Perennials
![Clump of yellow flag iris - Iris pseudacorus](https://i0.wp.com/countryhomeandblooms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/iris-pseudacorus-banner.jpg?fit=360%2C213&ssl=1)
Fly your colors high: Celebrating the radiant beauty of yellow flag iris
Iris pseudacorus, commonly known as yellow flag iris, is a stunning wetland plant that can add a pop of color to any garden. This plant is native to Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia, but has been widely cultivated in other parts of the world due to its striking appearance
![Lilium Roselily Samantha](https://i0.wp.com/countryhomeandblooms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/lilium-roselily-samantha-banner-x.jpg?fit=360%2C213&ssl=1)
Summer bulbs and roots ordered online: Tips for success
Or what to do when your online plant orders arrive! Are you eagerly awaiting the arrival of warmer weather and dreaming of a colorful garden filled with vibrant blooms? Ordering summer bulbs online for spring planting is an excellent way to kickstart your garden transformation. In a previous post, I
![Peony shoots emerging in spring](https://i0.wp.com/countryhomeandblooms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/peony-spring-banner-x1.jpg?fit=360%2C213&ssl=1)
Guide on spring care for beautiful peonies
Spring is the eagerly awaited season when gardens come back to life, and among the stars of this floral renaissance are peonies. Welcome to my guide on spring care for beautiful peonies, including essential tips to ensure your peonies thrive during the spring season. Cleaning When the ground thaws and
![AI AI-generated image showing a laptop with a rendition of an online catalog, the banner of the blog post titled 12 steps in selecting and buying new plants from online catalogs](https://i0.wp.com/countryhomeandblooms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/catalog-AI-banner-x.jpg?fit=360%2C213&ssl=1)
12 steps in selecting and buying new plants from online catalogs
As the gardening season approaches, many of us are eager to enhance our outdoor spaces with new plants. Online catalogs offer a convenient way to explore a wide variety of purchasing options from the comfort of our homes and long before the weather allows us to play in the garden.
![Lilium Tinilco](https://i0.wp.com/countryhomeandblooms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/lilium-tinilco-banner-x.jpg?fit=360%2C213&ssl=1)
The intriguing world of novelty plants: Beyond just a label
While perusing an online plant catalog recently, I stumbled upon a section featuring “Novelty lilies.” This piqued my curiosity: what exactly did this term signify? Was it a category of lilies I was not aware of, or simply a label intended to intrigue customers? Although I was already familiar with
![The 'Powder Blue Giant' Iris cristata or dwarf crested iris is renowned for its stunning 3-inch-wide, powder-blue flowers.](https://i0.wp.com/countryhomeandblooms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/iris-cristata-banner1.jpg?fit=360%2C213&ssl=1)
A giant dwarf: Iris cristata ‘Powder Blue Giant’
In the spring of 2022, I planted Iris cristata ‘Powder Blue Giant’, also known as the dwarf crested iris, on a whim, along the edge of a flower border slightly shadier than the others. I never expected the beauty that would emerge a few weeks later. Yet, from the moment
![Digitalis - top flower of the Monstrosa chimera](https://i0.wp.com/countryhomeandblooms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/digitalis-monstrosa-banner.jpg?fit=360%2C213&ssl=1)
Spontaneous foxglove mutation: Digitalis purpurea ‘Monstrosa’
For two years, Digitalis purpurea ‘Monstrosa’ is a peloric foxglove that appeared within a self-sown patch in my garden. Let’s see what pelorism is. Peloria derives from both new Latin and from the Greek word pelōros, meaning “monstrous”. Pelorism in Digitalis refers to the occurrence of flowers with radial symmetry instead
![Papaver orientale 'Royal Wedding'](https://i0.wp.com/countryhomeandblooms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/papaver-or-royal-wedding-banner-x.jpg?fit=360%2C213&ssl=1)
A trio of stunning cultivars of oriental poppy
Among perennials, few blooms captivate the eye of visitors quite like the Papaver orientale, commonly known as the Oriental poppy. With their cup-shaped flowers bearing striking colors and delicate petals, this perennial has found its place in gardens around the globe, adding bursts of vibrancy and charm. Three stunning cultivars of oriental
![Close up of iris pallida flower and floral bud](https://i0.wp.com/countryhomeandblooms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/iris-pallida-banner1.jpg?fit=360%2C213&ssl=1)
Sweet iris unveiled
Iris pallida, commonly named sweet iris, is less known than Siberian iris (Iris sibirica) and bearded iris (Iris germanica). However, sweet iris enthralls gardeners with the unique charm of its fragrant lavender-blue flowers. Let’s look at why it does. Origins Iris pallida belongs to the Iridaceae family. The species’ name,
![foxtail lily in the garden](https://i0.wp.com/countryhomeandblooms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/eremurus-banner.jpg?fit=360%2C213&ssl=1)
Foxtail lily, the giant spring-flowering Eremurus
Eremurus, also called foxtail lilies, are clump-forming perennials native to the arid grasslands of Afghanistan and Iran. In their natural habitat, they thrive in rocky slopes and meadows, making it a sight to behold amidst the rugged landscape. They are relatively cold tolerant if grown in very well-drained soil and
![Fall colors on Paeonia Catharina Fontjin](https://i0.wp.com/countryhomeandblooms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/peonies-fall-color-banner.jpg?fit=360%2C213&ssl=1)
Fall in the peony garden: vivid foliage and care tips
The colorful world of fall foliage in peonies is worth discovering while you are preparing them for the upcoming winter. As summer fades and the air turns crisper, nature’s paintbrush transforms the landscape in my area into a mesmerizing spectacle of reds, oranges, and yellows. While many associate these vibrant
![Reblooming Pink Attraction iris](https://i0.wp.com/countryhomeandblooms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/iris-reblooming-banner.jpg?fit=360%2C213&ssl=1)
Blooming once, blooming twice: Reblooming bearded irises
What if I told you that you can enjoy the beauty of bearded irises not just once, but multiple times a year? Thanks to reblooming bearded irises, a remarkable subset of this beloved plant species, this is entirely possible. In my USDA Hardiness Zone 5, where winter temperatures can be
![Close-up of Hibiscus moscheutos, swamp rose-mallow](https://i0.wp.com/countryhomeandblooms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/hibiscus-m-banner.jpg?fit=360%2C213&ssl=1)
Blooms of swamp rose-mallow: My first experience growing successfully Hibiscus moscheutos
Sometimes, the most wonderful things in life come as unexpected gifts. Such was the case when a dear friend surprised me two years ago with a swamp rose-mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos), also called hardy hibiscus. What followed was a delightful journey of rediscovery and wonder, especially considering that I had tried
![Garden view in the peony garden.](https://i0.wp.com/countryhomeandblooms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/border-banner.jpg?fit=360%2C213&ssl=1)
Flowing lines: 12 steps for using a garden hose to design curvy plant borders
Follow these 12 steps for creating a plant border with harmonious contour. Designing the shape of a plant border can be a bit of a challenge, especially if you want to create a natural and flowing look. One easy way to do this is to use a garden hose to
![Lilium Hotel California AOA](https://i0.wp.com/countryhomeandblooms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/lilium-hotel-california-aoa-banner.jpg?fit=360%2C210&ssl=1)
Oriental x asiatic lilies (OA): New hybrids worth discovering
Oriental x Asiatic lily hybrids, often referred to as OA lilies, are a type of hybrid lilies that result from crossing two distinct lily species: Lilium auratum (oriental lilies) and Lilium species in the asiatic lilies’ botanical division. These hybrids combine the desirable traits of both parent species, creating lilies