Be Your Own Wildflower Nursery

My garden just turned 6 years old. For years, I kept buying new plants to fill in the gaps — even after I had no gaps left. It got to the point where if I was near a nursery while running errands, I’d poke my he

5 Native Early-Spring Bloomers to Plant This Fall

It’s bulb planting season, and already we’re dreaming about spring landscapes awash with colorful blooms. Before we rush to plant our crocuses, daffodils and tulips, which have no evolutionary history with our n

7 Reasons Not to ‘Clean Up’ Your Fall Garden

My belief in leaving the garden alone in fall was cemented last year on a December morning, when a robin landed on a garden chest where I keep my tools. It balanced on the edge where some snow was melting and dr

Garden Myths to Debunk as You Dig This Fall and Rest Over Winter

So much garden advice has become folklore, tales of experiences that haven’t been thoroughly tested but are taken as truth. A lot of the time these myths involve us humans overthinking and overgardening; sometim

Great Design Plant: Rhus Aromatica ‘Gro-Low’ Handles Many Tough Sites

‘Gro-Low’ fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica ‘Gro-Low’) is a low-growing shrub that can be used in both residential and commercial landscapes. This cultivar of the Midwest and native of the East tolerates dry soil a

Great Design Plant: Dalea Frutescens

It can be hard to find plants that flower in fall, which is why black dalea (Dalea frutescens), also called black prairie clover, is a great choice for those who want to extend the blooming season in their lands

Autumn’s Spent Flowers Enrich the Off-Season

The older I get, the more my garden experience is about celebrating the echo of plants — the ghosts of flowers, which provide so much additional beauty for months on end. The absence of growth, the muted colors

Backyard Birds: How to Identify Two Common Woodpeckers

Is that a downy or a hairy woodpecker? Both are among the most frequent visitors to backyard bird feeders, but they can be tricky to tell apart. Sometimes even we ornithologists aren’t quite sure when we get a p

Great Design Plant: Carex Brevior

If you have a low-traffic area where you want a low-care lawn alternative, try shortbeak sedge (Carex brevior). If you want to add a base layer to your garden beds that works as a living mulch replacing wood mul

Great Design Plant: Larix Laricina Glows Gold in Late Autumn

During the late-autumn days in the northern U.S. and southern Canada, when the sun is low on the horizon during the day, what better to see on a sunny afternoon than a golden tamarack backlit by these low rays?

7 Best Plant Types for Creating Privacy and How to Use Them

Privacy is a top priority for homeowners with close neighbors, loud sounds from adjacent spaces or less-than-scenic vistas. Plants make excellent privacy screens because they can block noise and unsightly views

Great Design Plant: Showers Bring Zephyranthes Flowers

Zephyrlilies (Zephyranthes spp.), also called rainlilies, provide welcome color to the landscape from summer into autumn, often responding to rain by blooming. Grown from bulbs planted in fall, this Central Ame

Great Design Plant: Clematis Virginiana

Devil’s darning needles (Clematis virginiana) is a U.S. native herbaceous vine that thrives in partially shaded woodland understories and edges. This fast grower can be used both formally and informally; let it

Great Design Plant: Rhus Glabra

To say that smooth sumac (Rhus glabra) is a common shrub is an understatement, as it is the only tree or shrub that naturally occurs in all of the lower 48 U.S. states. During most of the year it is easily over

Yes, You Can Enjoy Your Yard in December! Heres How

In mild climates, theres still time to plant a festive camellia in a pot near the front door and put in bulbs for a big spring show. In colder areas, its time to gather boughs from the yard for fresh arrangement

10 Cold-Hardy Succulents for Cool-Season Interest

Colder temperatures can signal the beginning of a sleepy time of year in the garden, as many plants are preparing themselves for several months of dormancy. These 10 cold-hardy succulents can handle low temperat

Great Design Plant: Ratibida Columnifera

There’s nothing like a drift of upright prairie coneflower (Ratibida columnifera), or Mexican hat, planted in a sea of grasses or in a more naturalistic garden border. The foliage is somewhat feathery, the petal

10 Dazzling Winter Container Designs

With your summer container gardens no doubt long past their prime and the winter holidays fast approaching, it’s the perfect time to spruce up your containers with some holiday cheer. From simple to ornate, her

Great Design Plant: Dodonaea Viscosa

Florida hopbush (Dodonaea viscosa) has become a popular choice in warm, arid regions of the U.S., where its drought tolerance, fast growth rate and ability to thrive in full sun are especially appreciated. Wheth

Deck Your Containers With Holiday Cheer in Half an Hour

Unless you live in a mild climate, chances are that your container gardens look a bit drab during the winter months. Instead of emptying your pots and hoping for an early spring, create a holiday arrangement tha