Lei flowers

Travelers to Hawaii often bring home a cutting of a tropical plant as a living reminder of their trip. But few have a 12-foot-tall tree to show for their efforts, as do Steve Grayson and Barbara Kriz. Fifteen years

Speedy vines

In a hurry for summer color? Chances are your nursery has a morning glory or black-eyed Susan vine already growing in a container. Just pop it into the ground or a large pot and watch it race to the sky. Youll have

Choose the right citrus for your climate

CITRUS TYPE: Moro blood orangeCHARACTERISTICS: Orange-red flesh darkens to deep red as fruit hangs on the tree. Orange flavor with raspberry overtones.ZONES: 8, 9, 12-14, 15 (warmest areas), 18-23.USES: Easy to peel

Twining bloomers

Clematis and climbing roses possess the magical ability to intertwine on vertical supports, like the wall of Jerilyn Silvers barn in Nambé, New Mexico. Silver and garden designer Sarah McCarty combined White Dawn, a

Puncture vine (Tribulus terrestris)

With its sharp, thorny burs that poke into tires, paws, and bare feet, puncture vine is painfully familiar to gardeners in much of the country. An annual weed often found in dry areas, it forms a dense, low mat 5 to

Growing in the round

Rich and Anita Burkholder of Sammamish, Washington, wanted their garden to be beautiful yet productive enough to supply a large part of their familys fresh produce as well as flowers. So they created a garden in a c

Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis)

• True bulb• Zones 1-9, 14-17, 31-45• Full sun or partial shade• Regular watering during growth and bloomSnowdrops are among the first bulbs to bloom as winter draws to a close. Plants grow 6 to 8 inches tall, beari

All-star gerberas

If ever there were a flower tailor-made for bold color, its the gerbera.This happy-faced daisy, loved by flower arrangers, artists, and photographers, unfurls shapely petals, all neatly arranged around a tufted or v

Annuals in Jo Casterlines garden

Twelve years ago, gardener Jo Casterline flanked her rock-lined gravel path in Poway, California, with plants that thrive in fast-draining decomposed granite and require minimal supplemental water. Among them were o

Summer darlings

Like your best pals, geraniums are cheerful, easygoing, and non-temperamental. They let you enjoy their company without making outrageous demands. Like true friends, they hang in there, even if you neglect them.Many

Woodland in a vase

San Diego garden consultant Laurie Connables spring bouquets look like woodland gardens in miniature. Her daffodils, irises, and gladiolus appear to rise from a mossy patch of earth instead of a water-filled vase. T

Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)• Sunset zones 1-24, 26-45 • Full sun • Moderate wateringStriking flowers and a long summer bloom season make purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) a carefree favorite in the g

Art in a pot

Three-dimensional paintings composed of succulents. Thats how Arree Thongthiraj describes her container creations, which pair small, shapely Crassulas and Echeverias with pieces of frosted-glass tile or stone. Succu

Camellia

Shrubs• Evergreen• Climate zones 4-9, 12, 14-24, 26-31 and warmer parts of 32 for most; hardy types throughout 32• Partial shade• Regular to moderate wateringCamellias belong on the list of best-loved shrubs in Nort

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida)

• Zones 1-24, 26-43• Full sun• Regular to moderate wateringBright colored and easy to grow, black-eyed Susan is covered with 3- to 4-inch-wide, dark-centered yellow daisies from midsummer until late fall. The flower

Asiatic and Oriental Hybrid lilies (Lilium)

• True bulb• All zones• Full sun or partial shade• Regular watering; never let root zone dry outAsiatic Hybrid lilies bloom in early summer on strong, erect stems 1 1/2 to 4 1/2 feet tall. The 4- to 6-inch blossoms

Beautiful brutes

Following is a list of Patrick Andersons favorite succulents. Large succulents do best in frost-free areas but may tolerate a few degrees below freezing. Inland, they like dappled shade during the summer months (kee

Nemesia

Sweet, pleasant, and meant to be in the background ― thats always been my take on Nemesia.Thanks to its undemanding nature, modest stature, upright posture, and lasting small, pastel flowers, this South African annu

Common mallow (Malva neglecta)

Also known as cheeseweed (thanks to the fruits, which resemble a round of cheese), common mallow is a widespread annual or biennial weed with broad, lobed leaves and pinkish white, five-petaled flowers.Hoe or pull t

Buy roses in fall for their beautiful fruit

Like a sunset at the end of a perfect day, rose hips wrap up the season with a blend of color and natural elegance that may surprise you. The best of these fruits, which range in size from the diameter of a pea to t