Columnar Trees
What are columnar trees? In short, these are trees that have narrow, upright canopies. They are usually dense in foliage too. Columnar trees have many purposes, even though the average homeowner cannot see it when they visit the nursery. I do not get a lot of requests for these trees, but we always keep some […]
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 […]
Dark Leaves – Adding Depth to the Garden
Putting dark leaves in the garden not only adds depth, but also intrigue, and if done right, mystery. Plants with dark leaves are rare in nature, but abound in the nursery trade, after being bred and selected for generations. I love using dark leaves in the garden, more so than chartreuse or variegated leaves. But […]
Trees for Birds – The Top 6 for Landscapes
Trees for birds? Are trees not for birds? It really makes a difference what kind of trees you plant. With September and fall tree planting right around the corner, we need to plan ahead for the kinds of trees to plant. Too often, we plant trees for ourselves, and what we want, not thinking about […]
Emerald Ash Borer Found in Brown County Kansas
As many of you know, Brown County Kansas is the homeplace of Grimm’s Gardens. And because of that, anything important starts here first. Last week, a group of Kansas foresters, entomologists, and Doug Grimm met south of Hiawatha to look over some ash trees. And what did they find? Yes, they found emerald ash borer. […]
Planting for Pollinators – April and May
For several years now, the trend has been on what to plant for pollinators. This is a two-sided question. What do you think of when planting for pollinators? Do you think about what plants pollinators are attracted to for nectar and pollen, or attracted to as a host plant? We need to think about both […]
Fall Webworms
While most pests are winding down in late summer and autumn, fall webworms are just getting started. Many people get very upset when they see big webs of caterpillars in their trees (and shrubs) in late summer. As if things are not bad enough with spider webs dangling everywhere. While they are not considered to […]
Fruit Tree Guide – Growing Apples
Growing apples is often the vision of nearly every homeowner. Even those who do little or no gardening enjoy having an apple tree or two. Picking fresh, homegrown apples is a treat beyond words. I myself have long been fascinated by fruit trees, and apples are a specialty. There are more than 7,500 varieties of […]
