Year in review: Mark Dwyer, 'Green Guide' columnist

12 columns that dive deep into plants.

Through Mark Dwyer’s familiarity with plants and expertise in landscaping, his column offers a ‘green guide’ for planting perennials, shrubs and more. He’s currently Garden Manager for the Edgerton (WI) Hospital Healing Garden after 21 years as Director of Horticulture at Rotary Botanical Gardens (Janesville, WI). He also operates Landscape Prescriptions by MD, a landscape design and consultation business.

Here are his 2023 columns for Nursery Management, all in one place for your convenience.

1. Clematis hybrida ‘Rooguchi’ – Opening up from black buds in May, the shiny, cobalt-blue flowers are extremely uniform, bell-shaped and about 2 inches long.
2. Acer triflorum – Brilliant fall color and striking bark make three-flower maple an excellent choice.
3. Aruncus dioicus – The contrast between its feathery white plumes and textural foliage makes goat’s beard a standout perennial.
4. Salix sachalinensis ‘Golden Sunshine’ – The bright luminosity of this shrub provides a golden glow in any sunny garden.
5. Deutzia gracilis Chardonnay Pearls – With arching stems smothered in pearl-like buds that open to fragrant, white flowers in spring, this shrub becomes a golden gem.
6. Callirhoe involucrata – These “wine cups” offer vivid magenta flowers and amazing durability even in rocky soils.
7. Lespedeza thunbergii ‘Gibraltar’ – This versatile plant dominates the late summer scene with cascading branches.
8. Acer japonicum ‘Aconitifolium’ – Long-lasting intense fall color is this tree’s calling card.
9. Crambe maritima – With blue foliage and white flowers, sea kale is an interesting edible perennial.
10. Caryopteris divaricata ‘Snow Fairy’ – This glowing form of blue spirea offers striking variegation and late-season flowering.
11. Caulophyllum thalictroides – The fruit of this undemanding perennial provides a burst of color to understory applications.
12. Caragana arborescens ‘Walker’ – The striking weeping form and feathery foliage of ‘Walker’ make it a winner.