Cranesbill Geranium (Geranium)

• Zones vary• Full sun or partial shade; must have afternoon shade in hot-summer climates• Regular wateringNot to be confused with common garden geranium (Pelargonium,) the cranesbills include spreading, mounding, a

Birch (Betula)

Trees• Deciduous• Climate zones vary• Full sun or partial shade• Ample watering• Growth rate: fastThese familiar trees have fresh green, finely toothed leaves that turn to glowing yellow in autumn. After leaf drop,

Jewels of the fall garden

We often add plants to our gardens in fall because they bear showy flowers or have gorgeous color. But we tend to overlook plants that display ornamental berries. Yet many shrubs and garden-scale trees that bear sma

Thyme (Thymus)

Small, pungent leaves grow on stems up to 1 foot tall. White to lilac flowers appear in late spring to early summer. Perennial. Zones 1-24.BEST CULINARY VARIETIES: English or common (T. vulgaris), French (T. vulgari

Made for California

When renowned British horticulturist Christopher Lloyd visited Southern California two years ago, he asked his hosts to show him gardens he wouldnt see back home. How about a Japanese garden? they suggested. Lloyds

Grooming grasses

Ornamental grasses are garden mainstays, and with good reason. Their graceful silhouettes add softness and texture to mixed perennial borders, shrub borders, and backyard meadows. Theyre carefree growers, but to loo

Verbascum

Grow these striking plants for their large leaves as well as their spiky flowers. Some species and hybrids are biennial and others are perennial. All types prefer moderate water (allow the soil to dry out somewhat b

Early color for winter gardens

Covered in blooms that range from pale green and creamy white to ruby, garnet, and deep amethyst, hellebores are at their prettiest from winter into spring, when their delicate flowers open like cups or bells amid l

Natures Way

The scent of lavender and sage fills the air as Bob Benziger leads the way through drifts of perennials. Stay still and this place vibrates. Its alive, he says. Sure enough, bees are zipping around California poppie

Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)

• Deciduous• Climate zones 7-10, 12-14, 18-21, 25-31, warmer parts of 32• Full sun• Moderate water• Growth rate: moderateCrape myrtles vary in size ― some are dwarf shrubs, others large shrubs or small trees. Habit

Periwinkle, Myrtle (Vinca)

• Evergreen perennial• Zones vary• Full sun, partial shade, or full shade• Moderate wateringThese useful ground covers have trailing, arching stems, shiny oval leaves, and phloxlike spring blossoms; theyll grow in a

Morning glory vines

Theres something magical about morning glories, which do indeed bloom gloriously in the morning, then swirl closed as the day fades.For growers Sheryl and Marshall Lozier, thats just what makes these vining annuals

Small wonders

Walk into a nursery and head for the florists cyclamen this month ― for a moment, you might feel like Alice in Wonderland. Is it your imagination, or have your favorite winter pick-me-ups shrunk? The traditional, la

Lilies

Size and fragrance, or color and number of flowers? These may be your hardest decisions when choosing lilies ― those elegant, six-petaled, trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom in summer.Asiatic lilies: Bold and reliabl

Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis)

• Zones 2-10, 14-24, 31-41• Full sun in winter; partial to full shade for rest of year• Regular wateringLenten rose blooms late in winter, bearing nodding, 2-inch flowers in shades of whitish green, soft purple, or

Herb Garnishes

TIME: About 15 minutesCOST: About $30 for eight potsMATERIALS• Eight 4-inch clay pots with saucers• Potting soil• Eight herbs, such as basil, chives, parsley, and rosemary, in small potsPLANTING1. Fill each containe

Chinese pistache (Pistacia chinensis)

Trees• Deciduous• Climate zones 4-16, 18-23, 26, 28-33• Full sun• Moderate to little water• Growth rate: moderate A reliable choice for street, lawn, patio, or garden, Chinese pistache forms a broadly rounded tree 3

Crocus

Bulbs• Corm• Zones 1-24, 30-45• Full sun or partial shade• Regular watering during growth and bloomMost crocuses bloom in late winter or early spring, bearing tubular, 1 1/2- to 3-inch-long flowers in a rainbow of c

Zinnia elegans

• Warm-season• Annual• Full sun• Regular wateringBorne on plants 1 to 3 feet tall, colorful daisylike flowers bloom in shades of yellow, orange, red, pink, and purple, as well as white and bicolors.Space 6 to 12 inc

How to plant and care for summer bulbs

PLANTINGPlant in groups of three or more for a clump effect. The rule of thumb for all bulbs is to plant at a depth three times the widest diameter of the bulb. Some summer bulbs, however, should be planted deeper.