Russelia equisetiformis  is commonly known as the firecracker plant (or firecracker fern or coral fountain), due to its arching sprays of tubular red flowers. You will most likely find the red form in local nurseries, but yellow and salmon cultivars are also available. The firecracker plant is a tender perennial when grown in ground in USDA Hardiness Zones 9a or higher. Otherwise, this plant can be treated as an annual, gracing beds, pots or large planters with its colorful s

Japanese Maple in Fall Color by Alice Marty By: Regina Gunn, former Mobile County Master Gardener, www.mobilecountymastergardeners.org Q We recently down-sized to a smaller home and yard with no existing plantings other than the typical foundational shrubbery. Are there small trees available for smaller spaces such as ours that would provide beauty and/or shade?   A Landscape designers often talk about balance with regard to proportion and scale in the garden because it is so

Table arrangement By: Brenda Bolton, Mobile County Master Gardener, www.mobilecountymastergardeners.org   Editor’s Note:  Creating fresh greenery arrangements during a holiday season can result in  special gifts for friends. In this column from November 2016, Brenda Bolton gives expert tips on using what you grow for décor that lasts as long as possible.  And we want you to know that as a backup to DIY, the Master Gardeners invite you to place your order for Holiday Greenery

Snapdragon. Photo by Judy Weaver. By Judy Weaver   Because Snapdragons thrive in cooler weather, gardeners who call Planting Zone 8b home can plant these happy plants in early spring and fall.  And if our winter happens to be mild enough, snapdragons can be overwintered to get a head start on spring color. What they can’t tolerate is hot weather.   Snapdragons are happiest in full or dappled sun with moist, well-drained soil, whether in a border or a container. Pinch back you