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Penstemon Care

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Penstemon: An introduction to species and cultivars
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.
California
El Segundo
Flowers That Repel Bees
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.
California
Santa Monica
Plants That Grow Well in Evening Sun
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.
California
Santa Monica
A Different Kind of Evergreen
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...
California
El Segundo
List of Tubular Flowering Plants
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.
California
Santa Monica
Plant Select: A Resource for all Gardeners
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.
California
El Segundo
Flowers That Are Similar to Snapdragons
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...
California
Santa Monica
For the Love of Flowers...
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.
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia
What You Should Know About Big Box Stores as Plant Sources for Your Garden
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
California
El Segundo
Catalog Fun Continues!
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...
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia
A Planned Perennial Butterfly-Hummingbird Garden
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.
California
Santa Monica
Colorado Demonstration Gardens: Xeriscaped Gardens
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.
California
El Segundo
Feed Hummingbirds with Homegrown Flowers
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...
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia
Flowers Named After Instruments
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...
California
Santa Monica
Irresistible Chocolate Garden Color
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.
California
El Segundo
The Hardiest of Hardy Perennials
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.
California
El Segundo
Forbs of the Southern Prairie Garden Part 2
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...
California
El Segundo
Mark your calendars: Spring shopping!
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...
California
El Segundo
More On Seed Starting for Beginners (and Anyone Who Likes to Start Seeds)
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.
California
El Segundo
Rocky Mountain Gardening: Seed starting
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...
California
El Segundo
A Tale of Some Travelling Seeds
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.
California
El Segundo
The Hands-Off Gardening Approach To Fall
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.
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia