Colorful Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow

Q: I have a large oak in front of the house and nothing grows under it, even grass. Can you recommend me a compact, colorful flowering shrub that will tolerate shade location and still will bloom for me? I love fragrant flowers, that would be nice... Also, I am a snowbird staying in Florida mostly from Fall to Spring so I miss the flowering season! Any winter bloomers? Or am I asking for too much?

A: There is a plant for every location and every need! Here is a perfect plant for you, Brunfelsia grandiflora - Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow. It is a winter bloomer and it enjoys filtered light. In fact, in full sun Brunfellsia leaves sometimes turn yellowish, so a shade location will be perfect for it, leaves will be healthy and dark green.
It is a beautiful specimen plant. The unusual popular name of this medium-sized shrub becomes clear to anyone who observes it over the course of two or three days. Its tubular fragrant flowers change from purple to lavender and then to white over a three day period (First they open as rich lavender-blue; then they change to pale lavender and finally to almost white before they fall). Then all three colors can be seen on the same plant. It grows to about 3-6 ft and does best in filtered sunlight. Blooms fall to winter.

Check out all Brunfelsias from our store - they all are shade lover and free-flowering!

And here is a list of all winter flowering plants for you... and a Winter-Flowering Guide for Snow Birds (PDF file) that includes many late-season trees, shrubs and fruiting plants.

Easy compact bush for sandy soil

Caesalpinia pulcherrima - Red Dwarf Poinciana, Bird of Paradise.

Plant Horoscope - Gemini

What is your lucky Zodiac plant?

By Alex Butova, the Witch of Herbs and Cats

... Gemini are very fond of plants, especially flowers. They are able to devote their lives to favorite plants, selecting new varieties, planting gardens, parks and arboretums. In addition, the planet-ruler Mercury gives them with business ability - Gemini are excellent flower merchants of any level: from flower growers who sell their plants to everyone, to wholesalers who supply their delicate fragrant goods around the world. In their house, Gemini do not keep too many plants, they have enough of those that grow outside in their nursery and garden. However, among those who nevertheless became piece of the family (exactly this way Gemini perceive their house plants), preference is given to graceful forms, pubescent and curly, like Farfugium, Monstrous epyphyllum, often carved leaves (Monstera) and plants with aroma. All these properties not only improve the physical well-being of Gemini, but also helps save the spiritual and mental balance of their contradictory but all while tender and romantic nature. Gemini don't care about common spices, they love unusual plants and especially those with a sweet scent. Their favorite aroma is rose and similar, like fragrances of Clerodendrums, Jasmines, Gardenias, Plumeria, and Brunfelsia. At critical moments sweet scents awaken them into the life!..