CL Fornari, Author at GardenLady.com

I Love Cercis canadensis ‘JN2’ aka The Rising Sun Redbud

Jul 30, 2021 | Love This!

Name: Cercis canadensis ‘JN2’ aka The Rising Sun Redbud Type of Plant: A small tree with heart-shaped leaves. Growing slowly to 8 to 12 feet tall and wide. Why I Love/Hate this plant: This small tree is special because the new foliage is a mix of lime green,...

I Love Allium hybrid ‘Serendipity’

Jul 23, 2021 | Love This!

Name: Allium hybrid ‘Serendipity’ Type of Plant: A mid-summer flowering perennial plant hardy in zones 4 – 8. Why I Love/Hate this plant: I love this perennial for so many reasons. First, it’s attractive both before and after it flowers, which is important in...

I Love Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’ aka Royal Purple Smoke Bush

Jul 16, 2021 | Love This!

Name: Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’ aka Royal Purple Smoke Bush Type of Plant: A large bush or small tree…but accept that it’s going to get big! Hardy in Zones 4-8, and best grown in full sun. This plant can easily grow to 15 feet tall and nearly that wide. Why...

I Love Rhododendron ‘Weston’s Lemon Drop’

Jul 9, 2021 | Love This!

Name: Weston’s Lemon Drop Azalea aka Rhododendron ‘Weston’s Lemon Drop’ Type of Plant: A July-flowering, deciduous azalea with fragrant yellow flowers. Hardy in zones 4 to 8. A cultivar of our native swamp azalea. Why I Love/Hate this plant:...

I Love Sweet Potato Vine, Ipomoea batatas

Jul 3, 2021 | Love This!

Name: Ipomoea batatas, aka sweet potato vine Type of Plant: In the northeast region this plant is an annual. There are varieties available with lime green or purple to black leaves. Some grow long and others stay more compact and mound-like. Why I Love/Hate this...

I Love Nassella tenuissima aka Mexican feathergrass

Jun 25, 2021 | Love This!

Name: Nassella tenuissima aka Mexican feathergrass, formerly known as Stipa tenuissima. Type of Plant: This is a very soft, fine textured low grass that is perennial in a warm Zone 7 but considered an annual elsewhere. This plant grows to about 20 inches tall and...

The Summer Weeds are Back!

Jun 22, 2021 | Gardens

At the end of June, gardeners might assume that once the vegetables and annuals are planted, they can sit back and relax. After all, you pulled those spring weeds like the bittercress and the chickweed, so the gardens should be done for the summer, right? This would...

I Love Veronica spicata Royal Candles aka Royal Candles speedwell

Jun 18, 2021 | Love This!

Name: Veronica spicata Royal Candles aka Royal Candles speedwell Type of Plant: A perennial that’s hardy in zones 4 to 8, that flowers in early summer and beyond if deadheaded. Why I Love/Hate this plant: I have to confess that Royal Candles has given me an entirely...

Why Doesn’t My Blue Hydrangea Bloom ~ A GardenLady Graphic

Jun 12, 2021 | Gardens

I’ve written many a blog and social media post about why blue hydrangeas don’t flower. You can read one of them here. But I’ve always had it in mind to put this in a graphic form, and today was the day! You can get a printable pdf of this graphic by...

I love Paeonia lactiflora, the garden peony

Jun 11, 2021 | Love This!

Name: Paeonia lactiflora aka the garden peony Type of Plant: A low-maintenance, early summer flowering perennial plant that does best in zones 4 through 7, but can live in a zone 3 or the cooler parts of zone 8. Why I Love/Hate this plant: This plant has many fine...