2019 Plants from the pink palette


Thu. Jan. 24, 2019

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  2019 plants from the pink palette

Last week I shared some lovey blue flowers for your gardens, today will pique your pink palette with new plants from Proven Winners…

It’s another Baptisia in the Decadence series, this one is ‘Pink Lemonade’ and it’s delicious!  Growing in full to part sun up to 4 feet tall, Soft yellow flowers appear atop deep blue-green foliage in spring.

The flowers age to dusty raspberry purply pink, showing both colors at the  … [Continue reading]

Enabling Gardens


Wed. Jan. 23, 2019

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Enabling Gardens

For me, there’s no better stress reliever than to go outside and play in the dirt.  (see yesterday’s GB!)

I love watching every moment of life in my yard. From my plants poking up through the cold Spring ground to the last hard frost of the season that takes them into winter slumber.   

I take for granted being able to take care of a garden. Then, several years ago, I was asked to give a talk  … [Continue reading]

Vegetable garden cost comparison


Tue. Jan. 22, 2019

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Vegetable garden cost comparison

I’ve talked about this many times before and continue to get the question…

Do you really save money planting your own vegetable garden?   That depends.  Things to consider:

  • how much effort will you put into creating your garden
  • how much you spend on seeds and/or plants
  • are you buying soil?  amendments?  fertilizer?
  • your time spent watering, weeding and harvesting
  • will you be building a raised bed
  • do you need to buy equipment

Your first  … [Continue reading]

A habanero that won’t set your lips on fire and a tomato called ‘Get Stuffed’


Mon. Jan. 21, 2019

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  A habanero that won’t set your lips on fire and a tomato called ‘Get Stuffed’

I’ve been talking about the All America Selection Winners but there are also plenty of new offerings that, while not winning a title, are part of the National Garden Bureaus 2019 list!  There’s a new habanero out there and it may be more palatable to those of us who don’t like our mouths and lips on fire! Habanero ‘Primero Red’ is one of  … [Continue reading]

Stretching your zone with a gorgeous grass for shade


Fri. Jan. 18, 2019

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Stretching your zone with a gorgeous grass for shade

Stretching your zone

As I was wandering through the perennials of the year, there’s a grass I just love but have been a little leery about planting it since i live in zone 4b and it’s a zone 5 rated plant.  Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’.

This lovely grass is great for shade.  It’s often used in Japanese gardens, where it originated. Variegated but nearly all yellow, the leaf blades  … [Continue reading]

2019 Perennial Plant of the Year


Thu. Jan. 17, 2019

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  2019 Perennial Plant of the Year

Since 1990, the Perennial Plant Association has chosen a “perennial of the year”. 

Perennials chosen are suitable for a wide range of growing climates, require low maintenance, have multiple-season interest, and are relatively pest/disease-free.  In other words, great for low maintenance gardeners!

Drum roll please………. the 2019 Perennial Plant of the Year or PPY is……   a Stachys named ‘Hummelo’!    

Hummel means bumblebee in German, so that should give you an indication  … [Continue reading]

2019 AAS winners – including a Viking!


Wed. Jan. 16, 2019

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  2019 AAS winners – including a Viking!

You know I love sharing the new year All America Selection Winners!  Well, after the lousy season the Minnesota Vikings had, I’m especially happy to share a this Viking winner.  It’s Begonia Viking™ XL Red on Chocolate

The AAS Judges were impressed with how the deep bronze/brown color stayed sharp and intense throughout the season, no matter where it grew; north, south, east or west. The compact plant is covered with  … [Continue reading]

Where in the www to find reliable plant info


Tue. Jan. 15, 2019

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Where in the www to find reliable plant info

Aside from right here at Garden Bite….  the Missouri Botanical Garden plant finder is one IMPRESSIVE website!

When your mouth is watering from all the plant catalog offerings and your eyes are wide with wonder at the new flora… it’s not a bad idea to do a little research on those plants.  Such as prunus persica ‘Contender’ from yesterday’s GB!  I looked it up and this link takes you  … [Continue reading]

Beets and Peaches


Mon. Jan. 14, 2019

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Beets and peaches

As I lingered over catalogs of plants cozied up in my chair with jammies, cold medicine (as you can hear from my voice!) and a cup of coffee I rediscovered a beet and a peach that I think are worth trying.  

‘Forono’ is an intrigue. It is a smooth, oblong variety of beet that is described as sugar sweet and easy to slice.  

‘Forono’ resists bolting and won’t go corky or soft if harvest is  … [Continue reading]

New meaning to Winter blues


Fri. Jan. 11, 2019

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  New meaning to Winter blues

Lift the blues with these blues!  There are plenty of hardy blue perennials for our cool climate!  Some lovely choices include a native called Amsonia. The cultivar is ‘Storm Cloud’.  

It’s a low-maintenance shrub-like delight that grows to about 36 inches tall and about 40 inches wide.  The leaves are a sort of olive green while the perwinkle flowers sit atop making it look like a cloud of blue.  Plant in sun  … [Continue reading]