Master gardener Sally Scalera shares the dirt on which fragrant plants are native, important because they attract and support our native insects.

A wonderful group of plants called gingers thrive in the heat and delight us with bold foliage and attractive flowers.

Ginger plants take 10 months to mature. Plant it in the spring after the last frost. The Zingiber officianale plant produces clusters of white and pink flower buds that bloom into yellow flowers.

The plant has gorgeous leaves and some varieties have white striping. They are great companion plants with ferns and small growing hostas and reach about 3 feet tall.

Red bamboo ginger Light: Very bright indirect Height: 1-3 feet Spread: 2-3 feet Hardiness: Zones 9-11 Origin: Philippines Some plants grow pretty much unnoticed until someone finds so… ...

Plant shell ginger in rich, medium moist, well drained soil in part sun to mostly shade, avoiding midafternoon sun. In our area it grows in clumps, usually three to five-feet in height.

The spiral flag or Costus ginger group have long lasting inflorescence but are perfect for those who don’t care for the sweet odor of yellow and white gingers. (Photo courtesy / Voltaire Moise) ...

The most widely grown ornamental ginger in our area is theHedychium spp. also called butterfly ginger. These are the most cold-hardy gingers and range in height from 18 inches to 12 feet tall.

I WAS COAXING Ren, the aging Chihuahua, down our usual route one morning when I looked up and stopped cold. There in a schoolyard, unnoticed by me before, was a row of white ginger plants, in full ...