KeyWee's Blog

I have found that it does me precious little good to spout off botanical plant names if the only response I am going to get is the blank stare of death.  Now don't get me wrong ~ do I know all the botanical names for even half the plants in my garden?  Heck, no.  Do I know a few?  Yeah, maybe.  

Some of the best gardeners I come in contact with (you know the ones where your eyeballs fall out on the ground when you see their yard) have no clue as to the true names of plants.  Nor do they care.  But ask them how the plant performs, when it blooms, if it self-seeds, spreads or does other strange planty things, and they know.

Since moving to another gardening zone, I have heard it all.  It sometimes takes three and even four tries to figure out what plant is being discussed unless you're standing right on top of it.  And even then a disagreement can arise.  So what do I do?  I cave.  "No, you're right ~ it's a yellow rose of Texas, a naked lady, a snow-on-the-mountain."  Whatever great grandma called it, we're going with that.  Because in the long run, the name is meaningless, if you can't learn something about the plant (and get a start of it from the owner!). 

It's great to know the "real" name if you're doing research and that's what the internet is good for.  Then again, some gardeners I know don't even bother with that. 

What's in a name?  Everything and nothing ~ depending on your perspective.  Me ~ I'm after that free plant, I don't care what you call it.