Flowers & Ornamentals

You’d think that after fifteen years of planting tulip bulbs in the fall, my enthusiasm would have tapered off by now. Alas, it hasn’t and probably never will.  Not only …

Over the past couple of years, I’ve become slightly obsessed with bringing more edimentals into my garden. If you’re not familiar with this term, it refers to plants that are …

I have a theory that there are two types of gardeners in this world.  Those who see a plant they don’t recognize, think ‘what’s this doing here?’ and then pull …

Each fall, you’ll see gardening articles spread across the internet telling people to deadhead their mums to encourage another round of blooms. As someone who actually gardens, I’m here to …

Every fall, we all run out and purchase chrysanthemums to decorate our homes. Their glorious fall-colored hues bring a splash of bold color to our homes as the natural world …

Wait, wait … Don’t prune it!  My other half often jokes about me having a panel show in the style of Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me! Except it would …

I have the following phrase written down in my gardening journal for this coming weekend:  Decide what to do with BES!  What the helianthus does that even mean, Mickey?  Who’s …

It’s September, and I have marvelous marigolds on my mind. Of course I do: they’re right there as I open the living room window, looking back at me every morning …

Let me clear the autumnal air here and get one thing on the record: I love mums! Their curvy shape. Their warm colors when everything else in the garden is …

Walk into any garden center, and you’ll invariably find rolls of brown and black landscape fabric. It’s cheap, it’s easy to get your hands on, and it definitely does a …

Aside from pumpkins, there’s no more popular fall décor than potted hardy chrysanthemums. Their gorgeous colors shout autumn is here with every jewel- or fire-colored bloom. And with retailers stocking …

Many of my articles are inspired by real-life conversations I have with gardeners, and this one is no different.  I found myself in a … ahem … let’s call it …

We love our hydrangeas around here. And judging by the popularity of our articles on this topic, we think you might be just as infatuated with these magnificent shrubs as …

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 …

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 …

I’m a huge advocate for planting flowers among your vegetable garden. They add a lovely pop of color and attract pollinators, which means more vegetables. But when you tell me …

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. …

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 …

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.” …

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 …

The United States of America is celebrating its semiquincentennial, 250th, anniversary this July. People are getting excited, and the celebrating has already begun. Every time I drive into town, I …

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 …

Late spring – mid-May through early June – is a deceptive period of time for most gardeners, vegetable or ornamental. This is that weird time in the growing season, where …

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 …