May 14, 2013 This Tree's A Showstopper! If you don't want passersby to stop and stare at your yard, don't even think of planting Cornelian cherry dogwood (Cornus mas). This small ...

May 02, 2013 Looking for Seeds? Surprise! The flood of seed catalogs works us into such a frenzy that figuring out what to plant can end up being more stressful than fun. So it was a delightfu...

April 23, 2013 Gardeners Win Trips to Vegas! And the winners are ... Two members of the National Home Gardening Club beat out more than 1400 entries with their gardening projects in our recent...

April 01, 2013 Video: Get Ready to Prune! Here's a thorny question: Have you pruned your climbing roses? Many gardeners ignore them altogether because the idea of working in a twisted bram...

March 28, 2013 Easter Lilies: Make the Most of These Beauties Ah, the magnificence of an Easter lily gracing your home! Lush and fragrant with long-lasting blooms, it helps bridge the long gap between the end of ...

March 18, 2013 Video: Hail the Bale! Have you heard the latest news about raised beds? You can make instant ones with straw bales. It turns out they provide an ideal environment for gr...

March 14, 2013 Lucky Plant, Lucky You Looking to enjoy some luck of the Irish without getting a headache this St. Patrick's Day? Skip the whiskey and get a shamrock plant instead! Ea...

March 11, 2013 Yearning for Spring? Make It Happen! You know spring has sprung when the forsythia, crabapples and redbuds burst into bloom. But how many more weeks until that happens? Instead of wait...

March 07, 2013 Just Add Water No plants, no pots, no soil? No problem! Even if you don't have a single gardening supply on hand, you can still grow flowers, herbs, even vege...

February 25, 2013 Longing For Lush? Look At These Gardens! Are you yearning for summer's lush colors as much as we are? With warm weather still months away, we've found a perfect way to satisfy that cr...

February 21, 2013 The Cold Facts: Winter Sowing Works! Anxious to get some seeds started but have no room in your house? Start them outdoors, even if the temps are still frigid. It's easy, it requires ...

February 18, 2013 Stop Topping, Start Pruning Crepe myrtles—elegantly shaped, long-blooming and gorgeous right down to their delicate, peeling bark—bring natural beauty to any setting....

February 14, 2013 Don't Get Burned by Frost "Plant after all danger of frost has passed." That advice is on most seed packets—and it's important to follow because frost ca...

February 11, 2013 Video: Do Your Seeds Pass Muster? You hate to be wasteful. But you didn't need all the zinnia seeds you purchased last year, so you saved them. Now you're wondering if you can ...

February 07, 2013 Cure for the Whitefly Blues—Get Sticky! What do gardeners and whiteflies have in common? Houseplants! And once those pesky whiteflies move in, they can be tough to control. Populations are f...

January 28, 2013 Time to Order Seeds! Seed catalogs make great winter companions. Curl up on the couch with one, or a dozen, and soon you'll be dreaming of a host of newcomers you'...

January 17, 2013 Video: Make A Living Sphere It's mid-January, which can only mean one thing—the doldrums are about to set in. It's time to take action before they consume you, and ...

January 15, 2013 Making Scents It may seem like centuries ago that you actually could smell your garden's heady aromas, but that day will come again very soon. And with a little...

January 10, 2013 Paperwhites: The Secret to An Early Spring Pining for spring? Then plant some paperwhites! Part of the daffodil family, they can be forced to flower indoors any time of year. And you can pla...

January 07, 2013 Even Houseplants Get the Blues If houseplants could dream, they'd be plotting their escape. When January rolls around, they're just like humans, craving a warming sun, moist...

December 31, 2012 Gardener's Resolution: Give Seeds a Chance You're not about to resolve to give up chocolate (duh!), but here's a New Year's resolution you can keep: Start plants from seeds this yea...

December 27, 2012 Become a Treecycler! When the holidays are over, that Christmas tree has to go. But rather than put it out with the trash, give it to the birds! You can easily turn that t...

December 20, 2012 Save the Poinsettia! When it comes to poinsettias, we're a fickle bunch. We adore their flashy good looks during the holidays, but once these gorgeous plants start to ...

December 13, 2012 Video: Give Cyclamen A Chance When it comes to holiday flowers, poinsettias definitely play a starring role. But there's another plant we're even more partial to this time ...

December 06, 2012 Video: Make A Living Centerpiece Friends and neighbors are used to swooning over your gardens. But wait until they see how you put your plant know-how to work on enchanting holiday dé...

