the growing season.

Foliage: Herbaceous, blue-green color.

Height/Spread: Under 12 inches. Space 6" to 8" apart.

Climate Zones: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Some gardeners have success in zone 9.

Sun Exposure: Full sun

Soil Condition: Rich, well-drained. Do not over-water. pH 5.6 to 7.5

Features: Compact habit, abundance of flowers, heat tolerant, rain and wind tolerant. Can be grown from seed if started indoors. Germinates in approximately 90 days.

Uses: Massed planting, perennial and mixed borders, container gardens, indoor containers.

Comments: ''Pop Star™" is set for release in 2019. National Garden Bureau comments, "Your kids may not remember 'Platycodon', but they will remember the name Pop Star™ because the balloon-like buds 'pop' into beautiful star shaped flowers. Hardy in Zones 3-8, this platycodon is earlier, more compact and better branching than others on the market. That means more huge flowers! Wow your neighbors with Platycodon Pop Star™! Available in 3 clean colors- Pink, white, and blue."

Have you used Platycodon in your garden? Tell us about it in the comment section. We'd love to hear from you!

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How I Like Claret Cup Cactus

"How I like claret!" gushed John Keats. He meant, of course, the red wine from Bordeaux. But I'm fond of another - Claret Cup Cactus.

Its botanical name is Echinocereus triglochidiatus. Echino refers to its hedgehog-like spines. Cereus describes the funnel-shaped structure in the center of the flower. Triglochidiatus refers to its three-pointed fruit. But none of that adequately describes the simple beauty of this little creature.

Claret Cup produces eye-popping red flowers in spring. The long, white spines will pierce your skin any time of year, but are starkly beautiful - at least to my mind. Though rather small, it will stop you in your tracks when you happen upon it.

Claret Cup is native to the American Southwest, so it will be a perfect addition to a native cactus and succulent collection. Don't be digging it up in the wild. I believe it's legally protected in the State of Nevada, but even if it weren't, indiscriminate collecting can easily lead to endangerment.

I highly recommend Claret Cup for your cactus collection.

Name(s): Echinocereus triglochidiatus, Claret Cup Cactus, Strawberry Cactus, Crimson Hedgehog Cactus

Flower Color: Deep red to orange-red

Bloom Time: Mid-Spring

Foliage: Evergreen, sharp, spiny.

Height/Spread: 12 inches x 24 inches.

Climate Zones: 8, 9, 10, 11

Sun Exposure: Full sun

Soil Condition: Well-drained to dry, average to poor, pH 6.1 to 7.8

Features: Drought tolerant, deer resistant.

Uses: Xeriscaping, massed planting, naturalizing, desert gardens, native plant collections, container gardens, cacti and succulent collections, borders, "homeland security."

Comments:  Handle with care!

I'd like to know your thoughts on Claret Cup. Have you grown it? Do you use it in your landscape or as a container plant? Tell us about your experience with Claret Cup in the comment section. If you have any suggestions that might help our readers, please let us know.

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Sharp Like A Dagger - Agave lechuguilla

Shin-dagger (Agave lechuguilla)

During a recent trip to the American Southwest, I found Shin-dagger. Not by accident, thankfully. It immediately occurred to me, however, that Shin-dagger is one for the books.

Shin-dagger - aka Agave lechuguilla - is similar in many respects to its larger relative, Agave americana, also known as Century Plant. R-E-S-P-E-C-T is the key word, and not just a little bit. It's smaller than the Century Plant but every bit as formidable. It throws up a magnificent, tall flower spike ONCE during its decade-long life, then dies. It thrives in hot, dry environments. It is (or was) quite useful to American Indians as a source of fiber - maybe for tequilla, too, but I don't know that for certain.

Another plus for Shin-dagger is that it requires practically no maintenance, and that's a good thing since working around it can be somewhat hazardous to your flesh. Those sharp spines also make it a perfect choice as a serious discouragement to trespassers, especially of the two-footed persuasion. As for four-legged species, it lacks gastronomic appeal. Deer, for example, won't eat it.

Keep in mind that "formidable" doesn't have to mean "ugly." As with many cacti and succulents, it is very appealing, form-wise. So are the flowers.

So, if these traits fit your bill, by all means include several Shin-daggers in your landscape.

