Flowers & Ornamentals

Many years ago, when I first discovered that a surefire way to get free houseplants was to bring some in from the garden, you would have thought I’d hit the …

Hydrangeas are fun, pure and simple. What else can you say about a shrub with blooms that look like cheerleading pompoms? It’s no wonder they’re a summer mainstay in front …

If you were to walk past my garden and do a bit of eavesdropping at the height of summer, you would no doubt think you happened upon a scene from …

Anyone who gardens in even the slightest rural area can attest that there is no such thing as a deer-proof garden. These four-legged-munching-machines will graze, uninvited wherever you grow veggies, …

Many gardeners who prefer growing flowers choose specific varieties for fresh-cut arrangements. After all, who doesn’t enjoy the look of a fresh bouquet in their home? The bright colors, vivid …

Clematis, the queen of the vine, makes a statement in every garden it inhabits. The name comes from the Greek word klema, meaning climbing vine. This showy perennial produces giant …

Whether you know them as bachelor button, cornflower or blue bottle, no cottage garden is complete without these blue flowers swaying on the breeze. With their shaggy blooms, bachelor buttons …

If there’s a universal truth we witness over and over again in the garden, it’s that nature abhors a vacuum. A gap – any gap – will quickly be filled. …

Bindweed is undoubtedly one of the toughest weeds to ever make its way into your garden. Even the name strikes fear into most gardeners’ hearts. Bindweed. Is your pulse racing …

If you want to add a bit of height, texture, and a punch of vivid color to your landscape, there’s one bush I would recommend above all others: the beautyberry …

Can you think of a plant that, upon hearing how low maintenance it is, you just roll your eyes? Because how can it be low maintenance when you’ve managed to …

The relationship between a plant and its environment is as old as time. Once a plant is in the ground, its ability to flourish has several limiting factors that go …

Hanging baskets, window boxes, railing planters, and a healthy number of terracotta pots are just the thing to elevate a monotone porch or patio into a heavenly place filled with …

Each spring, garden supplies and plants flood local stores. Whether you need seed starting media, a new trowel, or onion sets, you’ve got plenty of options. Among all these goodies, …

I’m of the mind that there are few landscaping problems that more plants can’t solve. Need privacy, better drainage, weed displacement, or to cover up an ugly view? Well, there’s …

When it comes to daffodils, most of us think about planting bulbs in the fall. We rarely think about growing daffodils from seed. Yet each spring, daffodils grow seed pods …

I’m sure we can all agree that summer flowers are beautiful. And it’s hard to top the jewel tones of mums in the fall. But there’s something about those first …

After a long, dreary winter, there’s nothing like the visual shock of yellow splashed throughout a dull landscape. Daffodils seem to be the very definition of happy, bringing an end …

When you think of spring flowers, I’ll bet daffodils immediately come to mind. It’s no surprise. With their pop of bright yellow after a dreary winter, they’re the perfect mascot …

Have you ever noticed how we tend to keep our gardening segregated? Veggies go in one bed, and flowers go in another. Oh sure, we might plant the odd marigold …

Flowering trees make a smart addition to your home landscape. Some enjoy them only for their ornamental value, while others avoid them, seeing flowering trees as nothing more than pointless …

Ask any child over seven, and I’ll bet they can tell you what plant the Monarch butterfly eats. At 43 years old, I still remember learning about the Monarch butterfly’s …

Note: This article was first published on January 25th 2023 and included ten plants. It proved incredibly popular and has now been updated to include fifteen plants that need a …

Let’s get your burning question out of the way. No, I’m sorry, but marshmallow plants do not grow marshmallows. However, should you plant marshmallow in your yard, you can harvest …