Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) is a herbaceous perennial (in the Asparagus family), native to woodlands. It forms colonies by spreading through underground rhizomes. Small green leafy shoots with green leaves rise in spring, followed by small, white flowers … Continue reading →
We have visited the UBC Botanical Gardens a few times, and depending on the date, there will be different plants in flower each time. On this April day, we enjoyed a variety of flowering plants, including Rhododendron, Magnolia, pennycress, … Continue reading →
Yellow alyssum (Aurinia saxatilis) is a low-growing hardy evergreen perennial for the home garden. It blooms for 4-6 weeks in the spring with vibrant yellow flowers and grey-green foliage. It is best planted in a sunny and drier … Continue reading →
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is a widespread native plant in our area, flowering in late spring and summer. It grows up from rhizomes with ferny foliage. White flowers in “flat” clusters” can be spotted in a variety of habitats. … Continue reading →
We have visited the UBC Botanical Gardens a number of times. On this day, we toured the gardens in the spring, enjoying flowering both native and imported flowering plants, taking some photographs, and planning for a return trip. … Continue reading →
Showy stonecrop (Hylotelephium spectabile) is a deciduous herbaceous perennial in the Sedum family. They are drought-tolerant succulents with thick, fleshy leaves. Showy sedum fit into the “upright” category, standing 20 to 50 cm tall. When the Sedums bloom … Continue reading →
We traveled to Tuscon, Arizona for some late-winter (March) hiking and exploring in the Sonoran Desert hills and canyons. We encountered many wildflowers and flowering shrubs beside the trails (featured on A Wildflower Journal), but we also visited a number … Continue reading →
Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) are a cool-weather perennial herb that emerges in spring, provides a mild onion-flavoring for meals, and deters pests in the vegetable garden. They can easily be grown from seed or from dividing the root mass. They do … Continue reading →
We stayed in Tuscon to hike trails in late winter. We saw many flowering plants along the trails at lower elevations in the Sonoran Desert canyons and foothills. We also visited some botanical gardens in the area and the … Continue reading →
Decades ago we planted creeping thyme (Thymus spp.) in the garden. Over the years it has multiplied and we have taken a number of rooting sections each year and have planted them in various spots in the yard, particularly … Continue reading →
