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The basic botanical category of plant classification is the species, hence all plants (many hybrids excepted) have a species name; namely a species binomial. The basic category of horticultural classification is the cultivar. Hence for gardeners, typically, the full name of a plant is the species binomial followed by the cultivar epithet.

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Dedicated gardeners often want to know the identity of the plants they purchase and grow. That means knowing formal plant names. These names always have a botanical part and this is often followed by a horticultural part. This article is about the botanical part of plant names.

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The second popular myth (see previous article for the first) associated with perennials assumes that, once planted, perennials maintain themselves. It may be true that some perennials do only require minimal maintenance, but many others require a lot. In addition, when perennials are placed in large beds in the company of many other perennials, maintenance is complicated and time consuming.

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There are several popular myths associated with perennial plants. One is that once purchased and planted all perennials will never have to be replaced. They will live for not just more than two years (more than a biennial), but actually for years and years. A second myth is that all perennials require little or no maintenance. Maintenance aside, some perennial species/cultivars just live longer than others.

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Over the years, I have used a variety of potting mixes with varying success. I tried a new item, wondering if it would actually work, and have been very pleased with the results. So now I recommend using coir, a coconut based product that uses the leftovers, instead of harvesting peat bogs. Here are the benefits from my experience.

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In gardening, a perennial plant is a winter hardy herbaceous plant; that is a plant which dies down to soil level at the end of the growing season and grows back in the next. The term perennial plant is further restricted to those plants which bloom over several years. A biennial, or at least a true biennial, only blooms once, namely in it’s second year.

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As our gardening chores wane, as summer fades into fall, let's talk about what worked and what didn't work during our most recent gardening season. All those seed starting successes and failures are still fresh in our minds, so let's share them. It's a good opportunity to germinate some added features within our cubit, too. I have added in a perennial specific forum, moderated by Charlie (SunnyBorders), and Sharon (Sharran) is helping as an administrator.

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I hope the YumYum Divas don't start chasing me with those beaters after posting some recipes, but I thought it would be good to share some summer recipes. These are recipes that are quick, easy, and don't require the oven, or even much stove time, so they don't heat up the kitchen or house that much, either. And, they are invented by me, so you can share them as you want to, although I would appreciate being recognized as the inventor.

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You have a birdhouse and are all excited to get it hung up. Wow, won’t it be fun to watch those birds raise their first family in your yard? They will even help you out in your garden eating a lot of bugs. Before you make some big mistakes, however, it is a good idea to take some time to pick a good place for it, and ensure it is hung well.

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A few years ago, while trying to figure out how to get my son potty trained, I found the best method was to encourage him to water the flowers. He had a favorite spot to personally water, with two unanticipated benefits. Not quite toilet trained, but it worked.

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This is both a review of a book that will give you much more information than I intend to, as well as a brief synopsis of what I am doing with my portable pens. I hope you enjoy it, and feel free to leave comments and thoughts on your own experiences, or what you hope to do.

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