Plants

Poinsettias are the quintessential Christmas plant. The best-selling variety of this plant comes in shades of red and green, and as the plant is at its most vibrant over winter, it seems that it was created especially for the festive season.

Shrubs are sometimes described as small trees, and in fact, many trees can take the form of shrubs if they are pruned and trained correctly. Shrubs are typically bushy style plants, some of which can be pruned into ornamental designs, while others do better when left to their own natural shapes.

Jacob’s ladder plant is so-called because of the pinnate leaf pattern, which resembles a ladder. Its delicate foliage is just as attractive as the cup-shaped flowers that bloom in mid to late spring and throughout the summer.

The dusty miller plant is scientifically known as the Jacobaea maritima, though it was previously identified under the name of Senecio cineraria, and some places still incorrectly label the dusty miller with this name.

This perennial herb or ornamental is confusingly commonly known as anise hyssop, although the plant is neither part of the hyssop species, anise seed, or a star anise. In fact, it is part of the mint family and has many semblances to the mint plant, including its square stalks and toothy dull green foliage with paler undersides.

It’s easy to see where this exotic plant got its common name of ‘Persian shield,’ as the leaves are perfectly shield-shaped, and the iridescent purple foliage has a shimmering quality that makes it appear silver in some lights. Interestingly though, the plant hails from Myanmar (formerly Burma), and not Persia, as its name suggests.

Cornflowers are a pretty annual wildflower that was once commonly seen growing natively throughout Britain's rural meadows. Unfortunately, as with many species of wildflowers, the cornflower is now rarely seen in the wild. It has become almost extinct in rural landscapes thanks to modern agricultural methods.

Burro’s tail is a popular succulent that is easy to grow and requires very little care. In fact, this plant thrives on neglect and will be extremely forgiving if you miss an occasional watering.

If you are going to grow succulents indoors, this is the guide for you. Let's explore the weird and wonderful realm of low light succulents.

The biggest consideration with gaillardia flowers is to be careful not to overwater. These plants are drought-tolerant but won’t survive long in soil that’s too wet.

Marigolds grow quickly and easily in any zone and are very drought-tolerant. Be careful with them if you don’t want to spread.

To get the most flowers from your alstroemerias, be sure to keep it well-watered and in a position with plenty of sunshine. It is drought-tolerant but won’t produce as well if left dry.