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Every guide, in one place

Practical advice on growing food and flowers, improving soil, and making the most of small spaces. Start anywhere — the garden will meet you.

Flowers
Flowers 3 min read

LARGE PURPLE GERARDIA

(Gerardia purpurea) Figwort family Flowers - Bright purplish pink, deep magenta, or pale to whitish, about 1 in. long and broad, growing along the rigid, spreading branches. Calyx 5-toothed; corolla f...

Nov 11, 2026 Read
Flowers
Flowers 3 min read

LARGE CORALROOT

(Corallorhiza multiflora) Orchid family Flowers - Dull brownish purple, about 1/2 in. high; 10 to 30 borne in a raceme 2 to 8 in. long. Petals about the length of sepals, and somewhat united at the ba...

Nov 11, 2026 Read
Flowers
Flowers 4 min read

LANCELEAVED TICKSEED GOLDEN COREOPSIS

(Coreopsis lanceolata) Thistle family Flowers-heads - Showy, bright golden yellow, the 6 to io wedge-shaped, coarsely toothed ray florets around yellowish disk florets soon turning brown; each head on...

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Flowers
Flowers 2 min read

LABRADOR TEA

(Ledum Groenlandicum; L. latifolium of Gray) Heath family Flowers - White, 5-parted, 1/2 in. across or less, numerous, borne in terminal, umbellate clusters rising from scaly, sticky bud-bracts. Stem:...

Nov 11, 2026 Read
Flowers
Flowers 3 min read

JUNEBERRY SERVICEBERRY MAYCHERRY

(Amelanchier Canadensis) Apple family Flowers - Pure white, over 1 in. across, on long, slender pedicels, in spreading or drooping racemes, with silky, reddish bracts, early falling, among them. Calyx...

Nov 11, 2026 Read
Flowers
Flowers 2 min read

JULIAN HAWTHORNE.

"A plant is not to be studied as an absolutely dead thing, but rather as a sentient being.... To measure petals, to count stamens, to describe pistils without reference to their functions, or the why...

Nov 11, 2026 Read
Flowers
Flowers 5 min read

MARSH ST.JOHN'SWORT

(Triadenum Virginicum; Elodea Virginica of Gray) St.-John's-wort family Flowers - Pale magenta, pink, or flesh color, about 1/2 in. across, in terminal clusters, or from leaf axils. Calyx of 5 equal s...

Nov 11, 2026 Read
Flowers
Flowers 3 min read

MARSH MARIGOLD MEADOWGOWAN AMERICAN COWSLIP

(Caltha palustris) Crowfoot family' Flowers - Bright, shining yellow, 1 to 1 1/2 in. across, a few in terminal and axillary groups. No petals; usually 5 (often more) oval, petal-like sepals; stamens n...

Nov 11, 2026 Read
Flowers
Flowers 5 min read

LOVEMENOT

(Chrysanthemum Leucanthemum) Thistle family Flower-heads - Disk florets yellow, tubular, 4 or 5 toothed, containing stamens and pistil; surrounded by white ray florets, which are pistillate, fertile....

Nov 11, 2026 Read