Name(s): Agave lechuguilla, Agave poselgeri, Agave multilineata, Agave lophantha var.tamaulipasana, Agave lophantha var. subcanescens, Agave lophantha var. poselgeri, Shin-dagger, Lechuguilla, Tampico Fiber

Flower Color: Red to yellow

Bloom Time: Early spring to mid-Spring

Foliage: Evergreen, succulent, gray-green, sharp, spiny.

Height/Spread: 24 inches x 24 inches.

Climate Zones: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

Sun Exposure: Full sun

Soil Condition: Well-drained to dry, sandy, average to poor, pH 6.1 to 7.8

Features: Drought tolerant, deer resistant, disease and pest resistant. Poor drainage may lead to root rot.

Uses: Xeriscaping, massed planting, naturalizing, desert gardens, native plant collections, cacti and succulent collections, borders, "homeland security."

Comments: Shin-dagger flowers once at about 10 to 15 years of age, then dies. The stately flower stalk can reach to 12' high. In the meantime, small shoots are produced at the base of the plant. These may be separated and planted elsewhere. Leaf edges are very sharp. Handle with care!

I'd like to know your thoughts on Shin-dagger. Have you grown it? Run into it? Tell us about your experience with Shin-dagger in the comment section.

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Better Homes and Gardens Recommends Hardy Mums for Autumn Color

'Sheffield Pink'

Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, in the October 2018 issue, published a wonderful article on Hardy Mums. BHG.com is a fine source for garden info! I was delighted to see that the variety 'Sheffield Pink' was included in the lineup.

'Sheffield Pink' - aka 'Hillside Sheffield Pink' and 'Single Apricot' - is not one of those bloomin' mounds you see offered at so many garden shops and 'big box' stores this time of year. It is, in fact, a stunning perennial more like the carefree, heirloom mums you'd see in grandmother's garden.

There are hundreds of chrysanthemum flower types, sizes, colors and habits. Some, like the show quality types, can be tender and difficult to grow. Others are quite hardy and simple. Most gardeners stick to the hardy types, and that's what you should do. Why work so hard when you don't have to?

The name, Chrysanthemum, was given by Carolus Linnaeus sometime in the 17th century. As with many plants, taxonomists seem always to be trying to sort out matters. So the genus has been split into two or more, and species have been added and shifted between genera. Some of those genera include Arctanthemum, Argyranthemum, Dendanthrema, Glebionis, Leucanthemopsis, Leucanthemum, Rhodanthemum, and Tanacetum. 'Sheffield Pink' is labeled as Dendanthrema about as often as Chryanthemum, so don't let the name confuse you.

'Sheffield Pink' thrives in USDA climate zones 5 to 9. If you live in one of those zones - most of us do - you're in luck! 'Sheffield Pink' should thrive for you.

'Sheffield Pink' requires at least 5 hours of full sun per day, particularly during the morning, because humidity and lingering moisture can encourage mildew. For the same reason, good air circulation and soil drainage are essential.

Choose a site with average, well-drained garden soil with pH ranging from 5.6 to 7.5. Take a soil sample to your nearest Cooperative Extension Office for analysis. You will be charged a nominal fee. Follow the recommendations you'll receive.

It is best to plant 'Sheffield Pink' in spring or fall about 6 weeks before hot or freezing weather commences. Can it be planted any other time of year? Certainly! Just make sure you can provide sufficient water if you choose to plant during summer. Even though it is drought-tolerant when established, don't take off on vacation and leave your newly planted perennials at the mercy of the weather.

If soil is compacted, prepare the planting bed by cultivating at least 8 inches deep, removing all traces of weeds.  If the soil is high in organic matter and friable, it may not require cultivation.  Compost may be incorporated into the soil, if necessary.  Incorporate 10-10-10 fertilizer at a rate of no more 2 lbs. per 100 square feet into the top 4 inches to 6 inches of soil. Avoid synthetic fertilizers contacting any part of your plants.

Space the plants between 18 inches to 24 inches apart. Dig planting holes into the cultivated soil a little less deep than the depth of the growing container. Place the plants into the holes and back-fill, watering as you go. Press soil around the root balls. Do not cover entirely the root balls with soil. The tops should be slightly exposed. Add a top-dressing of mulch around the plants, not on top of them, about 1 inch deep.

