Grimm's Gardens Blogs | Grimms Gardens

Grimm's Gardens Blogs

Suckering Shrubs

Andrew Mitchell

Suckering Shrubs

Suckering shrubs are not what most homeowners are looking for in their tidy landscapes. But with trends in landscaping veering towards natives and providing more for wildlife, why not add in suc...

aronia butterfly hosts desert willow flowering shrubs fothergilla host plants shrubs smooth hydrangea sumac sweetspire wild plum

Apr 2, 2026

Fothergilla

Andrew Mitchell

Fothergilla

Fothergilla is our 2026 April Plant of the Month. Also known as bottlebrush or witch-alder, Fothergilla is a wet-loving shrub native to the Southeastern US. There are 2 species. Fothergilla major is n...

April flowering fall color flowering shrubs fothergilla legend of the fall legend of the small mt airy plant of the month proven winners

Mar 26, 2026

Cloud Dancer

Andrew Mitchell

Cloud Dancer

I am totally surprised by the 2026 Pantone Color of the Year - Cloud Dancer. With America's 250th birthday happening in July, I was expecting maybe a bright blue or sharp red. But white ? Cloud Dancer...

cloud dancer color of the year 2026 monet garden pantone color of the year pastel garden pastels pastels garden

Mar 19, 2026

9 Perennial Must-Haves for Pollinators

Andrew Mitchell

9 Perennial Must-Haves for Pollinators

If you are looking to add flowers to your garden for pollinators, I have 9 must-haves for you. These perennials attract more than just honeybees, they provide for many different kinds of pollinators. ...

blunt mountain mint butterfly milkweed common boneset insects liatris mountain mint native insects ornamental onion perennials perennials for pollinators pollination pollinator gardening pollinator plants pollinators prairie blazingstar purple coneflower rattlesnake master salvia sedum

Mar 12, 2026

Spring Cleanup!

Andrew Mitchell

Spring Cleanup!

Now is the time for spring cleanup. Winter is staring to fade away and I know you all want to get out in the garden. By the end of February, I am just itching to get the crews out the door and into th...

Gardening Native Grasses Ornamental Grass cleanups flowering shrubs landscaping pollinators spring cleanup yard maintenance

Mar 5, 2026

Monarch Waystations

Andrew Mitchell

Monarch Waystations

Although it has been more than a decade since I first wrote about Monarch Waystations, they are just as important as before. Even as gardening trends more and more towards natives, pollinator protecti...

butterflies monarch butterflies monarch waystations monarchs native insects native plants pollination pollinator gardening pollinators

Feb 26, 2026

Unseen Pollinators

Andrew Mitchell

Unseen Pollinators

Let's face it, if it is not big, bold, or beautiful, then it is an unseen pollinator. What I mean is that there is a class of pollinators which mostly go unnoticed by gardeners. These are unseen polli...

ants beetles flies pollination pollinators unseen pollinators

Feb 19, 2026

Orchard Planning

Andrew Mitchell

Orchard Planning

Here in the Central Great Plains region, we have a long tradition of orchard plantings. Even though Kansas is no longer known for its fruit, it once was a hub for apples and other fruits. In the late ...

apple cherries fruit fruit bushes fruit trees orchard planning pawpaw peaches persimmons plums serviceberry

Feb 12, 2026

Dogwoods

Andrew Mitchell

Dogwoods

Dogwoods have become a very important part of our landscapes, even as they have always been important to the natural landscapes around us. Did you know there are at least sixteen species of dogwood na...

Sgt Pepper dogwood arctic fire dogwood trees dogwoods flowering shrubs native plants pollinators trees

Feb 5, 2026

Chitalpa

Andrew Mitchell

Chitalpa

Last summer Doug asked me up to the arboretum to look over some new trees he had planted from J. Frank Schmidt. It was a Chitalpa. But what in the world is a Chitalpa? He was excited because his was b...

Garden Answer Pink Dawn chitalpa catalpa chitalpa desert willow el nino chitalpa flowering shrubs hybrids

Jan 30, 2026

The Honeybee

Andrew Mitchell

The Honeybee

The honeybee is one of the most well-known and iconic insects on earth. Especially here in the United States and among gardeners of all types. The honeybee is recognized for its importance as a pollin...

Kansas state insect Kansas state symbols bees butterflies endangered species honeybee pollination regal fritillary state symbols threatened species

Jan 29, 2026

Blackhawks Big Bluestem

Andrew Mitchell

Blackhawks Big Bluestem

Surprise! I was totally surprised to discover that the Perennial Plant Association named a grass (Blackhawks big bluestem) as the perennial plant of the year for 2026. Has this happened before? Well, ...

2026 Perennial Plant of the Year Big Bluestem Blackhawks Big Bluestem Grasses Native Grasses Ornamental Grass Perennial Plant of the Year

Jan 15, 2026

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