7 Things You Should Never Do to Your Perennials During a Heat Wave
As we’re burrowing deeper into the thick of this crazy summer weather, I can’t help but feel that this is the true test of the garden. Everything I’ve been working …
Mickey Gast
I like to think of myself as a writer who gardens and a gardener who writes. I was hooked into this lifestyle more than a decade ago, when I decided that my new husband’s tomato patch had to be extended into a full-blown suburban veggie paradise. It was a classic story of “city girl trades concrete jungle for kale jungle.”
Before that, it was a humble peace lily that gave me the houseplant bug, so I have her to thank for 15+ years of houseplant obsession. I get a kick out of saving and reviving houseplants that others write off, although my greatest sin is still overwatering.
When we went back to renting in cities, I gardened in community gardens, campus gardens and post stamp-sized balconies. Setting up gardens from scratch in three different (micro)climates taught me to stay humble and to always keep learning.
Nowadays, when I’m not writing, you’ll probably find me pottering around my suburban backyard where I’m creating a pollinator paradise, complete with herbs, veggies and flowers.
If you’re nosy like me, you can follow my plant experiments on Instagram @greenwithpurpose. I also write about plants, gardens and books on my website, GreenWithPurpose.com
9 Perennials to Plant with Hydrangeas (and One to Keep Away)
The inspiration for this article on hydrangea plant pairings came to me courtesy of golden hour. I was sitting on a bench next to a pink mountain hydrangea that looked …
Lupines Finished Blooming? What You Do Now Decides Next Year
If you have lupines planted in your front yard and see a stranger walking up and down the street every hour gawking at them, rest assured, I mean no harm. …
4 Reasons to Prune Your Perennials This June (Even Though It Feels Wrong)
Sometimes, I like to do counterintuitive things in the garden. I let the buttercups grow unplucked because they’re generous food sources for early pollinators. I cherish the moss between the …
The Post-Bloom Iris Care That Decides Next Year’s Flowers
A few years ago, I opened an article on iris care by stating that “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who actually bought irises to plant in their garden.” …
Now’s the Time to Prune Your Lilacs (& How To Fix One That’s Been Ignored For Years)
When I had a much smaller garden, I could only fit a couple of small shrubs along a fence. Lilac was not one of them. And yet, I still knew …
7 Plants to Grow If Your Lavender Keeps Dying
I’m a big fan of garden troubleshooting guides. You know the one: “What to do if your [insert plant here] is dying.” or “How to revive your [plant].” I have …
9 Flowering Shrubs You Need to Prune in Late Spring
There’s a saying in gardening that goes like this: “We prune for a reason, not for a season.” This means that there are no set times to prune plants, only …
8 Bushes to Grow For a Privacy Hedge You Can Eat
I’m a big fan of a plant with multiple functions. Does it feed me? Great! Does it feed pollinators too? Even better. Does it look pretty in addition to all …
5 Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Perennials
Ah, good! You’re here! I hope you’re wearing your comfiest pair of shoes, dear reader, because today, we’re going plant shopping. I’d like to take you with me and point …
15 Tall Flowers to Plant for Privacy and Months of Color
The idea for this article stemmed from a list of tall plants that I made for my own garden. I’m of the firm belief that good fences make good neighbors, …
7 Low-Effort Ways to Make the Best of Messy Garden Corners
There’s an episode of the beloved 90s sitcom Friends, where it’s revealed that Monica (self-proclaimed neat freak) has a secret closet jam-packed with stuff. A hodgepodge of knick-knacks, tucked away …
15 Flowers to Sow in April for Rich Summer Color
Now that my tomato seedlings are underway, I’m turning my attention to planting flowers once again. I have two large boxes of flower seeds that I’ve saved over my years …
6 Things to Consider Before Planting a Shrub
This might be an unpopular opinion, but I believe every single garden needs at least one shrub. I still like perennials and annuals, but shrubs just tie the room together. …
17 Bulbs to Plant This Spring for a Blooming Summer Garden
The days are getting longer, the light is softening, and there’s a warm breeze in the air. It must be April. April is one of those months when I catch …
20 Things You Probably Aren’t Harvesting From the Garden, But Should Be
I must have been ten years old the first time I learned about bonus harvest. Except, of course, nobody called it that, and the lesson came in my life in …
7 Delicious Ways to Use Magnolia Petals in the Kitchen
It’s mid-March, and the soft magnolia buds are getting plumper and plumper. Any minute now, the fuzzy shells will no longer be able to contain them, and every single velvety …
5 Spring Jobs for Gorgeous Dahlias All Summer Long
This past weekend, I found myself dangerously close to buying a bucket of dahlias. I didn’t realize dahlias came by the bucket. It only took a couple of strolls down …
6 Reasons Zinnias Should Grow In Every Backyard
Zinnias are such dependable flowers, yet I didn’t think I could grow them for longer than I care to admit. I may have been a bit biased against them because …
15 Perennials You Should Divide in Early Spring
As soon as spring rolls around, you’d think I’m running a plant nursery out of my suburban back yard. Surprisingly, I’m not. (I’ve never sold plants, but did my fair …
7 Big Mistakes Gardeners Make When Planting Pots
It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been gardening; there’s always something new to learn. After having written my fair share of gardening articles (in the hundreds by now), I want …
25 Super Fragrant Plants You Should Grow by Your Front Door
I am endlessly fascinated by the power that scent can have on our mood. A well-chosen fragrance can help us feel calm, relaxed, joyful or pensive. It can unlock memories …
15 Perennials to Cut Back Before Spring Growth Starts
Winter is slowly, gradually, loosening its grip on my garden and on my mood. I was thinking the other day how I always complain about how “this winter feels like …
This Gorgeous Space-Saving Plan Will Change the Way You Grow Herbs
One of the constant limitations of my gardening plans is a lack of space. I’m confident enough by this point in my gardening experience that I can prune, propagate and …