After a few years, 'Sheffield Pink' should be divided. In spring, when danger of frost is past, dig the clumps and cut or pull them apart. Older, worn out parts should be cut off and discarded. Incorporate organic matter into the soil. Plant the renovated clumps at the same level they grew before. Water them in, and add mulch. A little renovation every 3 to 5 years will reward you with many seasons of pleasure.

In addition to its beauty, 'Sheffield Pink' is a wonderful addition to the butterfly garden! 

If you've grown 'Sheffield Pink' or any other hardy mum, we'd love to hear from you. How has it performed for you? Do you have pictures you'd like to share with us? Please let us know in the comment section below.

If you'd like to read more about hardy mums, check out our other blog post - How To Grow Hardy Chrysanthemums in Your Yard.

Return to 'Sheffield Pink' at goGardenNow.com.

Kwanso Daylilies Still Blooming

It's September 28 and the Kwanso daylilies are still in bloom.

Return to Daylilies at GoGardenNow.com.

Sheep's Fescue - A Natural Beauty

Ah! Consider the pastoral life of sheep, wandering wherever they may and ruminating on the beauties of nature – mostly the grass.

Unfortunately, many people don’t think often about the beauty of grass except in lawns and golf courses. Gardeners are discovering, however, that hundreds of grass species stand out as ornamental beauties.

Sheep’s Fescue (Festuca ovina var. glauca) is one of them. It is native to many parts of Europe and Asia. I’ve but one inkling of why it was called Sheep’s Fescue; sheep seemed to like it.

The most common form is green. Leaf blades are stiff, wiry, and grow in dense, evergreen clumps six inches to twelve inches tall. The flowers are white, light and graceful. Sheep’s Fescue became most popular, however, when blue-bladed forms were discovered.

Sheep’s Fescue is popular with gardeners because:

• It’s beautiful;
• It thrives in USDA climate zones 4 through 10;
• It grows in full sun or partial shade;
• It’s drought-tolerant;
• It grows in poor soil;
• It requires very little maintenance.

Consequently, it is perfect for xeriscaping, massed planting as ground cover, low borders, accent planting, edging and container gardens. You can’t say all that about your typical lawn grass.

With lovely plantings of low-maintenance Sheep’s Fescue, you might find yourself ruminating more on the beauties of nature.

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Spring Cinquefoil (Potentilla neumanniana): Is it 'sink' or is it 'sank'?

Spring cinquefoil (pronounced "sink-foil", or "sank-foil" if you prefer French), might be barely noticed if not in bloom and trodden underfoot. Its relative, the rose, has inspired volumes of poetry. But, so far as I know, cinquefoil has inspired only two poems and one piece of music.

Potentilla neumanniana 'Nana' - Spring cinquefoil

One poem is Mysteries by Jack Sanders in which he wondered:

 The bigger question does remain:
How you pronounce that funny name?
Does it ‘sink’ or does it ‘sank’
As it wanders up the bank?

The other is The Cinquefoil (An Impotent Rose), a parody of Edna Saint Vincent Millay by Sinfull, nom de plume of Terri Turrell.

The music is Little Flowers Op.205 No.5 Cinquefoil by Cornelius Gurlitt (1820-1901). Perhaps you remember it from your days as a young piano student.



There are over 300 species of cinquefoil. My subject is Potentilla neumanniana 'Nana', also known as Potentilla tabernaemontani, Potentilla verna or Potentilla crantzii. 

Potentilla was named by Heinrich Gottlieb Ludwig Reichenbach (January 8, 1793 - March 17, 1879), a German botanist and ornithologist. Potentilla refers to powerful medicinal properties possessed by members of the genus, as noted in Sauer's Herbal and Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs. Neumanniana was given probably to honor either Henri François Joseph Neumann (1899-1858), or Louis Neumann (1827-1903). Both were botanists and horticulturists at the Jardin des Plantes in Paris. I'm guessing the elder was honored. 'Nana' differentiates the dwarf form from the common species.

Spring cinquefoil is native to North America and Greenland, known to thrive from the northernmost regions of eastern Canada to Massachusetts and Connecticut. It is reliably hardy to USDA climate zone 8, yet it has been successfully grown as far south as zone 10.

