Grimm's Gardens Blogs | Grimms Gardens

Grimm's Gardens Blogs

Aster Lady in Black

Andrew Mitchell

Aster Lady in Black

Aster Lady in Black is Grimm's Gardens 2026 October Plant of the Month. I first came across this aster in 2018 after the Kansas Native Plant Society's Annual Wildflower Weekend in Cloud County, KS. I ...

Aster Aster Lady in Black Lady in Black Lady in Black Aster October Plant of the Month Plant of the Month fall gardening native plants natives perennials

Oct 1, 2026

Beautyberry

Andrew Mitchell

Beautyberry

Beautyberry is one of the most overlooked shrubs for the garden. Besides being low-maintenance, it shines from mid-autumn into winter. Did I mention it was low-maintenance? There are three main types ...

Fall Color Shrubs beautyberry fall color flowering shrubs low maintenance pink flowers purple berries

Sep 17, 2026

Goldenrod Soldier Beetle

Andrew Mitchell

Goldenrod Soldier Beetle

Autumn is about here, and so are many yellow beetles on the flowers! I often get asked "What are those orange beetles all over my flowers?" Of course, most gardeners want to see butterflies and bees p...

beetles beneficial insects goldenrod goldenrod soldier beetle pollinator of the month pollinators soldier beetles

Sep 10, 2026

9 Fall Color Shrubs for the Landscape

Andrew Mitchell

9 Fall Color Shrubs for the Landscape

Many people think first of trees for fall color. And it is no wonder, considering how much color we get from maples, oaks, and others. But there are 9 fall color shrubs for the landscape which should ...

Fall Color Shrubs fall color flowering shrubs ninebark sandcherry shrubs

Sep 3, 2026

Hoary Skullcap

Andrew Mitchell

Hoary Skullcap

Hoary skullcap ( Scutellaria incana ) is our Plant of the Month for September 2026. This native perennial comes from the Upper Midwest Region, along the slopes of the Appalachian Mountains and west to...

Mint Family September hoary skullcap native gardening native plants natives perennials perennials for pollinators plant of the month scutellaria skullcap

Aug 27, 2026

Curved Pebble Bee

Andrew Mitchell

Curved Pebble Bee

The curved pebble bee is our pollinator of the month for August 2026. When I first learned about this curious bee, I was amazed by how it builds its nests. I observed pebble bees on my cup plant ( Sil...

bees native bees native plants natives pebble bees pollination pollinator gardening pollinator of the month pollinators

Aug 20, 2026

Champion Trees

Andrew Mitchell

Champion Trees

I knew about the Kansas Champion Tree Program before I came to Grimm's Gardens, because I was blessed to have a professor of Arboriculture at Kansas State who loved trees. When we went around the grou...

National champion tree arboriculture big trees champion tree program champion trees tree tree care

Aug 13, 2026

Cicadas

Andrew Mitchell

Cicadas

When August hits, cicadas and the annoying sounds they emit become the focus of many who live in the country or have large trees in their landscapes. But did you know that many cicadas emerge before A...

annoying insect cicada cicadas grasshoppers insects locusts true bugs

Aug 6, 2026

Switchgrass

Andrew Mitchell

Switchgrass

Switchgrass is our 2026 August Plant of the Month. This native grass has become one of the landscape industry's top performers thanks to breeding programs. Native from the Rocky Mountains east to the ...

August Grasses Native Grasses Ornamental Grass Switchgrass butterfly hosts host plants panicum plant of the month

Jul 30, 2026

Berries

Andrew Mitchell

Berries

Berries can be one the easiest ways to both add winter interest and attract birds to the garden. With the latest and greatest cultivars coming out more and more, there is a plethora of choices for ber...

Garden Planning Gardening beautyberry berries chokeberry cotoneaster dogwood flowering shrubs landscape design sandcherry serviceberry shrubs viburnum

Jul 23, 2026

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly

Andrew Mitchell

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly

When choosing the pollinator of the month, I really have not gotten into the whys yet. I just started this last month after reading a similar article in another blog. To choose this month's pollinator...

Eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly Gardening butterflies butterfly gardening butterfly hosts pollination pollinator of the month

Jul 16, 2026

250 Years of American Horticulture

Andrew Mitchell

250 Years of American Horticulture

American horticulture certainly started before America's birthday of 1776. But most of the more important events surrounding America's horticulture story happened during the 250 years that our great c...

250 Years of American Gardening America's birthday Garden Answer Gardening Monrovia Organic Gardening burpee proven winners

Jul 9, 2026

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