Shrubs are the easy-care backbone of any garden, whether you have sun or shade. And the National Garden Bureau (NGB) knows how to pick the most outstanding. Recently, I attended a virtual Garden Communicators International conference, where we were given a presentation of the NGB’s 2023 choices, from ornamentals to edibles. The official rollout for […]
A few weeks ago, I took a day trip to the tiny town of Elkton, Oregon to visit butterflies. The Elkton Community Education Center includes Elkton’s library, community meeting area, and other historic buildings, but the Butterfly Pavilion, a netted hoop house that shares the open parkland on the Umpqua River was my goal. But […]
With that glorious scent, and unusual habit of flowering and fruiting at the same time, it’s no surprise that citrus plants are often the first choice to grow in a home greenhouse. To discover the best tips for success, this month I’m turning to Sam Hubert, Nursery Manager for the West Coast mail-order company, One […]
In the past two years, I’ve been listening to podcasts as part of my gardening routine. They give me companionship and inspiration, as well as new information—especially for unfamiliar gardening practices. For instance, I don’t keep bees, but I enjoy the deep dives into the world of pollinators on the podcast Pollination. An added benefit—when […]
The Anna’s hummingbirds have been in my Pacific Northwest garden all winter. But this month the rufous hummingbirds return. And all kinds of hummingbirds are returning to gardens all over the U.S. So I’m talking with my friend Ciscoe Morris, author, garden expert, and media personality about what plants we can purchase from the nursery […]
The internet is loaded with gardening advice—good, bad, and atrocious. But excellent online information is available, so it’s worth spending the less-demanding gardening months poking around online. Here’s a sampler of what’s out there in the way of classes, webinars, and podcasts from reliable experts who can help you make the most of your next […]
This is the time of year when we can imagine our gardens of the future. But how do we know which plants to choose? Today, I’m turning to Janet Sluis, Director of Plant Development Services and the curator of plants in the Sunset Plant Collection and the Southern Living Plant Collection. Essentially, she auditions plants. […]
How do you turn a stranger into a friend? You reach out and create a relationship, of course. And if those strangers are tropical plants? Marianne Willburn, author of the book, Tropical Plants and How to Love Them, has light-heartedly and cleverly introduced tropicals by categorizing these plants into five recognizable relationship stages—from summer flings […]
Each year, at some moment in the gardening season, I’m overwhelmed by what needs to be done. The weeds are burgeoning, the midday heat limits my garden time, and every border or bed demands attention. But I have a work-around for overwhelm. The secret? I think small. I choose one area, one tiny area, and […]
It’s a time-honored tradition to sit down and enjoy a cup of tea among your plants in the greenhouse. But what about growing tea there? Tea (Camellia sinensis) has been cultivated around the world for thousands of years, but in the United States it is a relatively new crop. With the resurgence of interest in […]
This is the month when gardeners enjoy adding to their collection of plants. So, I’ve called on knowledgeable colleagues from different parts of the country, to find out what they can’t live without. When I asked them to name two, one person replied, “That’s like picking a favorite child!” With a lot of culling and […]
I’ve always been an organic gardener. Partly, it’s out of laziness—I’ll do just about anything—including pulling bindweed—before I’ll mix chemicals. Partly, it’s because over the years I’ve become more and more convinced that organic practices are better for me, my family, and everything living on this small patch of earth I’ve called home. However, organic […]
