It’s edible, a member of the mint family and ornamental. Grown for over 5,000 years, it flavors foods around the world and is well-known in many household kitchens… Have you guessed yet?

Of course, it’s BASIL!

A flavorful ingredient of foods from Italy to India and Thailand and America, basil adds flavor and flair to any recipe. Add fresh or dried basil just before serving for the most intense flavor. However, the kitchen isn’t the only place it reigns as king… Give it a throne in your garden, too!

Growing Basil

Like other mints, basil is easy to grow. Choose young, bushy, compact plants that show no signs of diseases or pests. Plant in full or partial sun, in well-draining soil and provide adequate moisture. As an annual, it’s also easy to grow from seed, just follow the package instructions.

The most difficult decision about basil is deciding which basil you want to grow and eat. The basil family, Basilicum, has a natural variety of colors, growth shapes and fragrances. Plant breeders complicated the decision by creating over 30 hybrids commonly used today.

For ornamental gardening use, four “shapes” are commonly available. All are deliciously edible.

• Sweet Green Basil: 2′ tall, with large leaves and white flower spikes. The clove/anise taste is typical of many types of basil. Others in this group include lettuce-leaf, Genovese, Thai (spicy) and the intensely fragrant and flavored Siam queen.
• Dwarf Basil: Up to 12″ tall, small leaves, white flowers. This group includes well known Spicy Globe and Boxwood basil (perfect edging plants due to rounded growth) and Green Bouquet.
• Purple-Leafed Basil: Favorite varieties include Dark Opal, Purple Ruffle and Red Rubin, all with “fancy” leaves, very aromatic, with pink to lavender-purple flowers.
• Scented-Leaf Basils: This group includes varieties of stronger aromas. Lemon basil (gray green leaves, white flowers) is aptly named as are cinnamon basil (dark pink flowers), and anise basil (blue purple flowers).

Basil, especially the purple-leafed, is wonderful in containers. Design as you would with any ornamental. Don’t overlook the value of placing a container near the BBQ and kitchen for easy use while cooking. It’s said that planting basil, especially aromatic varieties, around the patio or deck will deter flies… It certainly can’t hurt!

Enjoying Basil

Used throughout the world with different regional foods, basil truly reigns in many different cultures and cuisines. Although pesto is probably one of the best-known uses here in the United States, basil is great in soups, sauces, pastas or in salads, vegetables and martinis. Remember to harvest before flowering for the best flavor. This also keeps the plant bushy and compact. Simply cut the entire stem just above a pair of leaves to promote new shoots. If you plan to use some leaves as garnish, cut with scissors to reduce bruising. Store unused basil in the refrigerator to retain its flavor and freshness.

Extra basil can easily be dried for future use. Cut the plant at ground level, hang upside down in an airy room and let dry. After it’s fully dry, remove the leaves from stems and store in airtight jars away from direct light.

Benefits of Basil

Did you know using basil is also very good for you? For many reasons basil is called the “holy herb” in other cultures. Research now shows it has strong anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial qualities. Additionally, it is rich in essential nutrients, minerals and vitamins including beta-carotene, vitamins A and K and iron. Need we say more? Add basil to your healthy, delicious diet today!

Do you want to add more plants to your yard but think you’re out of space for any more gardening? No matter how large or small your outdoor living area, no matter what types of plants you favor, you can always find the space for a new garden when it’s housed in a container – and that container doesn’t have to be the same old window box or boring planter.

Whether you choose to feature your container gardening efforts sitting on the floor, deck, stairs, path or patio, or you prefer a delicate garden suspended in a basket from an arbor, pergola, archway or hook, we’ve got the container selections that will suit your taste and your lifestyle. Not sure what your preferences are? We can help you discover you best container garden design look! Choose from our great selection of…

• Hanging Baskets – Choose from willow, moss, wire, cocoa, resin wicker weave or rope weave baskets in different sizes, colors and styles. We also carry self-watering hanging planters and pots in several different sizes, colors and designs to suit your needs and style preferences, and to blend well into your other garden décor and accents.
• Pots – Shop our extensive line of hand-crafted and manufactured pottery from around the world – Italy, Malaysia, China, etc. – with unique and stunning designs and colors. Choose from a selection of clay, plastic, fiberglass, cement, tin or resin pots in various themes as well as designer and lightweight insulating pottery.
• Planters – Choose from our lined hayracks, cradle planters (also lined), railing, fence and deck planters as well as pot trellises and obelisks to add interesting structure and layers to different containers in your yard. Many different sizes are available to suit all your planting needs.
• Accessories – To coordinate your décor efforts even among different pots or planters, we have saucers, caddies, plant stands and brackets, hangers, chains and s-hooks for both indoor and outdoor use so your plants are always displayed to their best advantage. Not sure what you need to give your planter the best support? We’ll help you choose the smartest and safest option.

Stop by and take a look for yourself – we’re sure that you will find a container that holds your interest as well as your plants. And, of course, we also carry window boxes in different sizes, styles and designs, if you still prefer that traditional, classic look!

