I recently read to articles on the timeliness of articles when pertaining to horticulture practices for homeowners. One was too late and the other was just in time. I hope this one is just in time as the weather is getting colder and the days shorter. Now that autumn is really here, w

Summer is far upon us now, and yet the gardens at Grimm’s are at their peak performance. Jeryl Grimm has a walk through her kitchen garden lined with annuals and some perennials for the enjoyment of her family and those who visit her. Around their house, Doug and Jeryl have plan

Mother’s Day is right around the corner, this corner to be exact. When I think back on all the things that my mom has done for me and is still doing for me, I think also of the ways in which she has influenced my life. When I go home, we walk and discuss the landscape, the field

With our first frost this year, also comes our first freeze here in Northeast Kansas. Normally there are a few weeks in between these events. Being a maintenance foreman gets me excited in the fall for the first hard freeze. A killing freeze that knocks down annuals, kills the tops of

As the rain beats steadily against the windows of our office, I sit and think about the upcoming season. This is my 6th season as the Maintenance Foreman at Grimm’s Gardens, I look forward to even more to come. Autumn always brings about a relief and dread. I love to see the col

Every year for the last 7 years, I have attended the Annual Bedding Plant Trial Day in Olathe, put together by Kansas State University. This year, they had improved the trial beds and it was the best looking annuals they have had in my time. 6 Grimm’s Gardens professionals went

The Xeri-Pot was a creation of mine during the summer of 2012 when the weather proved to be extremely dry and hot. It was so hot that the nights did not cool down, and often roasted plantings overnight. Annual plantings wilted and dried up quickly, providing for the opportunity to cre

Inspired by Helen Weis, Unique by Design out of Edmond, Oklahoma The goal for every homeowner or business owner who had ceramic pots to fill each year is to be successful. We want lush, full pots that stand out as a center piece or draw people to our front entry. Grimm’s Gardens wants

Fall is such a lovely time of year! I love watching the birds look for berries, the wind blowing red, yellow, and orange leaves across the drive. I even enjoy raking leaves. The rich earthy hues that the world takes on are so wonderful. I like watching the sway of grasses in the wind,

Planning your garden can be an exciting time. Here are some tips to start at home so that you have a plan when you come to the garden center! Make a Plan Carefully plot out large beds. Make allowances for height and proper spacing of each plant. Put the plan on paper and color it in w

Black Walnut trees are wonderful if you are a cabinet maker, eat the walnuts, or leave them as forage for wildlife, or use the husks to make a colorfast dye.  But if you are a gardener, they provide a challenge, to say the least. A toxic chemical, juglone, diffuses from the roots into

This is a beginners guide to cooking with fresh herbs.  Use the following chart as a guideline to begin experimenting with new flavors in your recipes.  This is an excellent way to ‘spice up’ your favorite dishes so that they seem like new! Basil Magical Michael Annual Orn

We all want a landscape that is easy to maintain, provides beauty all year round, and provides benefits for our families, right? What if we create landscapes that are even more beneficial to our families and to wildlife, where we could, in season, simply pick fruit right off the tree

Ever wonder how to use your landscape to create beautiful floral designs?  Follow the step by step guide in this second edition of How to Cut Garden Flowers for Floral Arrangements. (See first edition here) Materials: Vase Scissors Permission to cut plants in the landscape Water 6 or

Autumn Color with Annual Planters Aster ‘Wood’s Purple’The first thing I think about is the plants. There may be some summer flowering annuals or perennials (I often use perennials in pots) that will still bloom or look good through autumn. Some examples that can be

Garden Diversity-Cottage Gardens “I want more color.” Most of my customers want more color, and they want it to bloom all the time. The problem with many of our landscapes now is the “cookie cutter” design. I can pick out most designers’ landscapes just by the plant selection. Shrub r

I absolutely love cut flowers.  I look forward to bringing in a new bouquet into my house every chance I get.  If you want to bring some of your landscape flowers indoors but don’t know how to, you are in the right place. (Click to our second edition of Floral Design) Materials:

Annual Sneak Peak! Hello! I’m very excited to bring you a preview of the annuals that will be offered next year in greenhouses around the country! (Although I hope you do stop in at ours!) Yesterday, June 24, 2013, Grimm’s Gardens sent myself and three other staff members