Tag Archives: perennial

Lily of the valley is a blast from my past

Posted on April 9, 2019 by tedmanzer

When I was young, my grandfather had a huge patch of these tiny fragrant white flowers all around his house. I used to pick them and place them in jars to bring some aroma inside. Nobody ever cautioned me about … Continue reading →

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Scouring rush is a unique wetland plant with landscape potential

Posted on October 13, 2017 by tedmanzer

They are not overly common around here, but scouring rushes can add a different texture to a perennial garden. Some people know them as horsetails. The scientific name of Equisetum hyemale has a horse-like ring to it. It’s not by accident. … Continue reading →

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Mums are a great fall addition and they come in many colors

Posted on October 16, 2016 by tedmanzer

It’s October and it seems everyone wants mums. Some want them for parties. Others like them on their porches. Still others add them to flowerbeds. Mums add profuse color to any setting. Common colors are: white, yellow (the most common … Continue reading →

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Gaillardia is a great perennial plant to cut your water bill

Posted on April 16, 2016 by tedmanzer

Whether to save money or the environment, more people today are trying to conserve water in their landscape. We all are familiar with succulents that have thick fleshy leaves and/or stems. Other plants may not look like water misers but … Continue reading →

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Lenten roses are a well-kept garden secret

Posted on April 19, 2015 by tedmanzer

Lenten roses, probably known more by their scientific name of Hellebore, are curious perennials that fill a unique garden niche. They bloom in late winter to early spring, and few people visit garden centers early enough to see them in … Continue reading →

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Bedstraw is an interesting and clingy winter weed

Posted on January 26, 2015 by tedmanzer

Have you ever entered an otherwise empty field in late winter or early spring and left with uninvited sticky stems clinging to your clothes? They are bedstraws and often find you before you find them. They find your pets too. … Continue reading →

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A good Thistle

Posted on February 23, 2013 by tedmanzer

Don’t be turned off by the word thistle. I don’t think there is a more interesting perennial for your garden than the Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus). A veterinarian friend of mine has beautiful specimens in her yard. She gave me some … Continue reading →

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Rosemary – A shrub of many uses

Posted on September 3, 2012 by tedmanzer

There is probably not a more versatile plant in our landscape than rosemary. It makes a great hedge, tolerates salt spray, dry sandy soils, smells great, has medicinal properties and is a tasty spice. This fragrant shrub lends itself to … Continue reading →

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More blue for our future?

Posted on August 15, 2012 by tedmanzer

Right now it’s not one of the more common roadside plants in eastern Carolina. That might change in the next few years. If you take a drive north or west for any distance you’ll begin to see more of it. … Continue reading →

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