His Name Lives On in Astilbe, but Georg Arends was so much more
We might think our are gardens are natural and timeless, but that is far from true. Fashion trends in how our gardens look come and go, but so do plants, and most nurseries…
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Understand Variegated Plants – How Do They Do That?
One of the biggest differences between the plants we grow in our gardens and the ones we see in nature are the leaves. Go out into the woods or fields, and every plant…
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Planting Guides
How To Plant Rhododendrons, Azaleas and Camellias
A whole group of plants have developed to live in acid soil conditions where other plants will not do so well. Top of the list for gardeners are Rhododendrons and Azaleas, closely followed…
Planting Guides
How to Plant Deciduous Hedges
Hedges are one of the major features of many gardens. Besides providing privacy and protection for your garden, they make the perfect backdrop for ornamental and flowering shrubs and plants. The plants you…
Planting Guides
How to Plant Deciduous Trees
Deciduous trees lose their foliage during winter, bursting to life with new growth once spring arrives. Many types of deciduous trees bring color to an otherwise dull landscape in fall with their brilliant…
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Get to Know the Different Groups of Japanese Maples
Perhaps the most adored of all trees, Japanese maples have an aura around them – a flavor of the exotic, the special, and the desirable. For many gardeners they are their most valued…
What is Peat Moss? What is it used for?
You might have seen that dark brown fibrous material called “Peat Moss” in your father’s garden or any nursery and garden stores. But did you know that though Peat Moss is very useful…
Helen Ballard, Queen of the Hellebores
There was once a time when the passing of the seasons was not marked by the return to school or specials on Amazon, but by more traditional activities. Christmas was – and still…
Are the Pests & Diseases on My Plants Serious?
We live in an time when life has become medicalized. Despite living longer and more healthy lives than any human beings who came before us, we are intensely focused on the dangers of…
How the Annabelle Hydrangea Turned Pink
If you live in mild and warmer parts of the country, your go-to hydrangea is probably the mophead, with its flowers of blue or pink. If you live in colder areas, though, where…
You Think You Need Citrus for Vitamin C? Guess Again!
You have to hand it to the Florida Citrus Growers. Back 50 years or more they marketed oranges, and orange juice heavily, promoting them as a source of vitamin C. At a time…
The Mediterranean Garden – Styling and Layout
In this sporadic series on designing gardens we have looked at a variety of different looks or styles you can give your garden. The word ‘style’ tells us that although your garden might…
How to Transplant Established Evergreen Trees
In a perfect world, every plant we put in the ground would be in exactly the right place, and stay there forever. Hah! Back in the real word, despite our best intentions, it…
The Mediterranean Garden – is it for me?
The idea of having a Mediterranean garden has become a big deal – Google it and you will get 152 million hits. Issues like hotter and drier summers are on everyone’s mind, and…
Pruning Young Trees for Future Strength and Long Life – Part 3, Getting the Job Done
This is the third part of an extended blog about the pruning of young trees. Many people just plant a new tree and expect it to develop perfectly all by itself. Sometimes that…