November 26, 2012 Is Burlap Bad for Evergreens? True or false: It's wise to wrap evergreens in burlap for winter protection. You can find out the answer to this (prepare to be surprised!) alo...

November 08, 2012 Video: The Hidden Benefit of Houseplants We've always loved houseplants for their visual appeal, but did you know they provide a health benefit too? After years of research into method...

November 06, 2012 Cypress Shines While Other Plants Wither Winter coming? Bring it on, say the conifers! A cloak of snow adds mystery and magic to them, while deciduous trees shiver. Even conifers that are ...

October 25, 2012 Cold Comfort Blankets keep us comfortable when the temperatures drop, but what can we do to protect our trees? Apply mulch! We all know the value of mulch in...

October 11, 2012 Video: Move Plants, Not Pests Attention houseplants: The party is officially over. The onset of fall brings an end to that extended outdoor vacation you've enjoyed all summe...

October 09, 2012 The Hidden Treasure of Fallen Leaves Are leaves cluttering your lawn? That's opportunity knocking three times! First, fallen leaves contain up to 80 percent of the nutrients that a...

October 02, 2012 From Garden Trash to Hallway Treasure Got twigs? Of course you do! And it's pretty likely you've got the few additional materials needed to make this sweet coatrack. Hang it by the back...

October 01, 2012 Video: From Garden to Compost Those plants in your garden are looking pretty worthless right now. But don't be fooled by their drooping heads. They contain a goldmine of nut...

September 27, 2012 Name That Garden Problem! Should they stay or should they go? That's the question we all ponder when sizing up the plants that didn't fare well during the season. Na...

September 17, 2012 Video: Free the Roots! When do gardeners think their landscapes are finished and they're done buying plants? Never! We're always tinkering, but especially this time ...

September 13, 2012 Gardening Blogs: Laugh and Learn! We love reading gardening blogs! It's like peeking over the fence to see what your neighbor's up to. You never know what you'll find, but ...

September 06, 2012 Video: Is Your Lawn Gasping for Air? Want to know the secret to that lush lawn you crave? Here's a hint: It's the same basic stuff humans require! And it's provided with ae...

August 07, 2012 This Ornamental Grass Has Less Mass Looking for a grass that's not so massive? Consider blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis). The seed heads of this prairie native top out at about 2 f...

August 06, 2012 Truth or Fiction? Gardening Myths Revealed! Which of these statements is true? Plants like music. Wood mulch attracts carpenter ants. Trees should be staked. Get the surprising answers t...

July 30, 2012 It's Iris Time! Their blooms may be gone, but irises aren't ready to be forgotten. This is prime time to give some attention to these irresistible beauties, pa...

July 26, 2012 It's a Promise: These Plants Perform How patient are you? The wait-and-see aspect of growing plants demands tolerance, but even the most Zen-like gardeners reach their limits when a fl...

July 16, 2012 What's This Plant? An Easy Way to Find Out! You might want to sit down. The website you're about to view has some very appealing photos, and you may find it hard to walk away. We're t...

July 05, 2012 Green Grass Without the Fuss You know what they say: The grass is always greener—at someone else's house! Having a lush lawn seems like it should be easy. But we all kno...

July 03, 2012 This Plant's the Ticket to Effortless Beauty What plant can be grown in much of the U.S., gives you a season-long show, requires no special treatment, and produces fragrant flowers? Get ready ...

June 28, 2012 And The Winners Are ... The Direct Gardening Association has announced its 2012 Green Thumb Award winners! Chosen by an independent panel of garden writers and editors, only ...

June 19, 2012 Add Some Pizzazz to Shady Spots Shade gardeners, take heart! Green is not your only color option. There are colorful flowers that thrive in shade, and one of our favorites is this be...

June 14, 2012 Easy Way to ID Weeds You loved the mild winter. And the early spring with its glorious blooms was a gift. But what's up with these weeds? They're more prolific tha...

June 11, 2012 Give Your Plants a Fishy Treat Want to give your garden a nutritious boost? Go fish! Fish are beneficial for plants just as they are for humans. In fact, many gardeners have been...

June 04, 2012 Stop, Shop, and Grow! We know you're up to your elbows in digging, planting, and maintaining your gardens. In fact, you're so busy you don't have time to truck ...

May 21, 2012 We Love These Garden Bloggers! Pour yourself a cool drink and relax! It's time for some gardening inspiration from a few of the bloggers we're reading this month. ...

