Shrubby Plant Picks – Proven Winners
Now that 2025 is here, we need to talk more about Proven Winners shrubby plant picks. Yes, I said shrubby. Proven Winners has been working on their shrub line for a while now, and we love them! It is nice to be able to find plants that work in a host of ways within the […]
New Plants – I Cannot Keep Up!
New plants are always coming down the wire. But there have become so many that I cannot keep up with them! In the past, we have always strived to bring the best product to our customers, from years of trialing in our own gardens and at the arboretum. But now there are so many new […]
Growing Blueberries
Blueberries are one of the most delicious of the fresh fruits. I love it when July rolls around, and our blueberry patch opens up. And July 8th is National Blueberry Day! In early July, usually around or near the 4th, we open our patch of blueberries to the public. Its a crazy time. And for […]
Legumes for the Landscape
What are legumes? And why do we want them in the landscape? Legumes are plants which produce bean-like pods of seeds and produce their own nitrogen, with the aid of a nitrogen-fixing bacteria. By putting more legumes in the landscape, we can help our gardens flourish and reduce the need for extra, synthetic fertilizers. Nitrogen […]
Boxwood – March Plant of the Month
While boxwood may not be one of my favorite plants, they are extremely useful in the landscape. And you can cut them for winter greenery. The reason they are the plant of the month is because of their winter durability. They provide quite a bit of green coming out of winter, and they look good […]
Peach Fuzz – The Color of the Year
Peach fuzz is the 2024 color of the year, according to Pantone. Each year, Pantone picks a color as a snapshot in time, trying to connect with our emotions and deep-seated feelings. Peach fuzz is a hue not really pink and not quite orange. It captures our desires to nurture kindness, compassion, and connection, all […]
Evergreen Plants for the Central Great Plains
Evergreen plants can be anything that does not lose its leaves in winter. That would include groundcovers, perennials, shrubs, vines, and trees. But to keep it modest, I will go over some of the trees and shrubs which are evergreen in our region. These are some of the best choices for our area. I will […]
Shrubs for Birds – Andrew’s Top 10
Planting shrubs for birds is about as much fun as moth hunting, for me anyways. I do not know what I love more, plants or insects, but they both provide me with a lot of joy. And the fact that I get birds to come for both is a bonus. But what shrubs are best […]
The Shrub Border
The shrub border has been a part of many landscapes. In the old world (Europe) tall hedges of box and yew outline the garden and landscapes. Even now, gardeners are trying to recreate shrub borders around their landscape to mimic what their ancestors had. But maybe we should be looking at a mixed shrub border, […]
