In preparation for our first hard freeze, I removed the Ipomoea 'Margarita' from the bed at our sign along Route 50. A form of sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas translates to "similar to bind weed" and batatas meaning potato in Haitian. It's a tender vining groundcover that does form large tubers underground. Since the breeding is solely for ornament, I understand the potato-like roots are not very tasty, although I have seen chipmunks gnaw on them. This fabulous leafy annual performed admirably this summer, in fact some of the leafy stems were 15 feet or longer. Easy to care for, but definitely tender or annual, the plant will freeze and die, usually long before the middle of November. Interestingly enough I noticed something else quite pleasing about I. 'Margarita's' performance, no weeds, I had no weeds. Her luxuriant foliage had smothered the ground so thickly that weeds had no place to sprout.

Popularity has never been a problem for Ipomoea 'Margarita'. The pale yellow to green leaves are a great foil for so many other annuals. In containers she excels, dripping over the edge and available in a dark, almost black leafed form, as well as a tri-color variety with leaves of pink, white and green. She is not the only plant with Margarita in her name. I know of another and it's a winner that is botanically known as Gelsemium 'Margarita'. Gelsemium is a vine as well, commonly known as Carolina Jasmine. Hardy for us, this vine can be left outdoors. When grown up a support it will wrap and climb, returning year after year. The foliage is evergreen and the yellow flowers of spring are very fragrant. A native plant, Gelsemium is deer resistant, drought resistant and one of the 2005 winners of The Pennsylvania Horticultural Societies Gold Medals. I have noticed that some favorite plants often share the same species name or hybrid name. It can become quite silly imagining that you will grow all of these plants, all of the named Margaritas of the world.

The non-gardener may relate this to all of their friends that are named George. If the first and second George you ever met were nice people, you might grow fond of people with that name. So too this can happen in the garden. Now with Latin names, it may be a little more definitive. The Latin or botanical attachment to the genus is often descriptive. Divaricata means diverse, so a plant with this name is different, most likely it will look odd when compared to others in its genus. Well that certainly sounds right, I love different plants and Campanula divaricata, Phlox divaricata and Caryopteris divaricatus all have a spot in my garden, they are appropriately named. Another group of plants to collect are the ones ending in "alata". In Latin, alata means "winged", which helps me nary a bit. But Nicotiana alata, Passiflora alata and Sarracenia alata are the best in their families. In fact the joke at work is that we have to grow a lot of alatas. Which I guess translates to a lot of winged plants?

Now you may not go around knowing the exact names of your plants. Those quirky similarities need not get in the way of your gardening, in fact restrictions in space may not allow you to collect various Margaritas, divaricatas and alatas of the world. So it's just as well. But did you know that the name George is derived from Greek and means "farmer" or "earthworker"? There's no harm in having a lot of friends, and so what if a few of them are named George. Chances are they will help you garden.