2010 Carolina Home & Garden Show

The Home Builders Association of Greater Columbia (HBAGC) presents the 44th Annual Carolina Classic Home & Garden Show at the SC State Fairgrounds Friday, March 12 through Sunday, March 14, 2010. This is the largest home and garden exhibition in the Midlands with over 300 construction, home improvement, and outdoor products exhibits. Educational seminars are free with your admission. Visit their website for more information.

Plant Profile: Stachys byzantina

Botanical Name: Stachys byzantina
Common Name: Lamb’s Ear, Wooly betony
Plant Type: Perennial
Light Requirements: Full Sun (afternoon shade in very hot climates)
Special Attributes: Drought tolerant

Zone: 4-7

Growth Rate: Spreads quickly

Height X Spread: 12” H x 24” W

Bloom Time: Early Summer

Bloom Description: Pink/Purple flowers (rarely flowers)

Foliage Description: Oblong elliptic wooley gray-green leaves

Soil: Moist well drained soil is best but will survive in average to dry soil

Water: Regular

Tidy: Clean out dead foliage regularly

Fertilizer: Balanced slow-release fertilizer

Fertilizing cycle: Spring at first sign of growth

Divide: In spring

Propagation: Division of the root mass; often self-seeds

Notes: Lamb's ear is a low growing, mat-forming perennial in the mint family that is grown for its velvety white wooly leaves, rather than its flowers. The leaves are 2-4 inches long. Flower spikes appear in early summer and are 12-18 inches high. It is often used as edging in garden design. There are approximately 300 species of Stachys.

Historic Garden Week in Virginia

Historic Garden Week is the oldest and largest statewide house and garden tour event in the nation and is sponsored by The Garden Club of Virginia. Billed as “America’s Largest Open House”, the 2010 event takes place from April 17th through April 25th. Attendees will have the opportunity to visit more that 250 of Virginia’s most beautiful gardens, homes and historic landmarks. Beginning in February 2010, a guidebook will be available to provide descriptions of houses and gardens included in the event.

For more information about tickets, tour highlights and garden schedules visit the event website.

What's In a Name: The Binomial System of Names

Did you ever wonder how a plant gets its scientific name? If you have, then you’ll enjoy reading the Master Gardener Foundation’s discussion of Plant Names. This well written and easy to understand article explains the Binomial System of Names, why we have it, and how it works.

I recently came across this site while I was researching one of the plants in my garden, Timeless Rose. I knew the botanical name was Rosa x JACecond, but it wasn’t until I read this article that I learned that the small ‘x’ between the genus and species name means that this is a hybrid rose.

This article is a great way to get your feet wet in the area of plant names before going on to some of the more complicated references.

Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival

Enjoy gardens, flowers, topiaries, educational events and live music at the 2010 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. It takes place from March 3rd through May 16th at Epcot Center in Orlando Florida. Festival highlights include:

• Community Garden – Disney character topiaries.
• Herbs and Vegetables Home Grown – Learn how to conserve water wisely.
• Green Garden – Use native plants and recycle.
• Pixie Hollow Fairy Garden – Topiary garden designed for children ages 2-5.
• Minnie’s Magnificent Butterfly Garden – Colorful foliage and free-flying butterflies.

Visit the Walt Disney World events site for more information.

Philadelphia International Flower Show

The 2010 Philadelphia International Flower Show will take place on February 28th through March 7th at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Attractions include:

• 150 FREE gardening presentations
• Educational displays
• Full-scale garden and floral exhibits
• Gardening products
• Culinary Demonstrations
• International Wine and Spirits Garden
• International Dessert and Coffee Bar
• Daily Live Performances by Brazilian singers and Bollywood dancers

Visit the show website for detailed information on tickets, location and hours.

This is an amazing show. Don’t miss it!