Falling leaves drive some people crazy. Some grouse about all of the raking work they create every year around this time, while a few cut down or purposely don’t plant trees because they hate that job so much. Me? I don’t mind. First, I can use the calorie-burning exercise. Second, I don’t […]
Spring-flowering bulbs are way under-used in most landscapes. Here’s a look at 10 specific ways to beef up your bulbous efforts.
I generally like birds. Sure, they poop on the patio table and sometimes crash into windows, but they eat enough bugs and look and sing pretty enough to make up for it. Where I draw the line, though, is at the berry bushes. I like fresh blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries even more […]
Perennial gardens are hard to get blooming on all cylinders all at once. But a few tricks of the trade help them look fuller and more colorful for longer.
Denmark. Sweden. Norway. They’re all cold and dark in winter, but come summer, they’re three of the most scenic countries on the planet. Here’s your chance to see all three in one shot – with a gardening bent, too. Collette Vacations, Lowee’s Group Tours and I have put together a 14-day […]
We do a lot of fretting – and rightfully so – about whether plants are cold-tough enough to withstand our winters. Less attention gets paid to plants that are likely to croak in our yards because our climate is too hot for their liking. You’ve probably run into this if you’ve killed […]
Just because a plant label says “full sun” doesn’t mean there’s no chance it’ll do reasonably well in at least part shade. Don’t be afraid to experiment. This article includes some tips and a list of sun-lovers worth trying in shadier spots.
Just because a new plant problem comes along doesn’t mean it’s time to scrap the plant. The alternatives may have even worse problems that we’ve just learned to accept.
Just because a fruit is malformed or “ugly” doesn’t mean you can’t eat it. Don’t waste flawed produce. Cut out any bad parts and eat ugly! This post also goes into reasons why produce develops imperfections in the first place.
Plants have a hard time competing for toddler attention. They’re non-animated, they don’t interact (except for the touch-anxious sensitive plant), and they don’t sing, dance, or do silly things. So when our 4-year-old granddaughter came to visit last month, I tried to think of a fun way to get her outside in […]