Asters are daisy-like perennials with starry-shaped flower heads that range in color from white to blue to purple. They bring delightful beauty to the garden in late summer and autumn, when many of our summer blooms may be fading. Here’s how to grow asters in your garden! ABOUT ASTERS There are quite a few species and varieties of asters […]
Summer is here, and with it come more flowers to enjoy. But don’t forget deadheading—the removal of spent blossoms. Regular deadheading encourages many plants to flower for longer. Here are four reasons to keep up with this chore—plus, tips on how to deadhead flowers. 1. PROLONG THE BLOOM Removing spent flowerheads is one of the best ways to […]
Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica) are iridescent green beetles that carry a big threat because they will feed on a wide variety of plants. You’ll often be able to identify the damage because their leaf chewing leaves a lacy skeleton. WHAT ARE JAPANESE BEETLES? These small insects do not discriminate when it comes to what types of plants they feed on, […]
Daylily Grower’s Guide One of the reasons daylilies are so popular is because they are some of the easiest perennials to grow and can survive much neglect, drought, and other adverse conditions. However, if you want your daylilies to look their best, they will benefit from the periodic care described below. Watering Water is the […]
Turn your patio or balcony into an exotic tropical getaway with the help of bold, beautiful tropical plants. Used as dramatic summer annuals in trendy decorative containers, tropical plants with rich foliage or sizzling-hot blooms turn outdoor spaces into hot spots for relaxation and entertaining. From birds of paradise and flowering gingers with striking, vibrant blooms […]
CALAMINTHA NEPETA SUBSP. NEPETA Calamint, Lesser Calamint Photo credit: Stonehouse Nursery Like a cloud of confetti, tiny white flowers (sometimes touched with pale blue) appear from early summer to fall. Undemanding and dependable, calamint provides the perfect foil for other summer bloomers and foliage. This full-sun perennial has a low mounding or bushy habit, ideal for the […]
June is the perfect time to plant perennials Because of the abundance of perennials that bloom this month, June has been designated as Perennial Gardening Month by the Perennial Plant Association. Perennial gardens often bring to mind the classic cottage garden or vibrant perennial border, and rightfully so. Cottage gardens and perennial borders burst with a […]
Pansies are the colorful flowers with “faces.” A cool-weather favorite, pansies are great for both spring and fall gardens! Here’s how to plant pansies as well as keep them growing and blooming. Pansies have heart-shaped, overlapping petals and one of the widest ranges of bright, pretty colors and patterns. Good for containers, borders, and as ground cover, […]
1. Time for a spring inspection. On one of the first warm days of spring, put on your inspector’s hat and head out to the garden with a notepad. It’s time to see what happened in the garden while you were indoors all winter. Take note of: Cold, ice or snow damage on plants Beds […]
Many of the most common kinds have edible leaves or roots, like lettuce, carrots and onions. With spring around the corner, a gardener can get a bit anxious to start planting. But not all vegetables are as eager to get into the cool ground and start growing. Luckily, there are cool season crops that tend […]