In spring, female butterflies will be mostly concerned with finding their species’ specific host plants on which to lay fertilized eggs. Instinctively, they know they must find plants to ensure that their caterpillars will have appropriate food for survival after hatching. Both male and female butterflies will be looking for flowers with nectar for their own survival. And, they will be searching for shelter from rainy or windy weather, a sunny place for basking, and a source of water. Because many natural butterfly habitats in North America are disappearing at an alarming rate, it is becoming increasingly difficult for butterflies to find these necessities of life.

Starting a butterfly garden can be simple and rewarding if you follow these pointers. The most important thing you can do as a gardener is to plant both nectar and host plants in your garden. Providing host plants for caterpillars to feed on, will allow you to watch the metamorphosis from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. So, do not discourage caterpillars. They may make your garden plants look bad but it’s usually only temporary. Most important – do not use pesticides! You may be killing off the very insects you made the garden for. And, you don’t have to have a large area to get a response. Just a few select plants will spur some action. Choose the sunniest spot possible for your butterfly garden. It could be any size or shape; even a short border will work. A combination of woody shrubs, perennials and annual flowers works best, but using just a couple of plants can still yield results. Planting a section of wildflowers is an easy way to cover a problem area and lure some butterflies to your yard. If you don’t have the room for a garden, fuchsia, petunia or impatiens hanging baskets will attract butterflies as well as hummingbirds.

The following is a list of plants that attract butterflies:

Woody shrubs:

• Glossy Abelia
• Butterfly Bush
• Japanese Privet
• Honeysuckle
• Weigela
• Spiraea
• Lilac
• Deutzia
• Trumpet vine

Perennials:

• Achillea (Yarrow)
• Butterfly Weed
• Aster
• Shasta Daisy
• Cosmos
• Carnation
• Coneflower
• Joe-Pye weed
• Sunflower

Annuals and Tender

Perennials:

• Heliotrope
• Lantana
• Rosemary
• Marigolds
• Petunias
• Geraniums
• Snapdragons
• Portulaca
• Zinnias
• Allysum
• Fucshia
• Vinca
• Balsam
• Dahlia
• Impatiens
• Salvia
• Verbena

Beautiful and dependable, Echinacea purpurea, or purple coneflower, is the crowning glory of the summer perennial garden. A member of the Aster family, all Echinacea species are native to North America. The genus Echinacea is derived from the Greek ‘echino’ meaning hedgehog, a reference to the spiny center disc flowers.

Coneflowers are practical as well as gorgeous. They have long been used as an herbal remedy to stimulate the body’s natural immune system. Both plant roots and tops are used in the production of herbal medicines. Echinacea purpurea has traditionally been used for this purpose, but research is being conducted on the nine other species to determine their usefulness for homeopathic treatments.

Cultivating Coneflowers

Coneflowers will thrive in a sunny location, planted in well-drained soil. They are tolerant of nutrient-poor soil, heat and humidity. Echinacea purpurea grows on thick sturdy stems from 3-5 feet tall and generally does not require staking. Coneflowers are long-blooming, the flowers are fragrant and they make a long-lasting cut flower. This is one of the top ten perennials for attracting butterflies to the garden. You may deadhead plants after the blooms have faded to improve their appearance and to encourage a second, but smaller, bloom. You may also leave seed heads in place. In the summer and fall, they attract and provide food for goldfinches and other seed-loving birds. In the winter, the black spent flower heads add ornamental interest as they contrast dramatically with pure white snow.

This perennial is not invasive, but will self-seed if flower heads are left to mature. Cut plants down to the basal foliage, the low growing rosette of leaves, in the spring. Plants should be lifted and divided about every four years or as crowns become crowded.

Where to Place Coneflowers

Purple coneflower is a great addition to the back of any sunny perennial border. Its rose-purple flowers, with their coppery-orange centers, look great with ornamental grasses, Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia) and Sedum ‘Autumn Joy.’ Appropriate usage ideas include: cottage, meadow, prairie, wildflower, native and herb gardens, as well as butterfly gardens and any containers that serve similar purposes.

Favorite Coneflowers

America is having a love affair with Echinacea and several new cultivars are released each year, while popular favorites continue to be top choices.

