As a 20+ year veteran of the horticulture industry, I am privy to some “behind the scenes” information that helps me understand why things work the way they do in this business. I am also a consummate skeptic. When most businesses tell me to Order today!, an audible “humph” can be heard under my breath.
What Do We Do in the Winter? This time of year, not too much is happening in our gardens outside, but what about in the greenhouse? While the gardening season may be over for now, our team at Garden Crossings is still hard at work. Though our work week has come back down to a
Come see what’s new this year as we describe our top 15 favorite new varieties of annuals, perennials and shrubs for the new season. We’ll share our experience in trialing these plants and describe exactly why we loved them. When shopping for new plants this season, this is the place to start.
By growing the right kinds of plants in your landscape, you’ll be able to create gorgeous winter arrangements like this one from Laura of @Garden Answer without spending a cent. Here are ten plants you’ll want to be growing so you can harvest from them this time of year. Harvest for Flowers ‘Snowbells’ Christmas Rose
O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree How lovely are thy branches O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree How lovely are thy branches… To keep your Christmas tree’s branches looking lovely all the way through the holidays, follow these five simple but important tips. 1. Make a fresh cut before putting the tree in the stand.
As it has become more popular every year to grow perennials and dwarf shrubs in containers, we are asked often about how to overwinter those plants. There are a few options to try, so choose the one that works best for your garden. Photo courtesy of Susan Martin Option 1: Plant them temporarily in the
Many of us have that one “problem” bed – the one that seems too narrow to plant in but where you desperately need to be able to grow something green. Maybe it’s the skinny bed along your fence line or sandwiched between your garage and front door. Maybe you have a shallow lot but really
The idea of not doing the work of raking leaves in the fall is certainly tempting, but will your landscape be better off if you leave the leaves? We looked to some qualified experts to find the answers. If it works in the forest, why won’t it work for my garden? If you take a
Ever wonder how professional garden designers put together color combinations and create perfect textural contrast in the landscape? By following a few basic principles, you can do it yourself! Here’s a quick visual study of how it’s done. The Color Wheel Artists, interior decorators and garden designers alike all use the same color wheel when
As someone who gardens primarily in shade, I’ve learned over the years to appreciate the value of plants with interesting foliage even more than those with pretty blossoms. Flowers are temporary in shade, but fantastic foliage lasts all season. I’ve chosen ten plants here that are grown more for their leaves than their flowers, even
Don’t let those huge blooms fool you! It is easy to grow hibiscus with dinner plate-sized flowers if you follow a few simple tips. Yours will be the envy of the neighborhood every summer if you treat them right! Hibiscus Summerific® ‘Evening Rose’ The tropical flair that perennial hibiscus exudes may fool you into thinking
Here are a few of my favorite things… #1 – Decadence® ‘Cherries Jubilee’ False Indigo (Baptisia) There are so many cool things to tell you about this plant—where do I begin? Let’s start with its historical roots. Baptisia is an ancient perennial that was once used to make dyes and was the first-ever subsidized agricultural