Borders – Edging the Garden with Plants
Recently, I became much more aware of the various types of borders in my gardens. Why you ask? Because of the curse of the lawn mower. Since late summer 2021, I have had an endless string of bad luck with mowers. First, our long running rider broke down and refused to go. The repair man […]
Spicing Up Your Autumn Displays
Now that summer is finally over, we want to build autumn displays. It is still going to be hot, and cold, and whatever. My wife thinks its already sweater weather and is ready for bonfires, pumpkin pie, and cool weather. To spice up your autumn displays, you will need to think outside of the box […]
Bring the Heat with Hardy Hibiscus
Hardy hibiscus love the heat, so when summer hits, it starts exploding in the garden. I follow a lot of gardening groups online, and one of the biggest concerns people have is the slow start of their hardy hibiscus. Is it dead? Why is it not growing yet? It is a yearly thing, especially with […]
Garden Phlox – August Plant of the Month
Garden phlox is our August Plant of the Month for 2022. When I was younger and just getting into gardening (around age 6), I remember my grandma showing my the beautiful garden phlox she had in her cottage garden. As I grew, I originally saw it as a weedy plant that would not stay where […]
Wasps – Friend or Foe?
Wasps are often regarded as the terror of the landscape. Now that summer has officially arrived, and the 4th of July is over, gardeners are spending less time outdoors, and more time resting. But when they are outdoors, they do not want to be bothered by wasps. However, this is also the time when our […]
Quilled Flowers – Quirky Flaws of Nature
What are quilled flowers? Flower petals which are rolled or “quilled”. These petals can be found in many plants of the Aster Family, and they are one of my favorite things to collect in the garden. Already, I have several perennials with quilled flowers, and I am looking to add more soon. Nature helps the […]
Perennial Salvia – May Plant of the Month
Perennial salvia is our May Plant of the Month. I have to admit, this was not one of my favorite perennials for a long time. Mainly because of overuse of 1 cultivar in the landscape. I do not like plants that get too much attention; we need more diversity in our gardens. But now, after […]
Redbud – April Plant of the Month
The redbud is our April plant of the month for 2022. I have a long love for redbud trees, they have been everywhere I have been. Growing up in North Central Kansas, they were one of the first trees I learned, because they were growing wild in my backyard. I have spent the better part […]
Plants for Winter Interest in the Garden
Now that winter is finally upon us, I like to look at my garden and think about the future. Right now, the snow is settled over the landscape, and I can see what looks good in it. Plants for winter interest are definitely needed. But we also want plants with multiple season interest. If we […]
