The garden shed is a structure that should be in any good garden that has an ounce of self-respect. Some people like to fill their garden sheds with tools, gardening equipment, and other such things that help them look after their house and garden. Others like to just have space where they can open the
Month: July 2023
My name is Elizabeth. I am 24 years old and live in Pennsylvania. My grandma is my best friend and has over 10 acres of farm land. On her farm she has a small 40-foot by 80-foot garden. I planted over 20 crops this year with her. I love how larkspur (Consolida ajacis, annual) looks
There is a rarity about blue flowers that appeal to most gardeners. Many flowers are called blue, but comparatively few are a pure blue. Catalogs in general make little distinction between blue and tones of purple. And in association with other colors, blue is scarcely less valuable than white. It conflicts with none, it softens
Most likely native to Southeast Asia, colocasia (Colocasia esculenta, Zones 7b–12) is used by many gardeners for its large, tropical-looking foliage. This plant also has a long history of being used in cooking. Visitors to Hawaii are often treated to poi, a starchy Polynesian edible food paste made from its rootlike corm. Common names of
Summer is here! Vegetable gardens have yielded the first tomatoes of the season, perennial borders are overflowing with colorful blooms, fruit is ripening in the orchards, and rose bushes are flushing out with their second round of flowers. On the surface, it might appear that summer brings nothing but a profusion of delightful blooms, lush
Today’s photos are from Mary Murphy in Minnetonka, Minnesota. We’ve visited her garden before (More Blooms From Mary), and today she’s focusing on her lily collection. Here are some photos of my lilies (Lilium hybrids, Zones 3–8). I have gradually added to my collection over the years. I started with this variety, Lilium ‘Tiny Pearl’.
Today’s photos are from Carla Z. Mudry in Malvern, Pennsylvania. I was part of my very first garden tour on June 24, The Hardy Plant Society Mid Atlantic Member Garden Tour. Even when it was raining, they came. And they liked my garden! And they loved all of the birds we share the garden and
Oak wilt kills hundreds of thousands of oaks (Quercus spp. and cvs. Zones 3–11) in the Midwest and beyond every year, but what is it? Oak wilt is caused by a fungus (Bretziella fagacearum, formerly Ceratocystis fagacearum) This lethal fungal disease is a threat to oaks in residential settings and forests. Oak wilt fungus grows through
Today we’re in Lake Bluff, Illinois, visiting Nicki Snoblin’s garden. This year I decided to dig up about a third of my front yard to make a place for sun-loving, pollinator-friendly perennials. I had many plants in my backyard that were no longer getting the sun they needed as the landscape matured over the years.
Camping can be one of the most immersive nature experiences you can have. It allows you to interact with nature, see its beauty, and understand the importance of adopting more sustainable practices. However, identifying the harm of common camping practices can be challenging. It’s not always as simple as cleaning as you go and leaving
Today we’re visiting with Judith. After 25 years of living in my home in Pines Lake, a lake community in Wayne, New Jersey, my garden is still a work in progress with constant challenges. I have a tiered property, and the upper woodland area area was once filled with hemlocks (Tsuga canadensis, Zones 3–7), but
Managing Plant Growth: To ensure optimal growth, your seedlings require specific conditions. Keep the temperature around 65°F (18°C) and provide gentle air circulation and ample light. Research has shown that lowering the night-time temperature of seedlings to 55-60°F and lightly brushing your hands over the tops of the seedlings for a couple of minutes each
I am Jeff Sisil. My wife and I live in Cypress, California. I started gardening about 20 years ago. Here are some current photos of spring plants and flowers. I’m having pretty good luck with hydrangeas and staghorn ferns. I also grow bromeliads, tillandsias, Spanish moss, succulents, nasturtium, senecio, and a few others. The challenge
Drought has become synonymous with gardening in the past several years. It seems like regardless of where you live, you will experience some sort of dry conditions in summer. This has led many of us to reevaluate our plant choices. Perennials we once relied on to fill our beds and borders may flag in July
Jorge Rodriguez shared today’s photos, which offer a beautiful look at the garden Jorge designed for the Chelsea Flower Show. Chelsea is one of the premier garden shows in the world, with countless designers creating gardens to showcase different design ideas. The heat wave of 2022 presented huge issues in the maintenance of traditional British
Summer is one of the most fulfilling seasons for a gardener. Fields, containers and raised boxes are filled with green foliage, bright blooms and sentimental aromas. From tomatoes that are plump with rich juices to freshly cut herbs unlike anything found on grocery store shelves, summer is a gardener’s heaven. With harvesting efforts beginning, it’s
My name is Helen Stephenson, and I have been gardening in the Halton Region of Ontario for over 20 years. For the past 10 years I have tried to plant mostly native species. I am on the northern edge of the Carolinian eco-region, which is an area that makes up just 1% of Canada’s total
I am Renata Puckett. I plant mainly gifted and some bought plants in Morgan County, Alabama. I grow and divide them to fill my country gardens around the house. I have plenty of space to fill, since we have four acres around the house. It’s a lot of work but also a lot of pleasure
Tom Sterenberg is sharing some photos today of roses he’s grown in the sometimes difficult climate of the Canadian prairie. “Roses Are Difficult Here” by prairie writer W. O. Mitchell expresses the frustration of trying to grow roses in the extreme climate of the Canadian prairie. Tea roses and David Austins may survive for a
I have mixed feelings about growing and promoting butterfly bushes. On the one hand, they are beautiful and reliable garden plants; on the other hand, their weedy nature cannot be denied. Keep these facts in mind before buying one of these shrubs. Butterfly Bush Facts Butterfly bush’s weedy to invasive nature is due to prolific