Carex Pensylvanica Fills the Void in Dry Shade Gardens

Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica) is a low-growing, grass-like native sedge that thrives in dry shade. This April-flowering sedge provides early-spring interest in the shade garden, and on occasion its flo

Enjoy the Peak of Spring Gardening — Here’s What to Do in May

Traces of winter have all but disappeared by May; the last frost dates have usually passed and blooms are vigorously pushing forth into the fresh spring air. In warmer regions it’s never too early to start plann

Asarum Canadense Adds Masses of Green to Woodland Gardens

Canadian wild ginger (Asarum canadense) is an eastern U.S. native perennial that blankets shaded slopes in deciduous woodlands. This attractive plant is easy to grow and makes an excellent ground cover. The brig

Abutilon Palmeri Dazzles the Southwest With Nearly Year-Round Blooms

Sun-loving Palmer’s Indian mallow (Abutilon palmeri) dazzles with nearly year-round blooms and requires very little water once established. With golden orange flowers, velvety green foliage and striking red stem

Mirabilis Multiflora Brings a Burst of Magenta to Dry Gardens

Named for its afternoon-opening flowers, Colorado four o’clock (Mirabilis multiflora) forms a long-lived, spreading mound in the hottest and most difficult garden sites. Trumpet-shaped blossoms in hot pink cover

15 Favorites for Your Summer Edible Garden

One of the toughest parts of growing vegetables and fruits is deciding just what to grow. A good place to start is with favorites from beans to zucchinis, all of which have stood the test of time in edible garde

Plant Baptisia Bracteata for Blooms Pollinators Will Love

Each year brings many new cultivars of the showy blue wild indigo (Baptisia australis) and its stout cousin dwarf blue indigo (B. australis var. minor), with new flower colors wildlife may or may not recognize o

How to Get Good Soil for Your Edible Garden

If there’s one thing that makes a difference between garden success and failure, it’s soil. Plants need fertile, well-structured soil to grow and thrive. Edible gardens in particular require supercharged soil. W

Natural Ways to Get Rid of Weeds

In spring, gardens burst into life. Weeds do too, and they can be the bane of a gardener’s existence. Rather than waging an all-out war, our efforts to manage weeds can be more effective when we understand the r

Tecoma x ‘Orange Jubilee’ Enlivens Southern Gardens

Lush, green foliage and orange flowers are just two of the many reasons why people love this Tecoma hybrid. Its large size and rapid growth rate make it a great choice for screening, and lovely orange flowers ad

9 Clay-Busting Native Flowers for Summer Sun

That’s right: These flowers not only shrug off clay soil, but they’ll even thank you for it too. These native perennials, primarily found east of the Rockies, will come back every year. Collectively, this group

Hypericum Prolificum Brings the Best of St. Johnswort to the Garden

Shrubby St. Johnswort (Hypericum prolificum) combines a long bloom cycle with four-season interest, compact form, low maintenance and tolerance for a wide range of growing conditions, making it one of the best

White Sage Shimmers in the Water-Wise Garden

The silvery-green foliage of white sage (Salvia apiana) adds a touch of magic year-round to the drought-tolerant garden. The powerfully scented leaves of this California native have been used for centuries by na

10 Succulents That Make Pretty, Easy-Care Ground Covers

Succulents, with their interesting shapes and colors, have become increasingly popular in the landscape. While larger succulents are often used singly as accent or container plants, smaller succulents are gettin

Prunus Virginiana Thrives Under Deciduous Trees

Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a beautiful, shade-tolerant native shrub or small tree. It can be planted along the edge of a woodland or in a mass or thicket along your property boundary for screening or pri

Roll Out the Welcome Mat for Hummingbirds With Red Columbine

Red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) is a bold, upright perennial that grows in dry, well-drained soil in partial shade or full sun. Its bright red flowers, which open in May, are an excellent source of nectar a

Versatile Breeze Mat Rush Sails Into Drought-Tolerant Yards

I discovered Breeze mat rush (Lomandra longifolia ‘LM300’) several years ago, and it quickly became, and remains, one of my top go-to plants. It is remarkably versatile, tough as nails, thrives in sun or shade,

Blanketflower’s Yellow Blooms Brighten Up Summer and Fall Gardens

Named for the blanket-stripe appearance of its ray flowers, blanketflower (Gaillardia aristata) thrives in poor soils, dry conditions and bright sunshine. This Plains and prairie native also attracts pollinators

Solve 3 Common Landscape Problems — With More Plants

We probably all have an area in our yards where mulching or amending the soil doesn’t always work. Instead of repeating these intensive, and sometimes expensive, options that might have to be done time and again

How to Bring the Joy of Bluebirds to Your Garden

For many people in the birding world, the joy of a bluebird may be unparalleled. From their magnificent plumage and melodic song to the uplifting thrill of their recovering population, no other bird inspires art