Tag Archives: betty truax
Plants We Love: Turtleheads -- Snap Them Up!
Chelone, (it rhymes with phony and baloney) is a native member of the figwort family. It is more commonly known as turtlehead. It's not hard to figure out how it got its common name; those blooms shaped like turtleheads are so adorable that even someone who is not a fan of turtles can’t resist them. They remind me of kids running around in the rain with their tongues sticking out to catch the droplets. Chelone was a nymph in Greek mythology that offended the gods by not attending the wedding of Zeus to Hera. To punish her, they turned her into a turtle. Continue reading
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EmailVirginia Teaching Garden Up For National Award
The Teaching Garden at the Benedictine Monastery in Bristow, Va., is maintained by Master Gardeners of Prince William County. In this garden, Master Gardeners grow fresh produce for the Plant a Row for the Hungry project. It is also where they teach others how to grow vegetables, practice low-maintenance gardening techniques and demonstrate plants that grow well locally. Continue reading
This entry was posted in Gardens and tagged in betty truax, master gardeners of prince william, bristow, teaching garden, deloach community garden award | Leave a comment.
Plants We Love: Bloodroot
Warning: Bloodroot can be extremely toxic, even fatal.
I'm not going to discuss the medical uses for bloodroot. There is plenty of information on the web (and from professional herbalists, which I certainly am not) explaining its benefits and dangers. Just let me say do your research very well. Also, consider pets and children before planting it in your landscape. As beautiful as this plant is, it is not worth risking loved ones’ health or possibly even lives. Continue reading
This entry was posted in Gardens, Native Plants, Tips and tagged in betty truax, bloodroot, native plants | 2 Comments.
Plants We Love: Oakleaf Hydrangea, A Seasonal Delight
My favorite shrub is oakleaf hydrangea, Hydrangea quercifolia (querci- oak, and folia - leaf). This native plant ranges from Tennessee to Florida and west to the Mississippi River. In Virginia, we are a bit north of its native range but it grows very well here. It grows naturally in forests, along streams and on forested hillsides. Continue reading
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Plants We Love: Iris Cristata
Iris is one of my favorite perennial genera consisting of over 300 species. When growing iris it is important to determine the species. Some like sun others like shade and some want wet. Others can't tolerate wet feet at all. They can be 4 inches or they can grow to be over 3 feet tall. Continue reading
This entry was posted in Bayscaping, Gardens, Native Plants, Tips and tagged in betty truax, iris cristata, dwarf crested iris | Leave a comment.
Plants We Love: Buttonbush
A few years ago my husband and I moved to a lakefront property that had lawn growing down to the water's edge. I immediately started researching putting in a riparian buffer (I always think of Hyacinth from the britcom "Keeping Up Appearances" touting her "riparian buffet" when I hear that phrase). Continue reading
This entry was posted in Bayscaping, Native Plants, Wildlife and tagged in buttonbush, plants we love, betty truax, native plant, shrubs, wetlands, prince william wildflower society, lake ridge garden club | 1 Comment.