In 2016, I was introduced to a new native sunflower, new to me anyways. Willowleaf sunflower (Helianthus salicifolius), was growing in the prairie ditches on my was to an event in Ft. Scott, KS. Back at Grimm’s, we ordered some ourselves and planted a few plants around the offic

As a member of the Kansas Native Plant Society and the Plant Resources Council, I get the pleasure of helping to choose the native plant of the year for Kansas. We selected Verbena stricta, Woolly Verbena for the 2019 Native Plant of the Year. This verbena is one of my all-time favori

Alliums are often referred to as onions. However, there are many members of the allium family, including onions, ornamental onions, walking onions, chives, garlic chives, garlic, leeks, and prairie onions. Today, I will go over ones that are best used in the garden for ornamental inte

Yarrow is a wonderful addition to any garden. With all the new varieties available, it is not difficult to find one that suits you. Many of the older varieties are nice too. Yarrow is a perennial plant with great foliage texture and blooms that are favored by many pollinators. Because

Selecting perennials for the garden can be a difficult task given the number of species and the amazing number of cultivars per species. It would be easy to be a collector of certain species, there are over 1200 daylily varieties alone! In several species: echinacea, hosta, iris, peon

Over the last 8 years, I have been planting and evaluating annual flowers in public and private gardens in Northeast Kansas. While K-State has its Prairie Star flower list, I make my own conclusions based on weather, performance, durability, and pest tolerance. The following annual fl

I know it seems crazy to think about adding more daylilies to your garden, but for me, it is not a stretch. Back in 2000 when I first thought about becoming a landscape designer, I constantly studied plant materials and their use in American landscapes. Here is what I noticed: America

Its hard to plan your garden for season-long pollinator provisions, but we still try. Early spring months of April and May seem to be the hardest (after March of course), with more trees and shrubs than perennials blooming in the landscape. Perennial gardens are the highlight of most

One of the most common questions we get in the spring is do you have small trees? They do not mean trees that will get big, but rather trees that stay small. These kinds of trees can be difficult to find and even locate in a landscape. Small trees are often just shrubs that have been

All across the state of Kansas, catalpa trees are in full bloom. These trees are a marvel of color in the wooded areas, along railroads, and in towns. When the railroads were first being laid across the state, they would plant groves of catalpa, which grow quickly, along the way to pr

The western soapberry tree (Sapindus drummondii) is a great medium sized tree for dry areas. Native to the southern U.S., mainly Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, as well as Mexico, this tree produces berries that can be used for soap.  The soapberry tree has small, round fruit which conta

Groundcovers are one of the most important plants groups in the garden. They play a crucial role in retaining soil on slopes, they can fill large areas of shady ground where grass will not grow, and they can provide an unbroken expanse of color that helps tie garden areas together.  T

Each year I become more and more aware of the need to plant host plants for our native butterflies, moths, and pollinators. As a maintenance supervisor, I am one of the lucky few in our area that get to see landscapes transform through the year, as well as being able to evaluate lands

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

Summer is here and the heat is on! Over the course of the last two summers I have noticed the good and the bad of perennials in my gardens. I don’t have an irrigation system, and I rarely water after planting, even when it gets hot. My plants seem to perform in the heat, really thrivi