Why has rain gardening become so popular over the past decade? Because it offers a beautiful, low-maintenance garden, provides food and shelter for wildlife, and helps the environment. Viewed in general, a rain garden seems much like any beautifully landscaped garden consisting of bushes, perennials and trees. But the approach involves deliberate planning beyond that [...]
The first time I was asked to be on a garden tour, a combination of unadulterated excitement and raw fear kept me working at break neck speed with little sleep for the month prior to it. I’ve got to admit that I felt privileged to be asked to participate. But I also felt like an [...]
Cultivating patience in the garden is the ultimate lesson. We learn that we have no choice but to wait for plants to grow in their own sweet time – no matter what we do. Patience In The Garden Isn’t Easy In today’s world, it’s not easy to be patient. We don’t like to wait. We’ve [...]
I’ve experimented with several dozen perennials over the years. But there are certain ones that I return to ~ time and again. They are star performers, easy to grow, hardy, can handle a wide range of soils, and moisture. Each of them adds a unique element to any garden. They are classics. The genii listed [...]
Surprise, surprise, surprise. That sort of sums up my response to the feedback on my January Plant Pick of the Month, plume poppy (Macleaya cordata). I fully expected my praise for the plumed wonder would generate at least a few screams of horror and shouts of alarm. While I can’t call it invasive, I feared others [...]