Growing Under The Sun: A Botanical Expedition

    Ferns are often thought as creature that thrive in the wet and moist muck of the world. Often pictured lurking in the tropics, underneath towering trees, within the shadows. This is but a narrow range of the habitats that ferns dwell in. Found in nearly every ecosystem there is a fern for every garden. I first drove into the world of ferns with two species,  Cyrtomium falcatum and Athyrium niponicum. An  Evergreen Fern for the Winter Garden: Cyrtomium falcatum      Native throughout China and southern Asia. This fern is often used as a specimen plant, having the structure and form to stand well alone. In my own garden it finds itself rather dejected, but its form gives it some perks and warrants attention from the onlooker. My own plant was one of many random plant purchases from the local big box store. The overall habit and form of the plant is rather unique as it does not have the looseness that many other ferns have, its foliage bein...

      Verbena  is a genus of mostly American origins. It has become much more popular over the past several years, particularly in regard to the breeding of bedding material. A genus renowned for its drought tolerance and love of xeric conditions it's found itself center stage as the new poster boy for summer bedding plants alongside classics such as petunias and zinnias. Texas heat certainty is a killer, summers can range from hot and dry too hot and humid, conditions that cause many more traditional bedding plants to turn up the ghost. Verbenas, however, relish such hellish arrangements. Verbena x hybrida , is the most familiar of the genus, being the one of bedding fame. A mat forming plant, older cultivars had some grace and still held a loose naturalistic look weariest newer varieties have become rather blocky and are artificial in appearance. This gardener thinks not and retches at the site of these cubes.  Recent years have seen a new player enter the bed...