Many avid gardeners are chomping at the bit to get planting after having been trapped inside for several months of winter cold.  There are some preparatory steps that you should be ready to focus on prior to diving right into spring planting if you want the most successful and beautiful garden possible though. ...read more

A beautifully-arranged vase of fresh-cut flowers is a delightful way to bring a bit of your summer garden indoors. Now in full bloom, summer gardens are filled with a wonderful variety of flowers in every size, shape and color that are perfect for cutting. When cutting flowers for indoor display, most gardeners keep it simple. They fill a vase with a single flower such as cheerful, brightly-colored Gerbera Daisies. Or they cut an armful of fragrant mixed flowers and plop them unceremoniously into a vase to create a free-spirited, freeform display. Both are effective ways to showcase cut flowers from your garden; but you can create far more dramatic floral displays by employing three basic flower-arranging techniques. ...read more

Summer vacations are wonderful for gardeners but not so wonderful for their gardens. While you’re spending a delightful week or two at the beach or in the mountains, your garden is on its own and at the mercy of the elements. If the weather is mild and rainfall is consistent while you’re away, your garden should manage just fine without daily ministrations. You’ll have a few more weeds to pull and some deadheading to catch up on, but well-established plants can tolerate a week or two of mild neglect. However, with the dog days of summer nearly upon us, the weather while you’re away is likely to be broiling hot and desert dry. To protect the investment you’ve made in your garden – not to mention the sweat equity you’ve poured into your little piece of heaven -- you’ll want to add a few garden care chores to your vacation to-do list to ensure that when you return from your travels your garden will be just as beautiful as it was when you left.  ...read more

Hostas and Hardy Ferns are the usual stars of shady garden areas. Their lush, green, leafy growth provides dependable filler in garden areas that receive little to no sunshine. However, over-use of these two shade garden stalwarts has diminished their star power. When we see a bed of hostas spreading under a shady maple, we’re more apt to think “ho-hum” than “wow.” There’s no reason not to use hostas and ferns in shade plantings, but perhaps it’s time to relegate them to the background chorus and introduce some new stars to shade gardens.  ...read more

Most gardeners find shady areas a challenge to plant. Hostas, also known as Plantian Lilies, are a popular choice for shady garden spots. The green hues and variegated patterns of this leafy plant make an attractive filler under mature shade trees and along shadowy garden paths. Hardy ferns are another group of shade-loving plants that usually spring to mind when gardeners shop for plants that require minimal sunlight. But when planting a shade garden, gardeners need not limit themselves to these two popular standbys. There are quite a few shade-tolerant plants available at local garden centers that can bring a delightful variety of color and texture to shade plantings.  ...read more

Summer’s barely begun, but garden centers are already marking down popular annuals. If you’re a vegetable gardener, this is the perfect time to stock up on Marigolds (Tagetes). These colorful, low-growing annuals with the tightly-ruffled pom-pom heads are the super hero of vegetable gardens.  ...read more

A beautiful vining plant that produces large, colorful flowers from late spring through fall, Clematis is a garden favorite (see our previous post). With proper pruning this old-fashioned perennial will produce years of thick, lush foliage and abundant blooms. But there’s the rub. After a few years of improper or negligent pruning, clematis vines can become top heavy, the greenery and blossoms bushing out above unattractively barren stems. Unfortunately, pruning clematis is not a simple matter. This flowering vine is divided into 3 pruning groups based on peak blooming period and whether flowers are set on old or new growth.  ...read more

Large palm-sized blooms in vibrant purples, pinks and bright whites set against a background of thick green foliage; Clematis provides a stunning garden display from spring through fall. Trained to a trellis, this flower-covered vining plant adds color and visual interest to blank exterior walls. When planted to twine up a patio fence, the flower-laden tendrils of this attractive vine create a dramatic natural screen. A clematis-covered pergola can provide an enchanting entrance to a well-planted garden or can be used to create a quiet oasis of shady seclusion along a sheltered garden path. ...read more

Like peanut butter and jam, some things just taste better together. Melding flavors by pairing foods elevates the taste experience to new heights. Gardeners have discovered that the taste blending usually performed in the kitchen can also be accomplished in the garden. Planting vegetables with complementary herbs in the same garden bed not only augments the flavor of the vegetables, it can have the added benefit of warding off problematic insects. Called companion planting, the tried-and-true gardening method is gaining new attention from organic gardeners and home gardeners concerned about pesticide use.  ...read more

The hallmark of American suburbia for decades, the well-manicured lawn is gradually giving ground to expansive gardens and mini-prairies filled with Asters, Rudbeckia (Brown-eyed Susan) and other native plants. The move to replace grassy lawns with flowering gardens was recently named the hottest new trend in yard landscaping by the American Society of Landscape Architects. Like tendrils of crabgrass slowly creeping into a thick, green blanket of Kentucky Blue grass, eco-gardening is gradually gaining favor with U.S. home owners.  ...read more