Rhododendron and azalea

• Evergreen or deciduous• Climate zones 4-6, 15-17, 34, 37 and 39 for best performance• Light shade• Regular wateringBoth azaleas and rhododendrons belong to the same genus: Rhododendron. The group as a whole includ

Asters for fall bouquets

Many asters arent good vase candidates because they wilt too quickly when cut. But there are a couple of notable exceptions. Aster cordifolius Little Carlow, which we grew in Sunsets test garden last year, has becom

Bare-root rose planting and care

Plant bare-root roses as soon as possible after getting them home. Before setting them in the ground, soak the roots in a bucket of water for four hours or overnight. Amend the soil with compost or other organic mat

Honeysuckle (Lonicera)

• Evergreen, semievergreen, or deciduous• Zones vary• Full sun or partial shade• Moderate watering• Climbs by: twining Honeysuckle is an old-fashioned favorite, beloved for its casual charm and (in many species) the

Ginkgo, Maidenhair tree (Ginkgo biloba)

• Deciduous• Climate zones 1-10, 12, 14-24, 28, 30-44• Full sun• Regular to moderate water• Growth rate: moderateThis graceful tree is attractive in any season, but its especially lovely in fall, when the leathery,

Grape Hyacinth (Muscari Armeniacum)

• True bulb• Zones 2-24, 29-43• Full sun or light shade• Regular watering during growth and bloomGrape hyacinths narrow, grassy leaves emerge in fall and live through winters cold and snow. Small, urn-shaped blue fl

Border phlox, Summer phlox (Phlox paniculata)

• Zones 1-14, 18-21, 27-43• Full sun; flowers may fade in hot-summer climates• Regular wateringBorder phlox is deservedly popular for the showy, dome-shaped clusters of fragrant flowers it produces throughout the su

Whopper perennials

Bold candles of bloom rising from beds and borders are like starlets on the red carpet. Youd notice them, wouldnt you, no matter how pressing the crowds around them? Tall, staunchly upright plants ending in an explo

Japanese anemone (Anemone hybrida)

• Zones 3-24, 30-39, 41• Partial shade• Regular wateringPrized for its late-summer bloom, this graceful plant bears loose sprays of slightly cupped, gold-centered white or pink flowers that resemble wild roses. Blos

Trumpet vine, Trumpet creeper (Campsis)

• Semievergreen or deciduous• Zones vary• Full sun or partial shade• Regular to moderate watering• Climbs by: clinging with aerial rootletsCovered with trumpet-shaped flowers from early summer through late fall, the

Succulents made for artisan pots

Desert succulents are so inherently architectural, they seem custom-made for distinctive pots, says Jane Evans, co-owner of Plants for the Southwest in Tucson, Ariz.Evans loves the  Agave ocahui, ensconced in a cont

Chives

A perennial hardy in all zones, chives make a pretty addition to an ornamental garden. Each plant forms a clump of narrow, onion-flavored leaves up to 2 feet high. The rosy purple flowers are also edible. Plants are

Japanese aucuba (Aucuba japonica)

• Evergreen• Climate zones 4-24, 28-33• Partial to full shade• Moderate wateringValued for its ability to thrive in deep shade, Japanese aucuba reaches 6 to 10 feet tall, 5 to 8 feet wide; tooth-edged leaves are 3 t

Soil solarization

Managing weedsSoil solarization takes advantage of the suns heat, trapped under clear plastic sheeting, to control many kinds of weed seeds as well as harmful fungi, bacteria, and some nematodes. The process is carr

Sunflowers

In 1888, while living in southern France, Vincent van Gogh made a remarkable series of sunflower paintings. Done to decorate his house for a visit from fellow artist Paul Gauguin, the works show sunflowers with dark

How to grow peonies

Slide show: 20 gorgeous peoniesWhats new: Itoh, or intersectional, hybrids are crosses between herbaceous and tree peonies. They grow to 3½ feet tall; pump out flowers in shades of lavender, pink, copper, yellow, or

Guide to planting bulbs

To plant spring-flowering bulbs is to witness a miraculous transformation. Think about it: You go to the nursery in fall, pluck homely lumps from the bins, drop them into brown paper bags. The glossy color photos ab

Is it biennial or perennial?

Delphiniums and some verbascum are short-lived perennials, blooming every year for three years or more.Most foxgloves are biennials, producing lush foliage the first year and a dramatic spike of flowers the second y

Sweet marjoram, Origanum majorana (Majorana hortensis)

• Perennial• All zones• Full sun• Average waterSweet marjoram is a perennial in Zones 4-24, 29-31; elsewhere, it is treated as an annual or grown in containers and moved indoors for winter. Plants reach 1 to 2 feet

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

Common weeds at a glanceFamiliar as a lawn weed everywhere in the United States, dandelion is particularly troublesome in cold-winter climates. It grows from a deep, fleshy taproot and spreads by windborne seeds. Fl