Nancy Norris Common name: Scab plant Latin name: Raoulia australis Plant type: Groundcover USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-10 Cultural needs: Dry, well-drained soil, sun or part shade Plant size: under 1″ high by 12″ wide Raoulia (Ra-OO-lee-uh) admittedly has way too many vowels but it does sound better than “scab plant,” its common name. The silvery […]
Nancy Norris Common name: Littleleaf box or boxwood, small-leaf boxwood Latin name: Buxus microphylla USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-9 (4-10 with proper cultivation) Cultural needs: Well drained, neutral or slightly acidic soil; sun or part shade Plant size: 6″ to 4′ high and wide, depending on cultivar Railroaders welcome bright-green miniatures and dwarfs from the group […]
Nancy Norris Common name: Dwarf hardy jasmine, Parker’s jasmine Latin name: Jasminum parkeri Plant type: Shrubs & small trees USDA Hardiness Zones: 7-11 (overwinter indoors in lower zones) Cultural needs: Regular moisture, well-drained, slightly acidic soil, sun or part shade Plant size: 8-18″ high x 18″ wide Many plants are called jasmine but stem from […]
Unpruned Nancy Norris Common name: Blue Pyramid cypress Latin name: Cupressus arizonica ‘Blue Pyramid’ Plant type: Dwarf conifer USDA Hardiness Zones: 6-9 Cultural needs: Average-to-poor well-drained soil; sun or light shade Plant size: Fast growing to 20′ in 10 years but easily pruned annually to stay under 3′ Pruned Nancy Norris Blue Pyramids are just […]
Nancy Norris Common name: Coastal white cedar, Andy’s cedar Latin name: Chamaecyparis thyoides ‘Andelyensis Conica’ Plant type: Dwarf conifer USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-10 Cultural needs: Moist, well drained, neutral or slightly acidic soil; full sun Plant size: 3′ x 1’6″ in ten years, without pruning Jack Verducci The heritage of Andy’s cedar goes back to […]
Nancy Norris Common name: Sanders Blue dwarf Alberta spruce Latin name: Picea glauca ‘Sanders Blue’ aka P.g. ‘Sanderi’ Plant type: Dwarf conifer USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-9 (winter protection in Zones 3-5) Cultural needs: Moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil, sun or part shade Plant size: 4-6′ high by 2-3′ wide in 10 years, if not pruned […]
Nancy Norris Common name: Thyme-leaf rockspray, small-leaf rockspray Latin name: Cotoneaster microphyllus var. thymifolius Plant type: Shrubs and small trees USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-11 (marginally in Zone 4, with snow cover) Cultural needs: Average, well-drained soil; sun for fruit Plant size: Less than 12″ and spreading, unless trained Nancy Norris Although the common name of […]
Nancy Norris Common names: False bleeding heart, Yellow corydalis, Yellow fumitory Latin name: Corydalis lutea Plant type: Perennial USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-8 Cultural needs: Moist, well drained, mildly acid or mildly alkaline soil; shade to part shade Plant size: 6-12″ Native to the southern Alps of Europe, yellow corydalis (kor-ID-ah-liss) sports tubular, spurred flowers on […]
Nancy Norris Common name: Black-leaved clover Latin name: Trifolium repens ‘Atropurpureum’ Plant type: Groundcover USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-10 Cultural needs: Well drained, moist soil; sun to shade Plant size: 3-6″ high by 12″ wide White clover is native to every US State and almost all Canadian provinces. This portrait shows a selection of the common […]
Nancy Norris Common name: Elfin thyme Latin name: Thymus serpyllum ‘Elfin’ Plant type: Groundcover Plant size: 2″ x 6″ and spreading USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-9 Cultural needs: Poor, well-drained soil, moderate to low moisture, sun to partial shade Elfin thyme deserves its status as practically everyone’s favorite scale lawn or meadow. It’s about “thyme” this […]
Nancy Norris Common name: Silver carpet, Dymondia Latin name: Dymondia margaretae Plant type: Groundcover USDA Hardiness Zones: 9-11 Cultural needs: Full sun to part shade; well drained, sandy soil Plant size: 1-2″ high, spreading slowly Dymondia margaretae is usually just called dymondia, because it’s the only species of a genus from South Africa. As a […]
Common name: Sweet woodruff Latin name: Galium odoratum, syn. Asperula odorata Plant type: Perennial USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-9 (sheltered or near the house in Zone 3) Cultural needs: Shade or partial shade, moist (even wet) soil Plant size: 6-12″ high, spreading quickly to 9-12″ wide Do you have a rather large shady spot in need […]
