Every season has its botanical shorthand— and mums, we have collectively decided, are autumn. Chrysanthemums were cultivated in China centuries before they reached Western gardens. Today there are thousands upon thousands of cultivars in an astonishing assortment of forms and colors. Their name comes from the Greek for “golden flower,” a nod to the yellow blooms of their wild … [Read more...]
May 11, 2026 By
Flying Jewels
Consider the hummingbird for a long moment. Brian Doyle begins his essay Joyas Voladoras with this act of attention—because, indeed, the hummingbird rewards a slower kind of looking. The phrase joyas voladoras, Spanish for “flying jewels,” is a historical nickname given to hummingbirds by early Spanish explorers. It’s a fitting name for a creature that embodies a streak of living color. … [Read more...]
June 3, 2025 By
The Silent Explosion: A Springtime Tribute to Flowers
“Once upon a time there were no flowers at all.” —Loren Eiseley Imagine that. A planet green, but without bloom. No petals, no pollen, no bursts of color to herald the seasons. Just a long, monotonous hush in the history of plant life. Until, somewhere near the end of the Age of Reptiles, as Eisley so beautifully described it, there occurred “a soundless, violent explosion.” It wasn’t fire … [Read more...]
April 14, 2025 By
Rain Chains, House Finches, & the Secret Lives of Garden Fixtures
Given the abysmally rainy spring we’ve had, it seems only right to tell you about our rain chains. Maybe you didn’t know we sell them here at Kalleco. Maybe you don’t even know what they are. Let’s start there. Rain chains are functional beauty. They’re a funny thing. I’d never even heard of them until I became a homeowner, and even then, I didn’t quite “get it.” Now I do. They’re a perfect … [Read more...]
March 31, 2025 By
Open for the Season! Happy Spring!
April brings the beauty of spring, the joy of Easter, and one of our favorite celebrations—Arbor Day! This month is the perfect time to plant trees, and we’re excited to announce that our new selection of deciduous and evergreen trees has arrived! This year, we have an exceptionally large assortment of trees, including the stunning Cedrous deodara. This evergreen beauty can reach 20-40 feet … [Read more...]
July 12, 2021 By
How to deter Groundhogs from Spending Quality Time in your Garden
It’s that exciting time of year again when our flowers are blooming, and our gardens are starting to produce vegetables that are almost ripe and ready for picking. But then we start to notice beautiful flower heads going missing, and same with that almost ripe tomato or head of lettuce has been picked right off too. Who is the culprit of all this? Probably groundhogs unfortunately, and most … [Read more...]
June 21, 2021 By
The Boxwood Species and its Large Family
The Boxwood Species, (Buxus Sempervirens) happens to be one of the most popular shrub types in most landscape projects today. With almost 200 varieties of Boxwood out there, it is an evergreen shrub that is native in many different regions. A good majority of the Boxwood family grows slow and short and is often used for borders or edging around houses and in landscape designs, while some others … [Read more...]
