Flowers & Ornamentals

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 …

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. …

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 …

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 …

Bleeding hearts (Lamprocapnos spectabilis) are some of the most magical springtime perennials in the garden. With their large, feathery leaves that dance on the spring breeze and their dramatic arches …

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 …

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 …

I love the steadfast nature of perennials. After another winter of cold, harsh weather, my plants yawn and stretch each spring, as they wake for another season of beautiful blooms, …

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 …

By the time daylight saving time begins, I am done with winter. I’m dealing with major cabin fever, and I am ready to get outside and get gardening! This year, …

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 …

If you spend any amount of time in the gardenverse on social media, you’ve probably seen the AI-generated videos using egg cartons as an easy hack to plant bulbs. Like …

Spring is always the busiest time of the year in my yard. If you garden, it’s probably the same for you. There’s so much to do to get flowers and …

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 …

There comes a point every winter when I’m just done. I’m done with putting on seven layers and fifteen pounds worth of clothing just to stay warm. I’m done with …

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 …

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 …

Hydrangeas have to be one of the most beloved and popular ornamental shrubs, don’t you think? You don’t even need to be a gardener to know a hydrangea when you …

Whether you’ve been growing lavender for decades or you’re bringing home your first plant, there are a few things you need to know about this fragrant Mediterranean beauty. I’ve noticed …

When I first started gardening, nothing intimidated me more than pruning. It felt so confusing and counterintuitive. And I constantly thought to myself, wouldn’t it be nice if there was …

I hold a weird duality in my gardener soul once February rolls around. On the one hand, the tantalizing signs of spring perk up my mood, and I get carried …

January and February may not necessarily be the months when we enjoy the fruits of our labor, but that doesn’t mean we can’t use them as stepping stones to set …

I’ll be the first one to admit that it feels a bit premature (bordering on ridiculous) to write about propagating plants in January. As I’m sitting down to write this …

Despite writing for our Rural Sprout readers for a few years now and mentioning lilac in no fewer than six articles, it has just dawned on me that I haven’t …