Good day, gardeners! I'm ecstatic because plant•ed now has over 1,000 subscribers!!! Hooray!!! I want to say thanks to all of you who have joined me along this journey of learning about plants over the past four years. I do look forward to seeing what we are going to learn together!
I hope this newsletter finds you healthy and well. Here's some valuable things I wanted to share with you to help you become a better gardener.
Gardens Illustrated shared some of Fergus Garrett's favorite plants. I, too, find I can't live without Chimonanthus praecox (wintersweet).
Research from Colorado State University has shown that green roofs can offer flowers earlier in the season to pollinators compared to plants at ground level. The authors stated this timing creates a wider window of bloom for insects.
From what I see on Instagram, Hamamelis vernalis (Ozark witchhazel) are starting to pop further north. Ours has already bloomed here in Texas. As this short piece from the Arnold Arboretum stated their intense fragrance in the winter is necessary to attract what few insects are out.
As always, thanks for welcoming me into your inbox each week to share what I’m learning about plants.
Cheers, and keep growing!
Dr. Jared
P.S. How do you feel about petunias that glow in the dark?
P.P.S. Did you know that Amsonia (bluestar) seed germination can be enhanced by nicking the end with fingernail clippers? You can learn that and much more in my Botanic Bootcamp session Success with Seed Sowing!