Grimm's Garden Talk

  • Tough Trees for the Urban Canopy

    Why do we need tough trees? What challenges do we face in the urban canopy toady that requires specific planning for canopy diversity? Trees are our best choice for the fight against air pollution, poor air quality, heat islands, and climate manipulation. When we have trees in our landscapes, parks, and streetways, our overall health, [...]

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  • The Importance of Bark

    Bark is of one of my favorite attributes of trees. Yes, leaves and flowers are more important to landscapers and homeowners, and even insects. But bark is not only important for overwintering insects, it is also important as a means of identification, as well as protective cover for the tree. And bark changes so much [...]

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  • Gardening for Bumblebees

    Bumblebees may not be the most favorite bee of gardeners, but they are important. They are one of the first bees I see each spring (along with honeybees) and they are the largest. My kids like to ask if they can go and pet the bumblebees. And of course, I say no, because I want [...]

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  • 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 [...]

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  • New Plants : What is Coming in 2023

    Well, it is a new year, and new plants are coming to the nursery. Now, that does not entirely mean that these are all brand new plants that have never been grown before. Some, I have been growing in my gardens for a awhile, and are just new to the nursery. And others are new [...]

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  • Guide To Growing Oaks: Benefits of Oak Trees

    I have been wanting t write on this topic for awhile; the benefits of oak trees. Oak trees have so many benefits, and it can be difficult to go into them all in a single post. That is why I have broken the topic of oak trees into different posts, so you can learn how [...]

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  • Garden Tour with the Kansas Gardener

    It is that time of year again, time for a tour through my gardens! 2022 was one of the most difficult years for me at our house. Besides gardening through a drought and hot summer, my mower never did work right, the front yard is still torn up, and I only got 2 raised beds [...]

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  • Garden Review – 2022

    It is that time of year again, time for an annual garden review. Each December, I look back on the year to see how annuals, perennials, and more fared during the year’s weather and extreme events. For example, 2021 was the year of wind; we had a tornado and 2 wind events which toppled many [...]

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  • Growing Giant Pumpkins

    Have you ever wanted to try growing giant pumpkins? In 2022, Duane Hansen of Syracuse, NE did just that, and set a world record too. I met Duane at a meeting of the Nebraska City Talkin’ Dirt Group in October 2022, and was impressed not only by his pumpkin growing prowess, but also by his [...]

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