May 14, 2012 Turn Heads With Rare Honeysuckle Vine When you think of a honeysuckle, the ubiquitious and undistinguished shrub comes to mind. In fact, there are more than 180 species of honeysuckle, and...

May 10, 2012 Give Mom An Entire Day of Flowers Planning to give Mom a bouquet of flowers for Mother's Day? Give her a day of flowers instead—at a nearby public garden! Whether brimming wi...

May 08, 2012 Plan A Perfect Water Garden You've been talking about building a water garden for years. Is this the summer you'll finally take the plunge? Whatever your sty...

May 07, 2012 Soil Testing Has Never Been Easier Putting plants in garden beds without knowing anything about the soil is a little like making a casserole and then trying to bake it in the dishwasher...

May 01, 2012 This Hydrangea Might Surprise You When it comes to identifying hydrangeas, you might think you've got that shrub nailed down: Big leaves, large flowers, top-heavy, right? Yes, but t...

April 26, 2012 Cover Up Withering Bulbs with Perfectly Matched Perennials Love bulbs but hate their withering foliage? Perennials to the rescue! Cornell University researchers spent four years studying bulb and pe...

April 16, 2012 It's Never Too Early to Consider Fall Color Ah, spring! Can fall be far behind? Thankfully it is, but now is the time to start planning for autumn...

April 10, 2012 Give Buffalo Grass A Chance It's only April, but spring's early arrival has brought the early arrival of lawn chores, from cutting and trimming to fertilizing and watering. And i...

April 03, 2012 Easter Lilies: Tips for Best Blooms For Easter, a single plant has grown as symbolic of the holiday as colored eggs: the elegant Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum). If you're the lucky rec...

March 27, 2012 Intensely Fragrant Hyacinth Turns Heads The color white is often associated with innocence, but don't let that fool you when it comes to L'Innocence hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis 'L'Innoce...

March 20, 2012 This Wildflower Loves Water From its bright yellow blooms to its shiny, heart-shaped leaves, the marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) is a wildflower that begs for your attention in...

March 13, 2012 Meet the Perennial Plant of 2012 You'll be singing in praise of the blues when you plant Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost'. Its beauty and adaptability recently won kudos from the Pe...

March 12, 2012 Show Us Your Garden! Gardeners are showoffs—in the best sense of the word! We love to share our bounty, whether it's food or flower, with friends and family. No...

March 01, 2012 Catch Terrarium Fever As trends go, terrariums have earned top honors for the number of times they've cycled from must-have-now to that's-so-yesterday. After awhile, we sim...

February 28, 2012 Show Us Your Garden! Gardeners are showoffs—in the best sense of the word! We love to share our bounty, whether it's food or flower, with friends and family. ...

February 14, 2012 Valentine's Gift That Lasts Planning on giving your sweetie roses for Valentine's Day? This year, make that gift one that lasts—maybe for years to come. ...

March 29, 2011 Got Shade? Check Out This Bright Beauty Your shade garden is full of lush shades of green, but finding brighter colors can be a challenge. Luckily, shade does ha...

March 01, 2011 Secrets for Long-Lasting Color Each year we're faced with the challenge of keeping the color in our garden going strong from season to season. Most peren...

February 15, 2011 Hide Garden Eyesores with this Versatile Vine Fences and barriers stick out like a sore thumb in a gorgeous garden. How do you soften their look and help them blend in with the garden? Cover them ...

February 08, 2011 Check Out This Award-Winning Rose If February has you thinking about roses, we've got a pick for you that will last longer than a bouquet. The Hot Cocoa ros...

January 18, 2011 The Dirt on Soil How much do you know about the soil in your garden? Soil supplies plants with water, nutrients, and an anchor for their ro...

January 11, 2011 Check Out These Top Picks for Shade We all have problem areas in our gardens. For many of us, the issue is shade, so you'll be happy to know that there are solutions for this common prob...

January 04, 2011 You'll Love This Award-Winning Blanket Flower Gardening is competitive, whether we like to admit it or not. Who doesn't want to be that house on the block with the newest and coolest plants? ...

December 21, 2010 Amaryllis: Keep the Blooms Bright after the Holidays An amaryllis is a gift that unwraps itself. As the dark days of winter go by, its flower stalk gets taller and taller, until one day it unfurls its br...

December 20, 2010 Easy Weekend Project: Make an Evergreen Ball As you're decorating the inside of your home this holiday season, don't forget to spruce up the outside, too. Brighten up your home's exterior and inc...

Current Articles | Archives | Search