H is for Hollyhocks, Helenium, Heuchera, and Heirloom Vegetables
Season 7, Episode 22, May 7, 2025
First up, the news this week was the huge rainstorms we had in Oklahoma. It fell so fast and so hard that it washed some of my new plantings out of the ground. We also continued our gardening through the alphabet with the letter “H.” Here is your early episode link,
Carol mowed twice, and she’s weeding and planting. Hurrah for spring! I cleaned up after the rainstorm and got my paths partially fixed from the washout.
Carol also chatted with Noel Kingsbury and friends. Here’s the YouTube link to the Thursday Garden Chat with Garden Masterclass.
I did a fun video for TaraCotta Garden Outlet, and while there I saw Salvia Hummingbird Falls. You can also buy it at Select Seeds.
We had a question about listing all the books we have on the podcast and which design books specifically we like. After some careful consideration here are two of mine: The Layered Garden, by David Culp and The Cottage Garden, by Claus Dalby. That makes sense because my garden is really a cottage garden. I know we reviewed both of these books on our podcast in the last seven seasons.
We also discussed star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum), which is terribly invasive. It has showed up in both of our gardens out of nowhere. That’s how terrible it is. Carol wrote about it on her blog in 2011 if you want more information.
Our flowers of the week starting with “H” were hollyhocks, helenium (sneezeweed) and heuchera. Now that I’ve seen Carol’s heuchera, I’m very jealous. Mine look nothing like that, and the only one I can grow well is ‘Southern Comfort.” Great Britain has national collections of both Hollyhocks (Alcea) Heleniums.
I may not have much luck with heuchera, but I do with the basic yellow helenium which is a native plant. This year, I am again trying Helenium 'Monheim Beauty' because I want a second flower that is orange instead of yellow. Here’s an Instagram video I did on helenium.
In our vegetable topic, we discussed heirloom vegetables and hybrids for “H.” We couldn’t think of any particular vegetable that started with “H.” Can you?
We like heirlooms and hybrids, and we discussed the strengths and weaknesses of each. Sources for heirloom seeds include Seedsavers Exchange and Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. We also want you to know that hybrids are not GMOs.
On the bookshelf, we talked about The Lost Orchid: A Story of Victorian Plunder & Obsession by Sarah Bilston (Amazon link.)
Newsflash!
We are giving away two copies. To enter to win one of them, be a subscriber, share this newsletter with a friend, and leave a comment. We will let the winners know in two weeks. (Per the recording, U.S. mailing addresses only, must be over 18, etc.)
Our dirt was Monarch butterflies on 60 Minutes. He only got one fact wrong. Guess what it was?
We had fun rabbit holes this week.
I found Up North Garden w/Corey, on YouTube. He’s delightful.
Carol studied up on the Cloud sisters, two more Lost Ladies of Garden Writing.
The Will Rogers Garden Festival in the Park is on May 20, this year. You can find the details on Facebook.
That’s it for this week. Happy gardening!
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I heard Carol speak at the Franklin Township garden club last year. After finding out about your podcasts, I’ve listed to every one since. I finally subscribed Substack today, I’m curious about the book. Orchids are another hobby of mine. So far I have about 20.
Oh! Those Bluebells! There is a Texas variety, I believe..