Common name: Creeping milkwort, chapparal pea, box-leaved milkwort Latin name: Polygala chamaebuxus var. grandiflora Plant type: Perennial USDA Hardiness Zones: 6-8 Plant size: 4″ (possibly mounding to 10″), spreading very slowly to 2′ wide Cultural needs: Well-drained, moist, acid soil; sun or bright shade; slow-release evergreen/acidic fertilizer If we didn’t wait so long to get […]
Pruning is a learned practice. No one starts out knowing how to best prune a woody shrub. All of us just have to take a stab at it and learn as we go. We make mistakes, try to forgive ourselves, then find that plants will forgive us and grow back as healthy as before. We […]
Common name: Maidenhair spleenwort Latin name: Asplenium trichomanes Plant type: Perennial Plant size: 3-12″ high x 3-12″ wide USDA Hardiness Zones: 2-11 Cultural needs: Moist, rich, well-drained soil or rock crevices; partial to full shade In the wilds of the Pacific Northwest, maidenhair spleenwort grows under overhanging rock ledges, in moist crevices at high elevations. […]
Common name: Grape hyacinth Latin name: Muscari sp. Plant type: Perennial Plant size: 5-8″ high and spreading USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9 Cultural needs: Moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil, full sun to part shade Late summer/early autumn is the time to pick up some bulbs to plant for spring blooming. Originating from the Mediterranean region, grape […]
A beginner’s guide to plants For many railway gardeners, the “garden” is the most challenging aspect of a garden railroad. Like all living things, outdoor plants have unpredictable habits; growing, changing, moving, and sometimes even dying on us for no apparent reason. Latin names, horticultural terms, and gardening techniques can be confusing to a beginner. […]
Latin name: Juniperus communis ‘Compressa’ Common name: Dwarf Irish juniper Category: dwarf conifer Needle color: blue green Growth rate: 1″-3″/yr. USDA Hardiness Zone: 5-9 Cultural needs: sun and well-drained soil This upright and very narrow form of common juniper is a perfect complement to garden-railroad designs because of its distinctive form and small-scale features. Narrow, […]
Latin name: Solenostemon scutellarioides Common name: Miniature coleus Growth rate: Varies Plant type: Annual Cultural needs: Full sun to partial shade, moderate water Coleus plants aren’t just for windowsills and border edging anymore. Hundreds of exciting varieties are now available from specialty growers, offering an amazing array of colors and textures for gardens everywhere. Miniature […]
Miniature trees for warmer climates Since I seldom travel to parts of North America in USDA Hardiness Zones 9 and 10, it’s easier for me to write about plants adapted to more temperate climes. A number of you who have garden railways in those warmer regions have asked for more information about plants suited to […]
Common name: Threadleaf heavenly bamboo Latin name: Nandina domestica ‘Filamentosa’ Plant size: 1-2′ Plant type: Shrubs and small trees USDA Hardiness Zones: 6-11 Cultural needs: Sun or part shade, moist or dry soil The shrubby nandina belongs to the barberry family, not actually bamboo, but it mimics the willowy, grassy feel of bamboo. While the […]
Common name: Creeping milkwort, chapparal pea, box-leaved milkwort Latin name: Polygala chamaebuxus var. grandiflora Plant type: Perennial USDA Hardiness Zones: 6-8 Plant size: 4″ (possibly mounding to 10″), spreading very slowly to 2′ wide Cultural needs: Well-drained, moist, acid soil; sun or bright shade; slow-release evergreen/acidic fertilizer If we didn’t wait so long to get […]
Common name: Snow-in-summer, Mouse ear, Silver carpet, Chickweed Latin name: Cerastium tomentosum Plant type: Groundcover Plant size: 6-8″ high by 1-2′ wide; can be invasive USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-10 (short-lived in Zones 8-10) Cultural needs: Full sun (light shade in hot Zones), well-drained, moderately rich soil, water well after soil dries somewhat Snow-in-summer is an […]
Common name: Tricolor stonecrop Latin name: Sedum spurium ‘Tricolor’ Plant type: Groundcover Plant size: 1-6″ high by 12″ wide and spreading USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-11 Cultural needs: Poor, moderate to dry, well-drained soil; sun (for pink color) to light shade With parents native to Iran, Tricolor stonecrop is the type of rugged plant that laughs […]
