Another of my friends came to see me one day about his half acre of cherry trees. He wanted me to bring some of my beehives and put them right under the trees. I told him that my bees were within a quarter of a mile from his place, and while the distance [...]

In the Pacific Northwest – Now is the time to plan for the very early spring effects from small bulbs. In the garden meadow, the rock garden, along paths and in front of flower beds, these low first-bloomers are of great value. Most of them have been hard to get during the war [...]

For the landscape shrubs must be all hardy and able to withstand the withering heat and icy winters of our climate. Moreover, they thrive with a minimum of care, if they have been properly planted and in the location which suits their requirements. In planting a shrub, a bole is dug at least [...]

Achimenes are seldom grown but they deserve much wider usage. They produce small petunia-like flowers from about June to November. The flowers come in blue, purple, crimson, pink and white. They grow from little whitish tuberous roots about the size and shape of fat cutworms. Achimenes (pronounced ah-kim-e-neez) looks best in hanging pots [...]

Transplanting. In the spring of the year there is more transplanting done than at any other time, so this seems to be a good time for a word of warning on that subject. At the time of transplanting the soil must be firmly pressed against the plant so that no air pockets can [...]

A useful summer-flowering bulb, very effective in masses or beds, and especially valuable as a graceful edging for walks and flower borders, these plants form an unbroken row of foliage a scant foot high in continuous bloom. The light green leaves which resemble a large four-leaf clover, bear a circle of maroon banding [...]

Another member of the Lily Family is the Star’ of Bethlehem, Ornithogalum umbellatturi. THis is not a true wildings, although it grows so freely and easily without care that it is sometimes thought of as a native instead of an escape from cultivation. Its clusters of bulbous-like roots increase amazingly fast. When space [...]

The clustered tubers of Dutchman’s Breeches are even pinker than the pantaloons that hang on swaying lines in the spring breezes. They are near the surface of the soil and send up lacy green foliage very early. Another early spring bloomer is the Dogstooth-Violet, Erythronium. One usually has to dig down deeply to [...]

Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Arisaema triphyllum, has a most unusual blossoming arrangement. Its Calla-lilylike flower is green and brown which is often followed by a gorgeous red cluster of seeds. Its root growth is almost as odd as its inflorescence. The corm is like a brown toadstool turned upside down. It is commonly called Indian Turnip [...]

When the spring Anemones, A. decapetala, become dormant, dig down and examine their curious, irregular shaped little tubers. These tubers send forth leaves in the fall but they bloom in the spring at which time they produce more leaves. This Anemone makes a good rock garden plant for it never gets very tall. [...]