Penstemon Care

With around 100 Penstemon species to choose from, finding native, beautiful plants is easy. The throat is bright white which offers a stark contrast to the deeply colored outer edges.

The bright red penstemon flower lures hummingbirds with its long, narrow shape, and the hummingbirds feed and pollinate each flower. Other birds can only get nectar by feeding after the orioles have fed or by stealing nectar after piercing the flower.

All plants need some amount of sun to grow well. However, there are many plants, perennials, groundcovers and grasses that cannot tolerate the direct heat of the mid-afternoon sun.

As a native of Siberia, it is well suited for harsh winter climates. It has remained evergreen in my garden this year and provides additional interest with deep red stems. A native to eastern Canada and northeastern United States, Veronicas are hardy...

An intriguing species is yellow queen or golden columbine, Aquilegia chrysantha, a native of the southern Rockies with spectacular bright yellow tubular flowers.This snapdragon relative is also known as beardtongue or bearded tongue.

With feathery summer flowers and attractive fall and winter presence, this grass suits a variety of sites and conditions. For years it is has amazed visitors to the Denver Botanic Garden with its unique and airy plumes of pink flowers and seedheads.

It is used as a fast-growing annual vine in most of the United States and a tender perennial in warmer climates such as USDA horticultural zone 8 and warmer. There are several types of flowering plants that produce flowers similar to snapdragon flowers.Several...

I know so many people who have made flowers into a second career once they found out how wonderful gardening really is. Then there are the ornamental grasses adding height and texture here and there.

Had been to all the nurseries and garden centers within a 40-mile radius, searching for a particular petunia without success. If the plants are healthy, you can hardly go wrong with

Here are a few of my must-haves if you want to check them out for yourself: Origanum libanoticum (Cascading ornamental oregano) Agastache cana Rosita (Rosita Hummingbird mint) Three different Penstemons: Mersea Yellow, alamosensis and Tall Orange Mix...

Two favorites are purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) and black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta). When planning a wildlife habitat, employ organic practices. Plant foxglove, columbine, bleeding heart and penstemon to meet their needs.

Does that mean boring, thin-leaved, un-colorful plants to you? Well think again. Do you cringe at the word "xeriscape"? The display at these gardens provides a lesson for everyone, even if you don't live in a drought prone area.

Summer in the garden brings many wonderful visitors, including the most admired of them all: hummingbirds . Because ruby-throated hummingbirds breed here in Western Pennsylvania, they are by far the most common species in my garden, but some years I'm...

So many plant varieties grow in the United States that it would be a daunting task to learn all of their names. Perennials, shrubs, wildflowers and annuals all have scientific names derived from Greek or Latin, and they also have common names, some of...

And for a special treat, add a chocolate garden kiss and watch the butterflies come! Rudbeckia cultivars exhibit dark and light brown colors, perfect blends for a chocolate garden.

Basket of gold, also known as gold dust, grows up to a foot high and will blooms continuously from mid spring through early summer. Its dark blue blooms, which appear on tall stalks from mid-summer to early fall, are attractive to bees and butterflies.

This is one of the wonderful surprises in the native garden., Mexican Hats are the first step in any garden to so many wonderful, and at times rare, garden flowers. The three feet tall plants with violet to pink blooms will be attractive to many of your...

An added bonus: this practice is also an excellent way to quell cabin fever. Nothing's worse than realizing you've missed a prime opportunity to buy the perfect plant. You might want to create a garden-specific calendar, create a word document, or use...

There have been many articles written about starting seeds but I think that all of us can continue to learn. After transplanting I like to use a water-soluble 20-20-20 fertilizer at half strength.

You've only lived here for 3 years..."To the skeptics, I would reply that it is true I haven't lived here long, but I have lived and gardened in what might be the polar opposite climate (Houston, Texas) and know how different things can be; everything...

The fun we've had! We're planning new threads; one for our new babies... I was one of those newbies last year.The seeds are coming fast and furious and just as quickly are snapped up.

Cool-season greens, such as spinach and chard, can stay in place for winter salads, especially if you create a mini-greenhouse out of straw bales and window panes, or cover with hoops and clear plastic.