Low Maintenance Shrubs – Deciduous
When it comes to choosing low maintenance shrubs for the landscape, what do you look for? Many of our favorite shrubs actually need a yearly haircut, though they do not need to be sheared. Plants such as hydrangea, ninebark, rose of Sharon, lilac, and beautyberry need to be pruned to produce better flower displays. But […]
Callery Pear Says Goodbye
For many years now I have been expecting to say goodbye (and good riddance) to the callery pear. Why? There are a lot of reasons to dislike something, but this tree takes the cake. I will divulge into the origins of this troublesome tree, cultivars, problems, why it is going away, and what to plant […]
Lobelia – September Plant of the Month
Perennial lobelia is our September plant of the month for 2024. These native perennials are some of my favorite flowering plants for the wetland or bog garden. They also make great rain garden plants. Here in the Central Great Plains, there are 4 native species of lobelia, 2 of which can be successfully grown in […]
Spring Flowering Trees
August is the best time to talk about spring flowering trees. Why? Because the coming fall is the best time to plant them. I like to plant trees of all kinds in the fall, because the soil is warm and the trees are getting ready to go dormant, meaning they will require less care and […]
Something Red
Red is one of the more looked for colors in the garden, and yet it can be difficult to find. Sure, in the tropics, there are lots of red flowers. When my wife and I went to Hawaii, there were red flowering plants all over the place. But back home, it can be a difficult […]
Fall Garden Planting
It is time to put in your fall garden! If you have not planned and prepped for this day already, then you better get going. Even though the weather has been hot and muggy, and I know you do not want to go outside, it is time to plant. The fall garden for many folks, […]
False Sunflower – August Plant of the Month
False sunflower is our August Plant of the Month for 2024. Also known as ox-eye sunflower, this native perennial has become quite popular in the garden. With recent breeding work in favor of more colorful cultivars, there is a plant for everyone. False sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides) is native east of the Rocky Mountains and is […]
Shade Plants You Did Not Know You Needed
Recently while perusing several gardening magazines, I came across some interesting shade plants. And it made me think more about my own shade gardens. When I first started at Kansas State University, I did not even know about shade gardening. Back home, everything was prairie and savannah. But now that I live among trees, I […]
Flies in the Garden – Friend or Foe
Flies can be one of the more annoying pests in the house. But there a lot of flies who have beneficial roles in the garden. Some are great pollinators, rivalling bees and beetles, while others are predators of a host of garden pests. The common bottle flies, house flies, stable flies, and smaller fruit flies […]
