Plants
Pages in the “plants” menu.
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Arabis blepharophylla
Published by Brian Wagner on 11/6/25 in “Growing Flowers from Seed.” Arabis blepharophylla (commonly known as coast rock cress) is a rare wildflower endemic to California, especially known for its low-growing rosettes and showy magenta/purple flowers. It is adapted to serpentile soils (i.e., soils derived from ultramafic rocks, especially serpentinite – and which is very difficult for most
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Aubrieta x cultorum
Published by Brian Wagner on 11/7/25 in “Growing Flowers from Seed.” Aubrieta x cultorum (commonly called garden aubrieta) is a hybrid species within the Brassicaceae family, created primarily from Aubrieta deltoidea and related southeastern European species. It’s among the earliest spring-flowering rock garden perennials, known for its cascading mats of violet, pink, or magenta blooms that spill over
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Atropa bella-donna
Published by Brian Wagner on 11/11/25 in “Growing Flowers from Seed.” Once used by women in medieval times to dilate their pupils, Atropa bella-donna (commonly called deadly nightshade) is an herbaceous perennial native to Europe and the Caucasus region. Its flowers and glossy black berries are beautiful but deadly – all parts of the plant are very
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Geranium maculatum
Published by Brian Wagner on 11/8/25 in “Growing Flowers from Seed.” Geranium maculatum (commonly called wild geranium) is a tough perennial for almost any garden setting. Native to hardwood deciduous forests of eastern United States and southern Canada, it is hardy to Zone 3, and will flower even in the shade. Be warned, however: it can
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Cerastium tomentosum
Published by Brian Wagner on 11/10/25 in “Growing Flowers from Seed.” Cerastium tomentosum (commonly called snow-in-summer) is a member of the Caryophyllaceae (pinks) family and is an alpine perennial hardy to Zone 3. Native to the mountains of Europe (especially France and Italy), it is often called Snow-In-Summer because its springtime flowering produces a vast mat
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Verbena officinalis
Published by Brian Wagner on 11/6/25 in “Growing Flowers from Seed.” Verbena officinalis (commonly called vervain) is a short-lived perennial (or biennial) native to Europe and hardy to Zone 5, providing wonderfully delicate pink flowers in summer. It used to be referred to as an ‘herb of grace’ and has been cultivated for many centuries. Unlike
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Erigeron karvinskianus
Published by Brian Wagner on 11/12/25 in “Growing Flowers from Seed.” Erigeron karvinskianus (commonly called Mexican Fleabane) is a cherished perennial in mild climates, providing thousands of small white and pink daisies from spring through autumn. Hardy to Zone 8, it was originally native to Central America, especially in Mexico and Guatemala. Today, it has become
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Echinacea purpurea
Published by Brian Wagner on 11/7/25 in “Growing Flowers from Seed.” Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench (also called purple coneflower) is one of the most popular perennial flowers in gardens across North America and Europe. Is it s a member of the Asteraceae (Daisy) family of plants, which is the largest of all plant families. Purple Coneflower
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Plants
The more we learn about plants, the more successful and confident we become as gardeners. This section dives into the foundations of plant knowledge — from identifying what’s growing in your garden, to understanding plant categories and families, to exploring the biology that drives how plants grow, bloom, and adapt. You’ll also find practical guides