Popular Echinacea Varieties

• ‘Baby White Swan’ – Dwarf ‘White Swan’
• ‘Bright Star’– Petals are pale purple-pink on the edge and darker toward disc
• ‘Coconut Lime’ – New for 2007, first double white coneflower
• ‘Doubledecker’ – Unusual two-tiered coneflower with ray petals in disc
• ‘Fancy Frills’ – Petals are frilled on the edge
• ‘Fatal Attraction’ – Vivid purple-pink flowers with 2 rows of petals
• ‘Fragrant Angle’ – Large, fragrant, snow white flowers
• ‘Green Envy’ – Unusual rounded green petals with magenta veining near the cone
• ‘Green Eyes’ – Magenta flower with a green center disc
• ‘Hope’ – Pale pink flower named in honor of a cure for breast cancer
• ‘Kim’s Knee High’ – Dwarf with recurved ray petals and large orange cone
• ‘Kim’s Mophead’ – Compact plant with white flowers
• ‘Magnus’ – 1998 Perennial Plant of the Year, purple-pink flowers, 3’ tall
• ‘Mars’ – Large orange cones surrounded by brilliant rose-purple petals
• ‘Merlot’ – Large rose-pink flowers on wine colored, sturdy stems
• ‘Pink Double Delight’ – Similar to ‘Razzmatazz’ with a more compact habit
• ‘Razzmatazz’ – Double, bright pink flower on very sturdy stems
• ‘Ruby Giant’ – Large, rich ruby-pink flowers that are highly fragrant
• ‘Ruby Star’ – Reddish-purple flowers held horizontally
• ‘Sparkler’ – Rose-pink flowers, white-splashed variegated foliage
• ‘Tiki Torch’ – Large, bright orange flowers
• ‘White Swan’ – White coneflower with downward reflexed petals

Echinacea Big Sky Series

• ‘After Midnight’ – Dwarf plant with brilliant magenta, highly fragrant blooms
• ‘Harvest Moon’ – Gold flower with golden-orange cone
• ‘Summer Sky’ – Bicolor flower, soft peach and rose petals
• ‘Sundown’ – Russet-orange with a prominent brown central cone
• ‘Sunrise’ – Lemon-yellow flowers
• ‘Sunset’ – Orange flowers with prominent brown central cone
• ‘Twilight’ – Vibrant rose-red with a deep red cone

Echinacea Meadowbrite Series

• ‘Mango Meadowbrite’ – Mango color, paler than orange meadowbright
• ‘Orange Meadowbrite’ – Large single blooms of rich sunset orange
• ‘Pixie Meadowbrite’ – A true dwarf, only 18” high, bright pink flowers

The list that we have provided is not all-inclusive, nor an accurate representation of every coneflower variety we carry. Please stop by often as we continue to provide standard, new and unusual perennials, including many new types of coneflowers.

Few perennials can match the daylily (Hemerocallis) for versatility and durability. One of the most popular perennials, daylilies have become a collector plant for novice and experienced gardeners alike. Thousands of named cultivars are trouble-free to grow and adaptable to many conditions, which makes daylily collecting fun and easy. Although each lily-like flower lasts only one day, there are always more buds to open which provide summer color and a subtly changing garden for many weeks.

Using Daylilies

Just as there are many different daylilies to try, there are many different ways to try them. Plant them individually for a pop of color, or create a mixed border with other plants or multiple daylily types. Daylilies can be a fun surprise when naturalized in a grassy area or grouped in a mass as a groundcover over larger areas. Taller varieties can even become simple screens or create gentle privacy surrounds. The creative gardener may even use multiple daylilies to create fun patterns or pictures in a themed flowerbed.

Daylily Care

Daylilies tolerate dry, poor soil, but perform best and reach their full potential in rich well-drained beds. Different cultivars have different needs for sunlight, moisture and fertilizing, and while these flowers do well even if somewhat neglected, it is best to try to meet their needs so each bloom can flourish. Some will tolerate drought and frost better than others, while certain cultivars need more attention. All are quite low-maintenance, however, and will thrive for years even in marginal conditions.

Popular Daylilies

There are too many daylily types to list – there are more than 35,000 different cultivars – but some tried-and-true selections that are always favorites include…

• Hyperion – 40” tall, space 18-24” apart. Delightfully fragrant, large, 5” primrose-yellow flowers with a green throat in mid to late summer. Full sun or part shade.
• Mary Todd – 26” tall, space 24-30” apart. Golden or buff 6-7” flowers on a semi-evergreen foliage. Blooms midseason. Full sun.
• Stella De’Oro – 12-18” tall, space 18-24” apart. Golden yellow 2-3” flowers with a green throat on a compact plant. Reblooms all summer. Full sun.
• Joan Senior – 25” tall, space 24-30” apart. Near-white 6” flowers with a green throat on an evergreen plant. Blooms midseason. Full sun.
• Becky Lynn – 20” tall, space 24” apart. Large, 6” rose-blend flowers with a green throat in a semi-evergreen plant. Blooms midseason, then reblooms. Full sun.
• Rocket City – 36” tall, space 18-24” apart. Eye-catching, two-tone orange blossoms are up to 6” across. Blooms midseason. Full sun or part shade.

There are always more daylily types to try; come in today to see the latest, hottest, most amazing cultivars of these versatile blooms, and you’ll be eager to add more of them to your landscape.

Daylily Fun Fact:

The American Hemerocallis Society has classified daylilies by flower size. A miniature has flowers less than 3” in diameter, small-flowered cultivars have flowers from 3-4 ½” and large-flowered cultivars have flowers 4 ½” or larger.