Beautiful Blooming Bulbs: Ranunculus, Tuberous Begonia, Calla Lily

Summer bulbs (tender bulbs) combine annuals’ long bloom with perennials’ return. In the North, dig and store each fall; in frost-free areas, leave in ground year-round. Ranunculus Crepe-paper flowers in single and dou

Can-Do Cannas: Color for Every Climate

Modern cannas are low-maintenance stars from the cold North to the hot South. They refuse to be ignored—colorful leaves, dashing blooms, compact habits. Grown from rhizomes, they’re annuals in cold winters, perennials in

Guide to Growing Tropical Plants: Bold Foliage and Flowers

How to Grow Tropical Plants Tropicals thrive in containers—give them room to spread. They’ll outgrow 10–12 inch pots fast; cannas can crack 14-inch pots in one season. Tall varieties need heavy, wide pots to avoid top

How to Dry Annual Flowers: 5 Methods for Lasting Beauty

Preserving Flowers You don’t have to say goodbye to summer blooms. At least five drying methods preserve their beauty for winter enjoyment. Many flowers—strawflowers, daisies, celosia, baby’s breath, statice, ornament

Why Tulips Produce Leaves But No Flowers

Most hybrid tulips bloom reliably for only a year or two—hence Dutch growers replant annually. Only species (botanical) tulips return perennially. Poor flowering can also stem from how the bulbs were treated the previous

7 Secrets to Overwintering Tropical Plants Indoors

1. Store Smart Cut back potted tropicals by one-third and overwinter in a cool, low-light basement. Expert Michael Walek stores dahlia tubers in loose plastic bags or pots them up early to save spring time. Exception:

Growing Carnivorous Plants: Recreate Their Bog Habitat

Carnivorous plants look exotic but are easy to grow if you mimic their native bogs: bright (not direct) sun, high humidity, and moist, acidic, low-nutrient soil. Check hardiness—many southern natives won’t survive northe

How to Set Up a Beehive: A Step-by-Step Guide

Start with new equipment to avoid hidden diseases. A typical kit includes hive parts, a smoker, and a hive tool. Order about 10,000 bees (a 3-pound package with a queen) from a local supplier; they arrive in a screened w

Designing with Annuals: Color, Texture, and Site-Smart Choices

Planning Your Garden Whether your landscape is large or small, formal or casual, annuals fit seamlessly into the design. Bright, warm colors (reds, yellows, oranges) make a space feel smaller and more energetic; cool

Best of the Best: All-America Selections Award-Winning Annuals

Nierembergia Purple Robe, a 1942 winner, remains popular today. Every year, dozens of new plant varieties hit the market—some with novel colors or bigger blooms, others bred for greenhouse efficiency. But “new” doesn’t a

Can You Root Geraniums in Water? Yes—Here’s How

Yes, geraniums root readily in water. Take 6-inch cuttings, strip all but the top leaves, and place them in a jar of water in bright, indirect light. Remove any foliage that would sit below the water line to prevent rot.

Ornamental Grasses for Every Garden Niche

From 6-inch edging mounds to towering 20-foot screens, there’s an ornamental grass for every garden niche. Their diverse textures, seasonal colors, and forms let you separate color blocks, soften edges, and blur boundari

Ornamental Grasses: Adding Texture and Movement to Your Landscape

Fountaingrass (Pennisetum alopecuroides Hameln) Fuzzy, foxtail-like spikes rise above dark-green foliage on this dwarf fountaingrass, creating a fountain of texture. The sun-loving clumps reach 2 to 3 feet tall, and t

Perennial Planting Guide: From Bed Prep to Post-Planting Care

Preparation The hardest part is prep. Transfer your design to the bed. Know each plants mature size (check tags or research). Arrange plants with correct spacing; let pots sit a few days to view from all angles. Best T

Choosing the Right Perennials for Your Garden

Perennials win the popularity contest—endless bloom times, sizes, textures, and colors mean theres a perfect perennial for every gardener. Best of all, perennials improve year after year. We transformed a 13x24-foot rai

Planting Depth Charts for Spring-Flowering Bulbs

Spring bulbs like tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths perform best when planted at the correct depth. General rule: plant at a depth three times the bulbs height. The charts below provide specific depths for favorite bulbs

Iris Flowers: Types, Planting, Care, and Solving Rot & Borer Problems

Iris inspire passionate devotees—societies, bulletins, and dedicated growers like Kelly D. Norris, farm manager of Rainbow Iris Farm. They come in every color of the rainbow, in every permutation. For hardy outdoor plan

The Best Phlox Varieties for Mildew Resistance and Long Bloom

Why Phlox? Summer phlox is widely adapted (Minneapolis to Gulf Coast) but plagued by powdery mildew. We consulted experts and gardeners nationwide to find the most resistant, long-blooming, healthy varieties. Phlox lift

How Often Should You Fertilize Flower Beds?

Frequency depends on fertilizer type: Water-soluble: Apply as you water, following label rates. Slow-release: One application per season in northern regions; two in southern areas with longer growing seasons. Granular:

Ultimate Guide to Caring for Spring and Summer Bulbs

Success with bulbs starts with proper timing. When to Plant Spring-Blooming Bulbs Plant most spring bloomers (tulips, daffodils, hyacinths) in fall when soil has cooled but before ground freezes. In a pinch, you can pl