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Flowering & Foliage Plants

Fall Migration Is Around the Corner -- and Monarchs Need Our Help

Yesterday my Monarch Waystation certification and sign came in the mail; I now officially manage the 25,045th registered stopping point for Monarchs. When we get it mounted, it will be the fourth waystation sign in our larger neighborhood and the first one on our street. I’m hoping that some of my neighbors, especially the synthetic …

The Mid-Summer Garden

My flower gardens are at their peak. They’ve had plenty of spring rain to push lush growth and now the warmth of consistent sunny days is producing bloom after bloom. My hibiscus blossoms are as big as dinner plates, my bright red pentas are the delight of the local hummingbirds and butterflies are flocking to …

What's In Bloom Today?

Native to Missouri, Rose Mallows are beginning to bloom right now.       Rose mallows, like their cousins swamp mallows, are easily gown in average, moist to wet soils and are ideal rain garden plants. They bloom profusely in full sun, but can tolerate a very lightly shaded environment. Good air circulation is also …

Patience Is the Key To A Successful Butterfly Garden

One of my favorite things to do this summer is to quietly sit on my deck, watching dozens of butterflies floating through the yard enjoying the nectar buffet I’ve planted. This is the first year that I’ve had a steady stream of visitors and it feels like the time, effort and money I’ve put into …

Nightlife

I have a new favorite time of day. For years, the early morning hours, just as the sun was beginning to rise, was my magic hour. Everyone else was tucked in bed fast asleep; I could wander the yard at my own pace without feeling guilty that someone needed something from me RIGHT NOW.  Those …

What's in Bloom Today?

  The unusual native perennial, Indian Pinks, or Spigelia marilandica are at their peak bloom right now.     Glossy green leaves and brilliant scarlet blooms with bright yellow interiors and star shaped petals on the top grace this late spring/ early summer blooming native perennial. Indian Pinks prefer shade and grow in clumps in …

What’s In Bloom Today?

The pink Missouri Primrose is in bloom here in Kansas City.       This tough little native perennial, also known as pink ladies, eagerly rambles over tough terrain and rewards you with masses of fragrant flowers that begin as white blooms and gradually change to pink, blossoming profusely from early to mid-summer. This primrose loves the …

Go Native -- In Your Container Garden

I was bound and determined to get my patio pots planted last weekend. I had all ten of them cleaned and ready to be filled, my color scheme picked out and each placement imagined. I knew exactly how many would have to survive in the brutal midwestern sun and which ones would sit in complete …