Japanese red pines are relative strangers to the Minnesota garden but that needn’t be the case — at least in the Twin Cities they have proven reliably hardy. Today’s Plant of the Week, Pinus densiflora “Dragon’s Eye”, is a unique cultivar

Ramps or wild leeks have begun springing forth in the forests of the upper Midwest. What at first glance looks like a mass of lilies of the valley is far less poisonous and far more delicious! The leaves and long stem can be cut above the bulb and cooked or made into pesto.

Lenten roses are becoming more popular in Minnesota because of their extremely early fireworks of bloom and lustrous evergreen foliage. Many cultivars have deep burgundy blooms that are stunning but hard to appreciate from a distance. That’s the beauty of “Spanish Flare” which produces…

“What the is that??!” is what I thought when I came across this plant at a client’s garden last year. It took a while to figure it out, but I eventually concluded that this amazing, improbably hardy perennial is Deinanthe caerulea, a native of…

Sedges are quickly gaining in popularity because of their rugged, durable gracefulness. Most consist of arching leaves which emerge from rhizomes in clumps. “Oehme” is a bit different. Bright green leaves emerge opposite on stems…

What could be better than a graceful weeping ornamental conifer that looks like Spanish moss and smells like a gin and tonic?

The “Wee White” hydrangea from the Incredibelle Series has a sturdy compact frame that reaches just 2′ tall and is covered in pure white flowers from summer to fall.

“Conica” is a semi-dwarf strain of concolor fir that maintains a narrow upright habit similar to Picea “Cupressina” but with the heavier, more substantive needles of a fir. Very tolerant of heavy snows…

A favorite of floral designers, sea holly (Eryngium) yields steely, thistle-like blooms that hold their color even after drying out. “Blue Glitter” produces clouds of stunning blossoms…