Waiting while the buds slowly develop on my four year old Galtonia Candicans is like being a child anticipating the prize from a Cracker Jack. Galtonia Candicans or Summer Hyacinth is not hardy in zone 6a, our garden's hardiness zone. Hardy in zones 7 thru 10 I am able to dig the bulbs up in tact in their soil and transfer to a pot and put in a warmer sheltered place in my garage near a window in the winter months. I water it when the soil looks dry and it basically looks like a pot of dirt all winter long. I label it well to remind myself of the prize inside that pot when during June and July it develops into the gradual bell shaped white flower cascade - perfect for hummingbirds. Ornithogalum candicans or Galtonia candicans is native to moist grassland in South Africa and has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Merit. Much taller than a typical hyacinth it shows beautifully in your garden and is well worth the act of storing it away in winter months. It would make a worth while cut flower for a really unique display. The older the bulbs are, the more apt you will be able to divide and multiply them.

Tidying up my plants that I keep indoors over the winter is one of my favorite things to do especially when it's cold outside. This scented geranium, pelargonium, has basically turned into a tiny tree over the years - it was climbing up one of our braided hibiscus plants and basically needed to be cut back. Geraniums are very easy to start rooting in a sunny window in your home. Here I have about eight separate cuttings, all of which will wait for roots to develop in water. Pot them up in some good soil and eight small scented geraniums become new plants to share or keep. This particular geranium is verbena scented. There are mint, chocolate mint, apple, rose, lemon, orange, coconut scented geraniums out there to add to your collection of plants. They are easy to grow indoors and out. I recommend bringing them outdoors in the summer time. They produce tiny flowers and can be trained as a topiary. Scented geraniums are heat and drought tolerant plants. 

Pumpkin seeds must be very resilient because this green pumpkin seeded itself from our compost and was inadvertently planted in our garden this spring. The growth pattern is fascinating with its curly growth from the stem, massive leaves, and progression to new flowers. I spent three days capturing it with my camera along with my Verde Cosi "Wavy Leaf" table linen, deep orange nasturtium, and my Mother's vintage dish which the light passes through. Please purchase Verde Cosi "Wavy Leaf" table linen for your table this fall. 

Hibiscus moscheutos is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae. It is a cold hardy perennial wetland plant. It is a welcome addition to your garden in August when other perennials are often spent from the long summer. There exists numerous varieties. This particular variety color is often referred to as "cherry brandy". Hardy in zones 4 - 9. I love tropical hibiscus but perennial hibiscus moscheutos has blooms that are open and flat, they blow beautifully in the breeze. Hibiscus moscheutos needs plenty of water, especially the first couple of years. It enjoys full sun. The entire plant dies back in winter with a few twigs remaining, I keep them throughout the winter as a marker to pay attention to it in late spring when it starts to emerge. Late summer, August in my 6a zone, these beauties begin to flower with its twisted buds. The blooms are rather fleeting but more develop as they continue to bloom into September. As a cut flower, hibiscus do not last long but are well worth having in your garden.

Bursting with berries at the end of August and September this European Rowan Tree has been on the property of an established farm for many years.

The wood of the European Rowan Tree is dense and used for carving and turning for wood handles. Rowan fruit are a traditional source for vegetable dyes. In Finland it is a traditional wood for sled shafts and rake spikes.

The fruit of the European Rowan can be cooked and made into a slightly bitter jelly which in Britain is traditionally eaten with game. European Rowan berries are also used to flavor liqueurs and cordials.

Fruit eating birds thrive on this plant.

The dense clusters of varied orange berries and spiked foliage are a beautiful visual for fall, I would love to use them in an arrangement for my table.

Suzanne Ahrens

Oxalis Regnellii or more commonly known as black shamrock has some of the most fascinating foliage. Dark purple/red it will captivate you with it's triple triangular leaves. The leaves also sleep when in low light - so it's a moody plant! It has tiny little bell shaped flowers - light pinky/purple that dangle. This arrangement felt appropriate for today since it is raining and the dark purple leaves remind me of an umbrella. Oxalis Regnellii is an annual in zone 6a but is a perennial in growing zones 8 to 10. It thrives in partial shade.

I bring my cluster of oxalis indoors for the winter - I've had mine for years. It is a rhizomatous bulb, native to South Africa. Oxalis likes well drained soil and is easy to care for. Oxalis is poisonous for cats and dogs. I have my Oxalis planted at the base of my large ficus tree. It is well worth the investment.

After much trial and error my husband and I have figured out how to propagate lavender organically without growth hormone. This is very important to gardeners committed to organic gardening. 

Cut about a 3 to 4 inch softwood cut from new growing stems on your existing lavender plant. Remove the outer "skin" on the stem at the base of the cutting, as well as leaves at base (see photo). Place in a clear glass jar with less than a half inch of clean water at the base. Place in a sunny window sill and keep that amount of water at the base of the jar. It is very important to keep just a small amount of water at the base - this is key to the success of establishing roots. It should take 2 to 4 weeks to establish roots ready for transplanting into a small terra-cotta pot. Lavender thrives in a sandy well drained soil. I always put small stones or gravel, a generous layer, at the base of the pot. Once your small plant has established itself, acclimate it gradually to the outdoors. Eventually have it in sun with heat. Water when the soil looks dry, with a small amount of water. 

The origin of lavender is believed to be from the Mediterranean, Middle East and India. Its history goes back some 2500 years. Lavender produces small flowers and belongs to the mint family, known for its fragrance, lavender has endless culinary, beauty ingredient, medicinal, and decorative uses.

Verde Cosi will be selling our live lavender topiaries and small plants along with our garden, home, fashion textiles and fine art at Sowa Open Market - Sunday May 5, 2019.

If you are always looking for something different for your garden, Gladiolus Murielle, is amazing. Gladiolus Murielae is a beautiful spike leaf bulb, native to the mountain areas of East Africa. It grows an awesome 2 to 3 feet tall with white star-like petals and a dark purple center and throat. The multiple buds graduate up the top of the stem with an almost vanilla like fragrance. Gladiolus Murielae likes consistently moist, well drained soil, and full sun -growing more commonly in zones 7 to 10. However, in zone 5, I will be digging up the corms and storing them in peat moss in my cool back room over the winter. Similar, perhaps, to a dahlia.