Animate Your Garden With the Colors of Matisse

Pinks, lavenders, pale blues and other pastel colors have, in recent times, been the preferred choice of garden designers and gardeners when determining the color schemes for their flower beds. Even wow-factor p

Great Design Plant: Scotch Heather

While the moors of England and hills of Scotland have served as backdrops in some of the most chilling and brutal literary tales, they have also captured hearts as settings for some of the most romantic ones. An

Great Design Plant: Blue Sage

Theres plenty going on in the fall if you have some blue sage. Bumblebees are dangling from its tubular blooms as hummingbirds fuel up on their migration south, and the aromatic scent of the plants leaves is spi

How to Use Pachysandra Responsibly in the Landscape

Pachysandra is a low-maintenance, evergreen ground cover that spreads quickly. Its leaves are a lighter shade of green than most evergreens, and it blooms with sweet, subtle white flowers in early spring. It is

Great Design Plant: Rogers California Grape

A visual cue that a garden is alive is always pleasant and satisfying. While evergreens are reliable garden standbys, its the dynamic deciduous varieties that can really stimulate the senses and let us know a ne

7 Bulbs That Flourish in Mild Climates

Many traditional spring-flowering bulbs perform beautifully in California and other mild climates, as shown here in the glorious annual display on Daffodil Hill in Californias Gold Country. But lack of enough wi

Great Design Plant: Paperbark Maple

Suited to small gardens but equally at home in larger landscapes, the paperbark maple is sure to become a favorite feature in your garden. Le jardinet

7 Fall Beauties for Mild-Climate Container Gardens

Maybe a kumquat or pomegranate is not the symbol of autumn that a chrysanthemum is, but in California and other mild climates, they can put on a fall show of their own — and will thrive in pots for several years

Great Design Plant: Blue Oat Grass

While brilliant spring and summer colors awaken landscapes, and fiery fall color is a seasonal spectacle, sometimes you just need to cool down. Lets cool down with blue — blue oat grass, a must-know low-maintena

Landscapes Take Shape With 3-D Thinking

Inside our homes we arrange our furniture to make us feel comfortable within our space. If the furniture is too close together it makes the room seem crowded; if it is spaced too far apart the room can feel feat

Great Design Plant: Sweet Alyssum

Every October or November I begin my search for transplants of sweet alyssum to add to my garden. My love affair with this tiny plant began years ago when I discovered its broad usage in my southern winter garde

8 Pickable Plants for Fall Centerpieces

A change in the season often inspires a change in home decor. Bring a bit of your fall garden indoors to switch things up. Here are some fall floral favorites that make charming autumnal arrangements and centerp

Rocky Mountain Gardeners November Checklist

The big fall gardening push is winding down, and we’re starting to look inward now, toward spending more time indoors in cozy warmth. However, there are still some days of beautiful weather to enjoy this month a

Southeast Gardeners November Checklist

Fall is a fantastic time to be in the garden. Soon enough there will be a killing frost; once that happens, its time to tuck your garden into bed for the winter. Our first frost date is unpredictable in terms o

Central Plains Gardeners November Checklist

If you’re like me you, you feel conflicted about the November garden: one part of you would like to get outside and grab some fresh air, the other part of you is tired at the end of the gardening season. Lucky u

Pacific Northwest Gardeners November Checklist

November is the final month to prepare the garden for winter. It’s rather like tucking children into bed at night: They have played all day, and now they’re tired. There’s the bath-time ritual, followed by a qui

Texas Gardeners November Checklist

November just may be one of the most perfect months of the year — Indian summer is officially gone, and the days are marked by a crisp coolness that is a welcome relief from warm October temperatures. Use this t

Southwest Gardeners November Checklist

Comparing the American Southwest to colder, wetter areas in November is an interesting study. While much of the country is bundling up to endure months of winter, the Southwest is embracing this welcome cooling

Mid-Atlantic Gardeners November Checklist

November in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. is a time to wrap up gardening for a while, finish up those lingering to-dos and start enjoying cozy fires and seed catalogs indoors. It is also time to start thi

California Gardeners November Checklist

Other than the smell of a turkey roasting in the oven or the sight of a quarterback tossing a football to a receiver in the flat, nothing makes me feel better about November than a persimmon tree fully loaded wi