The Kansas Gardener

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Andrew Mitchell, also known professionally as the Kansas Gardener, is a Horticulturalist, Nursery Crops Specialist, and Landscape Maintenance Supervisor for Grimm's. He has a B.S. Degree in Horticulture from Kansas State University and a A.S. Degree in Agronomy from Cloud County Community College. Andrew is a Lifetime Member of the National Home Gardening Club and a member of the American Horticultural Society. He is a regular writer and on the Board of Directors of the Kansas Native Plant Society and the Eternal Hope Worship Center. Andrew lives on an oak-hickory remnant forest edge with his wife and 3 children. He is an avid collector of plant species, and has an interest in heirloom vegetables. Andrew spends his free time in photography, hiking, spending time with his family and church, and working in the garden.

Posts by The Kansas Gardener:

  • Caring for Roses

    Caring for roses can be tricky, but worth the effort. Roses are the gardener’s flower, and have been since ancient times. They entice us with their fragrance, their aroma, their beauty, and their ability to grow in nearly every corner of the world. Even in the cold regions of Canada you can find wild roses [...]

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  • Plant of the Week: Emerald Blue Creeping Phlox

    Emerald Blue creeping phlox is this week’s Plant of the Week. Creeping phlox is a low-growing, perennial groundcover, that is semi-evergreen in mild winters. Surprisingly, it grows only 6 inches tall, including the blooms. The leaves of this tiny groundcover are narrow and dark green. It can be rather pointy when you are planting or [...]

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  • Growing Onions in the Central Region

    When I start talking about regions, things can get a bit gray. Since I have been a gardener, landscape designer, and horticulturalist for 2 decades in Kansas; I generally mean Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and all of Zone 5 when I say the Central Region. Growing onions can be rewarding for those who love the taste [...]

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  • Plant of the Week: Pink Flowering Dogwood

    Pink flowering dogwood is this week’s Plant of the Week. This small tree for shade gardens is one of our arborist’s favorite trees. Doug Grimm is also a big fan of this tree. While pink flowering may relate to either Cornus florida or Cornus kousa, they both have excellent cultivars for our area. Either way, [...]

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  • Flowers for the Kitchen Garden

    Kitchen gardens are usually referred to as vegetable gardens. I prefer to call mine the potager garden. Potager is the French word for kitchen garden. This is where you would grow vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers for use in cooking. Why add flowers? But why should I add flowers to my vegetable garden? Because, adding [...]

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  • Plant of the Week: Redbud ‘The Rising Sun’

    Redbud ‘The Rising Sun’ is a powerhouse performer all year long. This small tree has multi-season interest for the whole landscape. It grows in full sun to part shade. Plant it next to the house, under power lines, or in a grouping of 3 or more in the middle of the lawn. Redbuds are native [...]

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  • Growing Lavender

    Growing lavender in the Great Plains can be rewarding for gardeners. This aromatic plant can be used for a variety of different things, from soaps to jelly. I have grown lavender for years in my own gardens with great success. Where does lavender grow best? It is a Mediterranean plant and likes well-drained soils Lavender [...]

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  • Plant of the Week: Woodland Blue Phlox

    This week’s Plant of the Week is the Woodland Blue Phlox, Phlox divaricata. This North American native is found on the edges of forests and riparian areas. It prefers moist to well-drained soils and part to full sun. I have found this plant in near deep shade conditions in Northeast Kansas. Woodland blue phlox grows [...]

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  • March Tips & Tricks

    March is the start of spring cleanups and gearing up for the garden year, so it is often the busiest time of the gardening year. While it is true, that if you put the garden to bed just right in the fall, spring chores are less, it is also true that a landscaper’s work is [...]

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