Common name:Columbine
Botanical name:Aquilegia hybrids
Large, spurred flowers with clear colors of white, lavender, yellow, deep red and pink are borne on 2 1/2' plants. The strikingly beautiful blooms make good cut flowers. They require partial shade or full sun, along with well-drained soil. The colors, however, cannot be chosen. -Holland Wildflower Farm
Common name:Common Lilac
Botanical name:Syringa vulgaris
Forms of the common lilac grow to a height of 15' and are equally wide, but can be kept smaller with careful shaping. The dark green leaves are roundish, oval and pointed that grow to 5" long. In the spring, clusters of fragrant, lilac flowers are borne. The plant requires full sun for proper growth.
Common name:Western Azalea
Botanical name:Rhododendron occidentale
The western azalea is adeciduous shrub that grows 6-10 ft. tall. It produces fragrant, showy white to pink flower clusters between May and June. This shrub prefers shade and is hardy to -5 degreesF. The western azalea is native to California, is drought tolerant, and attracts hummingbirds.
-Cornflower Farms
Designer: Michele Clement Garden Design
Photographer: GardenSoft
Practice grass-cycling by leaving short grass clippings on lawns after mowing, so that nutrients and organic matter are returned to the soil.
Adjust sprinklers to avoid watering sidewalks and driveways.
Develop healthy soil for plants that are vigorous and naturally pest-resistant.