If you’re looking for near-instant gratification from a flowering plant, you won’t go wrong with an annual vine. Most are easy to grow from seed, they grow and flower quickly, and they relish the heat — something we seem to have a lot of most summers. Best of all, annual vines are incredibly versatile. They make flamboyant container plants when support is provided. Or let … [Read more...] about Versatile annual vines
Tall meadow-rue grabs attention
I used to be leery of planting tall perennials in small borders, fearing they would need too much room. In fact, many tall perennials have a relatively small footprint, taking up little space at ground level, but adding another layer of interest above the mounding and clumping plants below. The narrower the profile, the easier they are to squeeze in. This week, the fluffy, … [Read more...] about Tall meadow-rue grabs attention
Making room for special trees
The longer I garden, the more eager I am to find space for another tree on our property. This seems counterintuitive given that at my age, I won’t see the trees I’ve planted in the past few years reach maturity. No matter. We plant trees for the future, not for ourselves. We inherited four nondescript trees when we moved into our house 19 years ago, and have planted more … [Read more...] about Making room for special trees
Whys and hows of tomato pruning
It’s mid-June and vegetable growers across the country are gearing up. Will you beat your personal best for the date you pick your first tomato of the season? Will the zucchini get away from you — yet again? Or are you firmly in Camp Floral, and buy your seasonal produce at local markets and farm stands? Interest in vegetable gardening surged with so many more people at home … [Read more...] about Whys and hows of tomato pruning
Geraniums: workhorses in the garden
When I find a genus of perennials that does well for me, I tend to latch onto it — perhaps obsessively so — experimenting with different species and cultivars in that genus. Cranesbills, now more commonly referred to by their genus name Geranium, have played an important, albeit supporting, role in my gardens for many years. There are a huge number of perennial geranium … [Read more...] about Geraniums: workhorses in the garden
