You can use your greenhouse not just for growing existing plants but also for obtaining a great many new ones, all for free. One way to do this is by propagation using cuttings. Another way is by harvesting seeds. Here’s more on each of these methods. First, let’s look at growing plants from cuttings. In […]

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 […]

Agapanthus is a genus of perennial plants known for their large, spherical clusters of flowers that bloom well above the foliage on long stems up to two feet above the leaves. The flower color ranges through all shades of blue to a creamy white. At least 20 flowers, and often a great many more, make […]

Glasshouses serve many purposes: in my experience there are three themes that stand out. Production, Relaxation and Experimentation:  A productive Greenhouse is where one grows vegetables, fruit, and herbs for the ultimate “locavore” experience – your own backyard. A Glasshouse can be a personal spa-zone or a short journey to a restful staycation. You know […]

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 […]

Living on an island near the coast is interesting in that thunderstorms often fall apart as they pass overhead. This often puts our area in a very dry situation, that, in summer can approach a drought. Being in drought conditions often causes a drop in the island’s only reservoir and the imposition of water restrictions. […]

The past few weeks have been quite exhilarating for gardeners: chores to tackle like cleaning out the potting shed, waking up the garden then attacking with vigor all the prepping, planting, and sorting before summer heat sets in. Along the Front Range the weather has been mixed, to say the least, with 90 degrees F […]

Dahlias come in many colors, shapes, and sizes, which is a major reason for their popularity. If you’re a fan of huge flowers, you can grow dinner-plate variety dahlias, with blooms up to a foot across. If compact blooms are your preference, you can grow small, pompom dahlias with tight flowers balls only about two […]

This month I have the pleasure of talking with my good friend, Judith Jones about ferns—her favorite subject. Judith is the owner of Fancy Fronds Nursery in Gold Bar Washington, and ferns have taken center stage in her life since 1975. When she was tapped as the fern expert for the Sunset Western Garden Book, […]

To paraphrase the 18th-century essayist, Alexander Pope, “hope springs eternal in the gardener’s breast.” Certainly true of this one and others like me across the Front Range, as we keep a watchful eye on the weather, and a hopeful one on our tomato seedlings. Is there anything more redolent of hopeful visions of summer bounty […]

A month or two ago, I was watching an English whodunnit and was impressed by the country gardens where the story took place, so I decided that this year I would expand my English country-style flower garden. I purchased seeds for hollyhocks, cleome, rudbeckia, coreopsis, primrose, and columbine and planted them in my basement germination […]

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 […]