Satisfying Salvia
By Ralph E. Mitchell Flowering varieties of Salvia are a gardener’s favorite as they provide a wide range of color and form. With colors from scarlet red to blue to white, in both annual and… Read More
Preparing for the next cold snap – just in case
By Ralph E. Mitchell While we had some fairly cold mornings recently, we have not had a damaging frost/freeze in our area for a few years. Not to jinx this topic by bringing it up,… Read More
The leopard plant – revisited
By Ralph E. Mitchell I went to Bok Tower Gardens late last year; I saw a few plants that rekindled my interest in their use in our area of Southwest Florida. Last January, I wrote… Read More
Perennial pentas perform year-round
By Ralph E. Mitchell If you like perennial plants that flower almost all-year round, you may be interested in pentas. Named after the Latin word for “five” due to the five-petalled flowers, pentas have bright… Read More
Needle palms – attractive, well-armed, native palms
By Ralph E. Mitchell There are many palms that grace our landscapes, and nothing is more appreciated than a cold-hardy type for those random cold winters that tests the mettle of some species. One attractive… Read More
Recently spotted – the yellow jacobinia
By Ralph E. Mitchell I visited Bok Tower Gardens late last year and spotted a patch of exotic-looking flowering plants in a shady nook. These plants were about six-feet tall and formed clumps of similar… Read More
A living Christmas tree
By Ralph E. Mitchell If you want a small “living” table-top Christmas tree for the Holidays, the Norfolk Island Pine will likely fit the bill. Easy to maintain for many years in a container, the… Read More
A holiday dream – the poinsettia
By Ralph E. Mitchell What seasonal plant better rings in the Holiday than the Poinsettia! Botanically known as the Eurphorbia pulcherrima, this holiday charmer has a rich history that equals its brilliant color. The Aztec’s… Read More
Gardening can be rosy
By Ralph E. Mitchell Many gardeners attempt to make roses a staple flowering shrub in their landscapes. The key to success is selection. Don’t get me wrong – roses can be challenging! However, if well… Read More
Now is the season for geraniums
By Ralph E. Mitchell Although associated with Memorial Day up north, garden centers are now full of geraniums and it is time to plant them here in Southwest Florida. Have you heard of ‘Red Express’,… Read More