Plant Profile: Moss phlox (Phlox subulata)
Karen This small, semi-evergreen ground cover with fine dark green foliage and bright flowers is very adaptable and a great addition to the spring garden. Its prostrate habit makes it a…
Plant Profile: Variegated Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum odoratum ‘Variegatum’)
The green leaves edged with white emerge in mid spring and are followed by small white pendulous flowers tipped with pale green. The flowers are fragrant and attract bees and…
Bluebirds in the Garden
One of the great joys of my garden is the family of Eastern bluebirds that come to my birdhouse each spring. Actually, the birdhouse is a bluebird-nesting house, that is…
Carefree Roses
Are you the kind of gardener that likes roses but does not have a lot of time spraying, fertilizing, watering and pruning? Have no fear, there IS a rose for…
The English Style Garden: Design a Garden with Annuals, Perennials, Biennials and Garden Ornaments to Create the Look of an English Garden
The sight of an English garden inspires many of us, but alas, few will ever be able to really have one. If you are lucky enough to live in the…
Plant Profile: Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens)
Candytuft is a woody-based herbaceous perennial native to southern Europe and a member of the cabbage family, Brassicaceae, that also includes mustard, broccoli, and Alyssum. The fine dark green leathery…
Frost Free Days
The other temperature related item of great importance to growing plants is the growing season, the number of days between the last frost in the spring and the first frost…
American Horticultural Society Plant Heat Zones
All of us who garden in the southern part of the country have probably noticed that high temperatures can be as much of a problem as low temperatures especially in…
USDA Plant Hardiness Zones
Do you go blank when you see the brightly colored map of the United States broken into 11 zones? You are not alone but why not make friends with that…
Soil fertility and texture: how and why to test your soil for garden success
Soil is one of the most important factors influencing the success of your garden. Both the texture and fertility of the soil make a critical difference to the growth and…