Flowers & Ornamentals

It’s 1 AM, and I’m surrounded by three books, a digital magazine opened on my tablet, a podcast on my phone and a carousel of open tabs in my browser. …

Allow me to introduce you to the spring bulb that will make your neighbors envious.  Ok, so envy is not exactly the sentiment I’m encouraging here. I’m hoping for more …

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 …