Hardiness Zones – What Does it Mean to Me?
Recently, the USDA changed the hardiness zones map for North America. But what does that mean for gardeners and how will a change affect it? When the new map emerged in November 2023, gardeners got all excited about the updated zones, but also confused by what it all means. One of the biggest factors affecting […]
Reblooming Plants – Are They Worth the Hype?
Reblooming plants have become a real favorite for gardeners in recent years. But are they worth all the hype that the green industry puts upon them? As a nursery manager, I do sell quite a number of various reblooming plants, but do they do what they claim? Or should we be focused on succession planting […]
Tidy Gardening
Recently, a colleague asked me about plants for tidy gardening. But what is tidy gardening, and how does one achieve it? I have discussed many times my gardening ideals, which include diversity, and lots of plant materials. But I realize there are many homeowners, and some gardeners who prefer to have a tidy look, with […]
October Colors in the Garden
When fall finally arrives, it seems as if all the colors in the garden are playing me for a fool. I love the way the garden looks during spring and summer, with the many bright splashes of flower colors and all the greens! But October, wow. It seems as if an entire palette of mixed […]
Low Maintenance Landscaping
What is low maintenance landscaping? Every year, I hear about new and old clients who complain about their landscapes. “Its too much work to maintain.” “Do you do landscape maintenance?” And more. A lot of the problems associated with landscaping can be avoided by correct planning up front, to design a low maintenance landscape. But […]
Showy Sedum – October Plant of the Month
Showy sedum is our September Plant of the Month for 2023. Also known as live forever, orpine, tall sedum, and butterfly stonecrop; it is one of the best late summer and fall perennials for pollinators. If you have not planted this perennial then you cannot imagine the amount of insects it attracts. Easy to grow […]
Attracting Wildlife to the Garden
If you live in an urban setting, then attracting wildlife may not be the thing for you. But what does wildlife mean? To me, attracting wildlife mean providing homes for birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, arthropods, and other creatures to the garden. For some of you, it may only mean birds. For others, it might be […]
Building Soil
Do you know what your soil is? It is one the most fundamental building blocks to a healthy landscape. Or ecosystem. And we have a problem. Most gardeners, farmers, and landscapers know it is important, but they rarely know where to begin when it comes to building soil. Where do we begin? Since the beginning […]
Rain Garden Plants
What is a rain garden? A rain garden is an area within the landscape that gets the majority of its moisture from rain. It may also get wet from a hose runoff or hillside springs. The rain garden can be a functional and beautiful part of the landscape. I have heard some people call their […]
