8 New Uses for Your Side Yard

I have written earlier about turning a side yard into a glorious garden room. We all want at least one (or possibly two) of those, right? Life’s dreamy moments, intimate snuggles or quiet conversations need a sp

6 New Plant Varieties That Beat Out Their Parents

With so many flowering shrubs and perennials available, how do you choose? I expect a lot from my plants, and they certainly have to do far more than just give me pretty flowers for a few weeks. For my own garde

Great Design Plant: Golden Alexanders for Early Spring Color

I’m a big fan of native plants. I’m a big fan of having my garden in bloom every day of the year. Early spring to midspring often presents a challenge regarding those, but there are plenty of choices — one being

9 Self-Seeders Capture Chelsea Flower Show Magic

The paving finish may be exquisite, the water features entrancing, but above all it’s the magic of the planting that really says Chelsea Flower Show. The designers weave the plants together, giving the impressio

Edible Gardening Essentials: Tips for Traditional Hand Watering

In this day of elaborate drip and irrigation systems, it can be easy to dismiss old-fashioned watering by hand as too time consuming and not water efficient. Those concerns are valid, and a drip system is certai

Great Design Plant: Boneset Helps Good Bugs Thrive

Boneset has a quirky name. The leaves were used either under splints to theoretically help bones heal, or to treat dengue fever (also called break bone fever). In any case, what boneset does help immensely with

Great Design Plant: Desert Ruellia Brings Beauty to Dry Gardens

Finding a plant that can handle hot, dry conditions without needing a lot of water is a common goal for homeowners who live in the dry Southwest. When you pass by one that is also beautiful, it is time to take

11 Japanese Maples for Breathtaking Color and Form

The mere sight of a well-grown Japanese maple evokes mental images of tranquility and mysticism unlike any other plant. These versatile trees are equally at home in the courtyards of a weathered Japanese temple

Great Garden Combo: 9 Plants for an Intriguing Entrance

Many of my favorite hikes have begun at a trailhead with little more than a simple sign indicating the direction to take. There is a sense of anticipation as one ventures along the path, wondering what will be d

Great Design Plant: Wild Geranium Puts on a Color Show

If you asked me for two words to describe wild geranium, I would tell you “reliable” and “versatile.” Reliable, because you don’t need to fret over its yearly emergence, unlike some of the more delicate woodland

Great Design Plant: Smooth Aster, the Wonder Pollinator

There are very few plants in my native garden that go above and beyond the wildlife value of smooth aster. In fall many insects are migrating or getting ready to slumber, so are storing up on nectar and pollen.

Great Design Plant: Ceanothus Pleases With Nectar and Fragrant Blooms

The evergreen wild lilac (Ceanothus sp) is one of a handful of distinctive and iconic plants native to the U.S. West Coast. Nearly impossible to grow outside of California, Oregon and Washington, it thrives wher

Great Design Plant: Zagreb Tickseed Takes Care of Itself (Almost)

I have two important criteria when it comes to plants: They must be drought tolerant and deer resistant. Zagreb tickseed is a winner. Rabbits did munch on one plant early in the season, but the tickseed quickly

Great Design Plant: Wild Lupine Dresses Up Rocky Gardens

Wild lupine puts on an outstanding, colorful display from May to June in the northern U.S. states (earlier in the southern ones). It also fills an important void left after the first wildflowers finish blooming

Great Design Plant: Chuparosa Brightens Casual Desert Gardens

It may come as a surprise that many plants native to the dry desert produce beautiful flowers. Chuparosa is one such plant; its bright red flowers add beauty to landscapes throughout the low-desert regions of th

Gardening Fun: Plant a Fairy Garden

Looking for a fun, creative activity to do with your child this summer? Our local garden center was offering a fairy garden class, and my daughter and I found a way to combine our fascination with miniatures and

How to Grow 10 Favorite Fruit Trees at Home

There’s no denying that the sweetest fruits are those picked off the tree at the peak of ripeness, whether it’s a bunch of cherries you’ve chased the birds away from; a peach so juicy, you have to bend over to a

Bring on the Birds: Natural Habitat Ideas for Gardens of All Sizes

I recently traveled to Costa Rica, and I was immediately struck by the amount of birds fluttering around in the treetops from dawn until dusk. We took many jungle hikes and enjoyed private gardens, all of which

Great Design Plant: California Buckwheat Pleases Pollinators

Of all the plants you could put in a native garden, buckwheat is a must. There are many species of buckwheat available. In the California garden, clusters of pink to cream flowers of California buckwheat are a h

3 Steps to Creating Quick, Easy and Colorful Succulent Containers

Succulents are the darlings of the horticultural world. Imaginative displays in nurseries and garden centers tempt us to create a succulent masterpiece of our own. Yet with so many shapes, sizes and colors to ch