Upon seeing it for the first time, you might mistake it for Appalachian Barren Strawberry (Waldsteinia fragaroides), or another of the Waldsteinia species. They have strawberry-like leaves and yellow flowers. To add to the confusion, spring cinquefoil is also commonly called "barren strawberry." But Walsteinias are identified by three leaflets. Potentillas have five, thus the name "cinquefoil."

Dwarf spring cinquefoil grows about 6 inches high and spreads to 12 inches. Fragrant foliage is evergreen. Loads of bright yellow flowers appear in spring, making quite a show.

Plant it in average, well-drained loamy soil with pH ranging from 6.1 to 7.8. The site should be exposed to full sun or partial shade. Space young plants 12 inches to 15 inches apart. Take care not to overwater.

Dwarf spring cinquefoil is a marvelous ground cover for alpine and rock gardens, especially in bulb gardens where you need something to hide old bulb foliage and crowns. Grow it in container gardens as an underplanting. Tuck cinquefoil in stone walls and between stepping stones.

Potentilla neumanniana 'Nana' spreads readily, making a fine lawn grass substitute, even in areas that receive a little foot traffic. You can trim spring cinquefoil with your lawn mower. Set your mower at a high position.

Need something to plant on that slope? No matter how you pronounce it, you'll love your spring cinquefoil as it wanders up the bank.

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Stoke's Aster - A Sensible Plant Named For A Lunartick

Stokesia laevis (Stoke's Aster)

Stokesia laevis, also known as Carthamus laevis, Stoke's Aster and Cornflower Aster, is an heirloom plant you may remember seeing in your grandmother's garden. Many hard-working women of yesteryear had no time for fussy flowers. Today's overwhelmed gardeners aren't much different. Perhaps that's why Stoke's Aster was and is so popular. It's a beautiful, sensible, low maintenance plant.

According to the USDA PLANTS database, Stoke's Aster is native to the southeastern United States, generally found growing in the coastal plain. Native plants are perfectly suited to their environments. That's why they're native. Ubiquitous native plants are ignored. Undesirable native plants are called "weeds." Attractive native plants are called "ornamentals", collected and transplanted to gardens. Perhaps that explains why Stoke's Aster ended up in my grandmothers' flower beds.

Stokesia (pronounced "sto-KEES-ee-ah") was named for Dr. Jonathan Stokes (c. 1755 - 1831). Stokes was an English physician and botanist. Historically, physicians tended to be botanists because doctors relied on plants for their medicinal qualities. They usually corresponded with others about their findings, and often published them. This was the case with Dr. Stokes.

As a member of the original Lunar Society, Stokes often met and corresponded with fellows to discuss science, philosophy and whatever else mattered. Apparently, the Lunar Society was so-named because the members met at night under the full moon. The moonlight made nocturnal travels easier. Eventually, the members were known as "lunarticks", an appellation they merrily embraced. Their convivial society was beneficial personally and professionally.

Jonathan Stokes published books on botany including A Botanical Materia Medica: Consisting of the Generic and Specific Characters of the Plants Used in Medicine and Diet, with Synonyms, and References to Medical Authors (1812) and Botanical Commentaries (1830). Botanical Commentaries would be most interesting to the layman.

Stokesia flowers appear from spring to fall. They're about 3 inches in diameter and usually purple, though colors may range to pinkish and nearly white. They are borne on strong stems. They're long-lasting, too.

Foliage is herbaceous. The plant rosette may remain green during winter months in warmer climates. Leaf surfaces are smooth. Plants grow to 12 inches height and spread from 12 to 15 inches.

Stoke's Aster is hardy in USDA climate zones 5 through 10. They thrive in full sun to partial shade, but flowering is most profuse in full sun. Plant in well-drained, loamy to sandy loam soil with pH ranging from 5.6 to 7.5. Take a soil sample to your local Cooperative Extension Office for analysis. If stokesias fail, the problem can usually be traced to poor drainage or too little sun exposure.

Stokesia laevis is best known for colorful, long-lasting flowers. In addition, the flowers attract butterflies. Plants are deer-resistant, drought-tolerant and somewhat salt-tolerant.

Stoke's Aster, a perennial plant, is well-suited to garden borders, butterfly gardens, cut flower gardens and xeriscaping.

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