Weekend Gardener Archives

Meet the real holiday cacti and learn the easy way to keep them thriving

There is one thing we don’t have a lot of in my house and that’s houseplants. I have absolutely no reason why. I have had a pothos and a snake plant on my desk at work for many years. Of course, they are low maintenance and that’s true of ninety-nine percent of the plants in my landscape too. Now, we do buy several seasonal plants during the Christmas season. At the Campbell Road annual Christmas Open House every year we buy poinsettias, cyclamen and “holiday” cactus. Some people relish the thought of trying to sustain the life of the poinsettia and cyclamen; however, we buy these favorites every year to support our plant nursery friends and brighten up our home. They do a much better job of growing tropical plants than we do!… Continue Reading

Tending God’s earth: a journey of faith through gardening

I have always believed that God is in everything. There can be nothing on Earth to which this idea applies more than a garden. Don’t forget — one of God’s first creations was the Garden of Eden. George Bernard Shaw once wrote, “The best place to find God is in a garden.” For me, gardening has become a spiritual quest. I would like to say I have been a gardener all my life, but truthfully, I hated pulling weeds as a boy and never pursued working in God’s earth until I was unexpectedly thrown into hosting a radio gardening show more than four decades ago.… Continue Reading

This NC plant eats bugs for breakfast — and looks beautiful doing it

Most of us have seen or have some knowledge of the most iconic plant in the world: It’s the “Venus Flytrap”, which is native to a small area of southeastern North Carolina. One of its cousins, also a native to the “Tar Heel State”, is the venerable “Pitcher Plant”. It is also carnivorous and has an equally insatiable appetite for insects. This is another plant I don’t have in my landscape. I do need one after seeing the crop of the Purple Pitcher Plant at the North Carolina Botanical Gardens in Chapel Hill.… Continue Reading

Ironweed: The resilient perennial transforming North Carolina landscapes

We all want resilient plants for our landscape. Frankly we want something that is cost effective. A plant which fulfills that description and expectation is “Ironweed” (Vernonia noveboracensis). This seems to be the most common variety grown in North Carolina. Anne Clapp used to say: “A weed is a plant you don’t want in your yard,” but you definitely will want Ironweed! It is a popular and hardy herbaceous perennial that you’ll find in a lot of landscapes in North Carolina. Herbaceous means it does not have a woody stem and dies back to the ground after it flowers. By the way, “Ironweed” was named for the English botanist William Vernon who traveled extensively in the late 1600’s and early 1700’s.… Continue Reading

Witchy native shrub brings spring bottlebrush blooms and fiery fall color

If you have ever wanted to grow your own bottle brushes, then you have come to the right place. The Fothergilla latifolia or F. major or the Dwarf Fothergilla (gardenii) is what you have been looking for. It has another cool name: “Witch Alder.” Actually, this plant is not in the alder family, it just resembles the alder trees. The Fothergilla is actually kin to the Witch Hazel. This deciduous shrub has a lot more going for it than the characteristics of its leaves or the shape of its flower which is about 3 inches long. It is quite interesting with the curious-looking spring flowers that last 2 to 3 weeks and have a faint honey fragrance.… Continue Reading

Russian sage: Not from Russia, but perfect for NC gardens

I planted some Russian Sage (Salvia yangii) decades ago. Alas, I can’t remember when it faded into oblivion. It is really not native to Russia and hails from Central Asia, ie, Afghanistan, Tibet. The name derives from the genus of the plant which is “perovskia” and it was named for the Russian General V.A. Perovski in the 1800’s. I don’t know why, I suppose he was some sort of wise person or “sage”.… Continue Reading

Sweet autumn clematis charms, but NC experts say avoid it

I must say that I have rarely written an article about a plant I like but I don’t recommend for WPTF Weekend Gardener listeners. Sweet Autumn Clematis(Clematis teriflira) or Japanese Clematis is an exception. Sweet Autumn Clematis is actually in the Buttercup family. It does not act like one however. It is a master at spreading and surviving once its roots are established. It is very invasive and NC State doesn’t recommend that you plant this vine. The North Carolina Invasive Plant Council feels the same way. I don’t even know where you can buy this plant now. It is purported to be poisonous too. That being said, when I see it blooming in my yard and especially along the roadside in late August into September, I know fall is on the way and I love fall and winter.… Continue Reading

Red and black chokeberries thrive in North Carolina landscapes

Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) and Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) are versatile shrubs native to North Carolina. I have seen many of the red varieties, while black varieties have never shown up in my path. They are similar however, with obviously, the main difference, the color of the berries. In addition, the red has a more upright and slender shape preferring moist soil, while the black are more tolerant of various soil conditions. The berries of the black varieties usually drop in summer while the berries of the red varieties last until winter. Otherwise the two types are much alike. The flowers, of course, come in the spring and with the help of pollinators, make these small berries.… Continue Reading

Bottlebrush blooms, fall color make Clethra a versatile shrub

I have many different species of plants in my landscape. However, I do not own a “Clethra alnifolia” or “sweet pepper bush” or “summersweet”. I bet if I were to ask brother Rufus if he planted one in his historic yard, he would say yes. Clethra is a native plant to Eastern North America including North Carolina of course. My expert friends on the Weekend Gardener tell us that Clethra is a choice shrub for the Tar Heel state’s growing conditions.… Continue Reading

Find zen in your garden with zinnias

My mother-in-law, Jean Reeves, was smart, hard-working, industrious, caring and pretty. She loved gardening, and taught her equally pretty daughters about vegetables and flowers and how they co-exist in nature. When I fell in love with Melissa, I also fell in love with her parents’ extraordinary and expansive dairy farm. The vegetable garden was always spacious, pristine and yummy. Jean’s talent for growing flowers was equally as impressive. Her sizable zinnia garden was memorable for the vivid colors. I think a low flying plane would have flown around to get another look.… Continue Reading