Green Thumb Corner

The Tomato Patio Husky gold, 'Lycopersicon lycopersicum', is a vibrant gold colored tomato and an All America Selection. The Husky Gold is a great container plant with juicy, sweet, mild flavored tomatoes. Husky Gold is rare. It is a dwarf intermediate

The Aster Dwarf Milady, 'Callistephus chinensis', is a wonderful dwarf aster with big flowers. The Dwarf Milady adds a cornucopia of color to your garden. It is very heat resistant and virtually worry free. The 3 inch flowers appear in colors of white, blue, deep rose, pink, and scarlet. The Milady blooms from early summer up to the first hard fall frost. The compact size of the Dwarf Milady makes it fantastic for container gardening as well as borders.The Aster Milady prefers rich, deep, light soil. Add compost to improve marginal soil quality. The plants require average water and they do not like to dry out. Pinch off faded flowers to encourage new blooms. Plant in the spring after the last average frost date. This plant is excellent as a cut flower and the bright colors look great in any border

The Balloon Flower Pastel Blend, 'Platycodon grandiflorus', displays fascinating inflated buds that open to reveal star-shaped flowers. The flowers are 2 to 3 inches across. The unique green buds mature to violet, white, and rose colored flowers. The r

The Butterfly Flower, 'Aschepias tuberosa L.', is a must for the butterfly garden. Butterflies will seek out your garden when you have this vigorous perennial shrub-like plant. The vivid red-orange flowers attract the Monarch butterfly. The individual flowers are 1/2 inch long, borne in brilliant red clusters and bloom in the summer. The flowers are followed by decorative green seed pods.The Butterfly Flower prefers full sun but will tolerate light shade. Plant them in rich, well drained soil. They are quite drought tolerant, so do not over water. Deadhead the spent flowers to prolong the flowering period. Plant after all danger of frost has passed and up to 8 weeks before first fall frost. They are excellent for cut flowers.

The Candytuft Evergreen, 'Iberis sempervirens', has beautiful pure white flowers that cover this evergreen ground cover in the spring. Native to Europe, Candytuft has been used for centuries as an edging or border between lawns and taller plantings. The flat heads or clusters of stunning pure white, four-petaled flowers are on stems that are long enough to use in cut flower arrangements. The Candytufts bloom in early spring for 8 to 10 weeks. In mild climates they can bloom as early as November.The Evergreen Candytuft prefers full sun and average garden soil that is well drained. Do no let plants dry out or they will stop blooming. Plant in the spring, 2 to 4 weeks before the last average frost date or in late fall. Candytufts are excellent in pots, containers, rock gardens and as a small scale ground cover.

The Cosmos Yellow Garden, 'Cosmos bipinnatus', has a unique, unusual soft lemon-yellow color. Yellow Garden is a very vigorous grower and blooms later that some Cosmos. And remember, neglect is the kind of care Cosmos prefer. The Cosmos begin blooming 10 weeks after seeding and bloom from summer to first fall frost.The Yellow Garden Cosmos prefer full sun, but they can withstand a little shade. They will thrive in average garden soils. Do not over fertilize or over water. Plant this Cosmos in the spring after the last average frost date. They are excellent colorful bedding plants for low maintenance, dry areas and are great for cut flowers. They attract hummingbirds and butterflies.

The Daisy Cape Zulu Prince, 'Venidium fastuosum', is a beautiful cut flower and is perfect for hot, dry, sunny spots. The Zulu Prince holds large 4 inch flowers that are exotic looking in the garden. The flowers have creamy white petals with an inner ring of purple and yellow. The Cape Daisy blooms from mid summer to late fall. This plant is also known as "Monarch of the Veldt" and has very attractive silvery foliage.The Cape Daisy Zulu Prince will grow in almost any soil, but it has a preference for rich, alkaline soils that are well drained. They are drought tolerant but they will bloom best in moist soil. Plant in early spring, after the last average frost date. The Zulu Blend is excellent for wildflower planting and in beds, borders, parking strips, or roadsides.

The Dianthus Maiden Pink Shrimp, 'Dianthus deltoides 'Shrimp', has very vivid, crimson-scarlet flowers that appear the first year from seed. The flowers are starry wonders with the most vivid color you have ever seen. The 1/2 to 3/4 inch flowers are star shaped and borne on the ends of 8 to 10 inch stems. The Shrimp Dianthus bloom in the summer for 8 to 10 weeks and will sometimes bloom again in the fall.The Maiden Pink Dianthus prefers full sun and light, sandy, well drained soil that is slightly alkline. Do not over water for best results. Deadhead often, and mulch in cold winter climates. Plant in the early spring, 2 to 4 weeks before the average last frost date, or up to 2 months before the first fall frost. The Maiden Pink is used for borders, as an edging, and in rock gardens.

The Knautia Burgundy Wine, 'Knautia macedonica', has brilliant burgundy to crimson-red pincushions on long stems. Create a sense of drama and mystery in your garden with "see-through" plants. These medium-tall plants in the front or middle of a bed will entice the viewer without completely obscuring the view beyond. The 2 inch flowers are pin cushion shaped. Burgundy wines bloom from summer to fall.The Knautia prefers full sun to partial shade. They should be deadheaded regularly for continuous bloom. Plant in early spring, 2 to 4 weeks before last average frost date. The Burgundy Wines are great for cottage gardens, borders, and meadows. They also will attract butterflies.

The Lavender English Dwarf Hidcote, 'Lavandula angustifolia', is an improved dwarf variety of Lavender that stays 12 inches high and is very uniform and compact. The English Lavender Dwarf Hidcote has lots of flower spikes growing very dark purple, fragrant, 1/4 to 1/2 inch flowers. The Lavender blooms in late spring and into the summer. It also has the characteristic square stems of the mint family.The English Hidcote prefers full sun and loose, light, well drained soil. Do not fertilize, over rich soil will cause the plant to be less fragrant. Plant in early spring, as soon as the soil can be worked or in late fall. The Lavender can be used for a short hedge, edging, rock gardens, and pots. Lavender also are used in sachets and pot pourri.

The Monkshood, 'Aconitum napellus', is a wonderfully different perennial for your shade garden. Monkshood perform best in shade under trees or on the east or north side of a house. The flowers occur in clusters along tall spikes. Flowers are deep blue to blue and have 1 to 2 inch high hoods. Monkshood takes 2 to 3 years to bloom from seed. They bloom from late summer into early fall.Monkshood prefers shady locations. They will withstand sun, but they must be watered constantly. Monkshood requires soils that are high in organic matter and the soil must be moist, but not soggy. Plant in late fall or early spring. They are used for cut flowers and shade gardens. Note: All parts of the plant are poisonous, especially the roots.

The Sweet Pea America, 'Lathyrus odoratus', is a very old heirloom sweet pea traced back to 1896. The crimson stripes on the soft white petal look like an exotic butterfly perched on a stem. The America is very fragrant and is a summer bloomer. The blo