Gloriosa Daisy A Little History and Some Growing Instructions The Gloriosa Daisy is a type of Black Eyed Susan that produces a much larger flower on stems 6-12 inched taller than the typical Black Eyed Susans. The flowers are often 4-5 inches in diameter with yellow petals or purplish-brown petals fading to yellow near the ends. The flowers are striking…
Gaillardia (Blanket Flower)
Gaillardia (Blanket Flower) – A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Gaillardia, also known as Blanket Flower or the Firewheel, is native to the Americas. The plant is a member of the Aster family which also includes daisies and sunflowers. Gaillardia were one of the more than 200 plant varieties catalogued and described by Lewis and Clark during their famous…
Foxglove (Digitalis)
Foxglove (Digitalis) A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Foxglove, also known as Digitalis, Fairy’s Gloves, Witches’ Fingers, and Fairy Thimbles is one of the most beloved of all garden flowers despite being poisonous, short lived and a brief bloomer. The plant is a biennial native to Europe, North Africa and Central Asia. The common name, Foxglove, refers to the…
Four O’ Clocks
Four O’ Clocks – A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Four O’ Clocks, also known as Marvel of Peru, False Jalap and Belle De Nuit, is native to the tropical Americas and was introduced into Spain and then England from Peru in the 1500’s. The name Marvel of Peru refers to the way in which people marvel when the…
Forget Me Not
Forget Me Not - A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Forget Me Not, also known as Scorpion Grass and a member of the Borage family, is a temperate climate perennial plant, which was originally native to Europe, Asia and North America. The common name, Forget Me Not, comes from a German legend about a knight who died trying to…
Evening Primrose
Evening Primrose A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Evening Primrose, also known as Sundrops, are hardy perennials which were discovered in North America and brought to Europe in the early 17th century where they quickly became a cottage garden favorite because of their showy yellow flowers which burst into bloom just as the sun was preparing to set. The…
Echinacea (Purple Coneflower)
Echinacea (Purple Coneflower) – A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Echinacea, also known as Purple Coneflower or the Sampson root, is a true American native and one of the hardiest perennials available. The plant was used medicinally by the Native Americans of the Great Plains more than any other herb. It was the Native Americans that discovered that the roots…
Dianthus Single
Dianthus Single – Pinks A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Dianthus Single or Pinks, a member of the Dianthus family, specifically Dianthus Plumarius, was introduced into England from Normandy around the year 1100. It was the Athenians that named the flower Dianthos, from the Greek words dios (devine) and anthos (flower). The flowers are smaller than those of the…
Dahlias
Dahlias – A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Dahlias are some of the showiest of all flowers. Dahlias originated in the central plateau and highlands of Mexico where even today, in August and September, the wild progenitors of this huge flower genus can be found blooming along highways, near cliffs, among boulders and on the slopes of the ancient volcanic…
Cosmos
Cosmos - A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Cosmos is a true American native being indigenous to the southwestern United States and Mexico. The name, Cosmos, comes from the Greek word meaning harmony or ordered universe. This is probably a reference to the ordered arrangement of the plant’s petals. The plant was grown by Spanish priests in their mission…