Raquel's Garden

alpine strawberries

Genus: Fragaria.
Species: Fragaria vesca.

Bought them as seed in a little packet sold at Walgreen's (I blush as I write this!). Amazingly they actually g...

Boston Fern

Genus: Nephrolepis.
Species: Nephrolepis exaltata.

I inherited this fern from a neighbor who retired to Florida...in spite of perhaps not having quite as much shad...

Bromeliad

Species: Guzmania spp. and hybrids.

I'd always seen bromeliads but never thought to buy one because they need indirect light - and my balcony gets f...

Dahlia (dwarf) (RIP - Rest in Peace)

Genus: Dahlia.
Species: dahlia x hybrida.

My poor dahlia died of some fungal or insect attack on its leaves - which I didn't see coming and couldn't stop....

Garlic chives

Genus: Allium.
Species: Allium tuberosum.

I planted garlic chives to accompany the red rose, because I read that all members of the allium family helped k...

Geranium (scented)

Genus: Pelargonium.
Species: Pelargonium odoratissimum.

I read about the old-fashioned scented geraniums and wanted one. I thought I wouldn't find any, but I did at Wa...

Geraniums (zonal)

Genus: Pelargonium.
Species: Pelargonium.

I love geraniums - I have three kinds:

Americana 'Violet'

Americana 'White Splash'

'Salmon'

It's ...

Gerbera daisy

Genus: Gerbera.
Species: gerbera.

I didn't realize how much I liked gerbera daisies until I kept being drawn to them in the cut flower section of ...

Grape tomatoes

Just trying them out this summer...

Impatiens (sultanas, busy lizzies)

Genus: Impatiens.
Species: impatiens wallerana.

These are some of my favorite flowers - my mother has always had a ton in her garden and I just love them. They ...

Pansies

Genus: Viola.
Species: viola x wittrockiana.

This is one of my favorite flowers for Spring - in Houston as early as February. I plan to keep planting them t...

Petunias

Genus: Petunia.
Species: Petunia x hybrida.

I love petunias, and I love them to cascade over the containers! Last year I planted 'Daddy Blue' and 'Cascade...

Portulaca (Rose moss, sun plant)

Genus: Portulaca.
Species: Portulaca grandiflora.

Last year I planted portulaca and it was just gorgeous. This year, wanting to try other things, I didn't plant ...

Roses (Miniature hybrids)

Genus: Rosa.
Species: Rosa.

I have three which I love dearly but often give me headaches! A dark red one, a bright yellow one that sometines...

Sweet Alyssum

Genus: Lobularia.
Species: Lobularia maritima.

I feel in love with sweet alyssum the second spring we spent in Virginia, when I saw it in the nursery and I lov...

Vinca (Madagascar periwinkle)

Genus: Vinca.
Species: Vinca minor.

It's a beautiful pale coral...and does wonderfully in full sun and in dry conditions...they're popping up everyw...

Wax begonia

Genus: Begonia.
Species: Begonia semperflorens-cultorum hybrids.

I have always enjoyed begonias, and decided to try planting them some this year in white. The variety I have is...