Plants & Bulbs


Feature Writer: Angela England
Angela England, amateur gardener and author, Sidney England

With ever-changing plant material, annuals for containers, colorful foliage plants, flowering perennials and bulbs, ornamental and shade trees, heirloom plants and shrubs of all sizes, we'll make it easy to put together a garden design that works by offering ideas for companion plants and trouble shooting problem areas.

Look for monthly plant profiles and learning series to increase your gardening knowledge. I look forward to some wonderful discussions with all of you. Feel free to email me anytime!

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Rosemary is evergreen in many areas, Angela England
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Angela England

Native Penstemon Plant Profile

In: Perennial Plants

Penstemon was once prized only in native or wild flower gardens but is now popular for water-wise xeriscapes, hummingbird and mixed border areas as it is very hardy. more...

Plant Profile Barberry (Berberis)

In: Shrubs

Barberry shrubs are widely used in garden landscapes because of the attractive foliage, fragrant flowers and deer resistant thorny stems. See how to care for the shrubs. more...

Growing Trees and Shrubs

In: Gardening Products

Large ornamental plants create the backdrop for garden landscapes and set off other plants and bulbs. Learn how to grow and care for flowering and garden shrubs. more...

Deer Resistant Garden Shrubs

In: Shrubs

While no plant is one hundred percent deer-proof, these shrubs will deter most deer from snacking and sampling the foliage and destroying your garden landscape. more...

Plants to Train as Standards

In: Plants & Bulbs (general)

These ornamental trees and flowering shrubs are all excellent options for growing and training in a more formal, standard shape. more...

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Angela England

May 7, 2008

Native Plants Making a Comeback

Once these stunning plants were only found in wild prairie gardens, native plant gardens or other specialized themed gardens. Now many are part of mixed borders!


Writing my most recent plant profile about perennial Penstemons I started thinking about how these beautiful native wildflowers are now more readily available for average gardeners. Plant hybridizers are producing new and useful cultivars to provide more choices for home gardeners to add to their container plantings, mixed flower borders and foundation planters around the house to increase curb appeal.

There are several new introductions available recently from gardening companies and catalogs that feature plants who were once outcasts and not so readily available or widely used. Other native wildflowers that are increasing in popularity are Columbines, Echinaceas (no long just purple coneflowers), Penstemon as I mentioned, and Coreopsis. As more gardeners are increasingly looking for water-wise flower choices or non-invasive native plants I expect to see this trend continue.

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