Month: April 2013

Earlier this month, I had the privilege of visiting George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate in the beautiful State of Virginia. (I had not been there since 8th grade!)  This historic landmark was Washington's home as well as his resting place, and is the most visited historic home in America.  Over the years, it has been well preserved by The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association so tourists may come and learn history and marvel at its beauty. While there were many breathtaking structures…

I recently had the pleasure of visiting the NY Botanical Garden Orchid Show, where one plant seemed to stand out above the rest, and it's not even an orchid. Osa pulchra is a member of the coffee family Rubiaceae. Many other species of plants in the same coffee family possess trumpet-shaped flowers like Osa pulchra. However this plant has large, showy, trumpet-shaped flowers that are cotton-white against shiny green leaves. Unfortunately, however, it's also an extremely rare plant that's quite difficult to grow in…

Have you heard of the Cercis canadensis (Eastern Redbud) or Cercis chinensis (Chinese Redbud) before? These two medium to large sized plants bloom with bold pink/magenta-colored flowers that are a real treat to any garden or lawn. If you are looking for a colorful addition to your home's exterior, you simply can't go wrong with either of these choices. Here we'll take a closer look at both Cercis canadensis and Cercis chinensis, covering some…

Have you noticed water pooling up in areas of your garden after a good rain? This is an all-too-common problem that can lead to the destruction and downfall of an otherwise beautiful garden. These pools of water create the perfect breeding environment for bacteria and fungus to thrive, placing your plants at risk for both disease and drowning. In addition, excessive water can erode the soil, washing away all the long hours…