Blunt Mountain Mint – 2025 Perennial Plant of the Year
It is not even the new year and already we have a perennial plant of the year. The Perennial Plant Association has named blunt mountain mint as the one to go get. And we carry it here at Grimm’s Gardens! Blunt mountain mint, also known as clustered or short-toothed mountain mint, is one of 19 […]
How to Create a Pollinator Paradise
How exactly does one create a pollinator paradise? The answer may surprise you. When my wife and I moved into our 5 acre property 10 years ago, it was not my intention to create a pollinator paradise. I just wanted gardens, native plantings, and a place to raise my kids. At the time, we did […]
Keeping Trees Healthy in Stressful Conditions
Keeping trees healthy can be one of the most challenging things for gardeners. I once heard a colleague from Kansas State University say that trees in Kansas cannot be healthy, because our environment is too tough on them. But there are ways in which you can keep a tree as healthy as possible. There are […]
Bluestem Grasses – October Plant of the Month
Bluestem grasses are our 2024 October plant of the month. What do I mean by bluestem grasses? Well, there are 2 species that are generally considered when talking about bluestem grasses. These are Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii). This can get confusing when someone asks for bluestem grasses. You have to […]
Attracting Beneficial Insects to the Garden
What are beneficial insects? Well, I can think of many of them. But I have had a lot of experience. When I think about my garden, whether it is the kitchen garden or the cottage garden, I know that there will be problems. These problems stem from insect pests, fungi, and other organisms. But if […]
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 […]
