It’s time to get your spook on – with creepy flowers, Halloween plants and all sorts of growing things that are sure to make you feel a Halloween mood. Traditional Halloween decorating is done with just a few plants and colors. This time of the year is cold and plants in most areas of the…
Outdoor Plants
Candy Corn Plant – Cuphea Micropetala | Types of Candy Corn Plants
Propagating Hydrangeas – Hydrangea Cuttings, Tip Rooting, Layering, Division
Who doesn’t love the look of a lush, green hydrangea bush in their yard, just full of those gorgeous and huge blooms? Propagating hydrangeas to get new plants for free can be done in several ways – hydrangea cuttings, tip rooting, air layering and division of the mother plant. Growing hydrangeas from seed is also…
Springfield Botanical Gardens at Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park
If you enjoy walking trails that immerse you in a tranquil lake scene, with 113-acres of lovely themed gardens, the Springfield Botanical Gardens are for you. My husband and I spend the summer touring and writing about botanical gardens around the country. We recently spent some time in Missouri and discovered this little gem of…
14 tips to Make Caring for Shasta Daisies a Breeze
Blue Angel Hosta – Growing Hosta Blue Plantain Lily – Giant Hostas
This giant hosta variety is called Blue Angel Hosta. This plantain lily is one of the larger mounding varieties that is perfectly happy in the shade. A recent trip around the JR Raulston Arboretum provided me with a chance to look at their magnificent collection of hostas. I have a large collection of hostas in…
Hosta Stained Glass – Sun Tolerant Variegated Plantain Lily
This variegated hosta is called Hosta Stained Glass. It is a sun tolerant hosta variety that adds a vibrant and dramatic punch to any semi sunny border or garden bed. My husband and I love to tour botanical gardens, such as the JR Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, North Carolina. This botanical garden features plants that…
Planting Forsythia – When Where and How to Plant Forsythia Bushes
One of the earliest plants to bloom in spring is forsythia, but when should it be planted? Planting forsythia is all about timing and spacing. The two best times are early spring and mid fall depending on your hardiness zone. Forsythia bushes delight us each spring with their burst of cheery yellow flowers. This deciduous…
Vegetable Garden on a Deck – 11 Tips for Growing Vegetables on a Patio
20 Seed Starting Tips – When to Sow – How to Transplant + Printable
Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens – Nature and Wildlife in LA
The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens has something special in store for both animal lovers and those interested in botanical gardens. This 135 acre zoo and botanical garden was founded in 1966 and is home to more than 1,400 birds, amphibians, mammals and reptiles. Comfortable shoes are a must, since there is a lot…
International Waterlily Collection – Things to do in San Angelo, Texas
If you are passing through San Angelo, Texas, be sure and fit in a visit to the International Waterlily Collection. You will get a chance to view the premiere collection of waterlilies found anywhere in existence. What is the history of the International Waterlily Collection? The collection is found in the Civic League Park in…
20 Best Hardy Perennials that Come Back Year after Year – Updated
There are many types of perennials, from tender types, which need to be grown in the southern part of the USA, to very hardy perennials that keep coming back after a freezing winter outside. Budget conscious gardeners have a very good friend when they turn to growing perennials. What is not to like about a…
Fast Growing Forsythia Bushes Bring Summer Color to the Garden
For unbeatable spring color, try growing forsythia bushes. These easy care bushes require very little care. Nothing screams spring in your garden quite like Forsythia. With their vibrant yellow color, these perennials are one of the first bushes to flower in the spring. The shrub is very hardy, and relatively easy to grow. These tips…
Oxalis Plant Care – How to Grow Shamrock Plants – Growing Ornamental Oxalis
Oxalis plant care is generally easy but some varieties of the plant can be considered a weed. Even so, it is a popular perennial plant that often shows up around St. Patrick’s Day. Oxalis has shamrock-shaped leaves and is also commonly referred to as love plant and wood sorrel. What is oxalis? Oxalis is a…
Cottage Garden Plants – Perennials Biennials & Bulbs for Cottage Gardens
English cottage gardens have a very romantic feel to them. The look may seem haphazard but is actually planned. To choose cottage garden plants, think of tall flowering perennials, self seeding annuals and hardy biennials to give your garden just the right look. A cottage garden has a very distinct style that throws formality out…
Spring Blooming Plants – My Favorite 22 Picks for an Early Bloom – Updated
Growing Green Beans – Bush Beans vs Pole Beans
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens – Boothbay Harbor, Me
Botanical Gardens vary greatly from one place to another, but each seems to have its own special theme. The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, Maine. have a Children’s Garden that is one of the best I have seen. My husband and I tour the country, in the summer months, visiting garden centers around the…
Growing Hellebores – Lenten Rose – How to Grow Helleborus
If you like the idea of a plant that flowers in winter while there is still snow on the ground, try Growing Hellebores. Lenten Rose is another name for helleborus. The blooms come in lots of different shades and shapes. I first heard of Hellebores perennial several years ago when I spent a season trying…
Front Porch Decor for Fall – Autumn Entry Decorating Ideas
Controlling Sicklepod Weed – How to Get Rid of Cassia Senna Obtusifolia
Sicklepod (Cassia Senna obtusifolia) is an annual legume that appears in the spring with yellow flowers and long pods. It is invasive and can cause havoc in cotton, corn and soybean fields. Read on to get some tips for controlling sicklepod. Sometimes plants appear in your garden by way of seeds in new mulch for…
Hosta Wheee! – Variegated Slug Resistant Hosta Plant
This slug resistant hosta is called hosta wheee! As the name suggests, the look of this fun plant is whimsical with an extremely ruffled foliage habit. A recent trip around the JR Raulston Arboretum provided me with a magnificent look at their collection of hostas. I have a large varieties of hostas in my shade…
Hosta Companion Plants – Growing Hostas with Shade Loving Plants
Hostas are well known for their delightful foliage that looks wonderful as border plants or in mass plantings. But what do you grow with them? This list of hosta companion plants will help you fill in those borders with other shade loving plants. Every experienced gardener knows how important foliage plants are in the garden. …
Growing Sunflower Plants – Sunflower Care Tips for Big Beautiful Blooms
Growing Sunflower plants is one of the really fun parts of summer time gardening. These cheery sun-facing flowers are a delight to gardeners who wish to attract birds. What are sunflower plants? Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) are a member of the Aster family. These big annuals are very easy to grow, which makes them a very popular…
Pruning Hellebores – Tips for Lenten Rose Maintenance
Hellebores are a long blooming perennial plant that needs very little in the way of maintenance but it does get a bit ragged looking at times of the year. Pruning hellebores will keep your Lenten rose looking its best all year long. What is a hellebore? Hellebore is a herbaceous evergreen perennial plant that has…