This is the time of year when it often feels like it is all happening at once. It can be overwhelming to say the least. Yet, here I am asking you to slow down and smell the proverbial roses…
Lawn Alternatives To Consider (Or Not)
April is typically the best month in our region to overhaul our bedraggled lawns after a long, dark and wet winter. By this time of year, the moss has made huge strides and the dandelions are in full bloom. Keeping a healthy and attractive lawn doesn’t have to be an enormous amount of work, nor does it have to be…
A June Standout - Korean Dogwoods And Their Hybrids
Starting in late March our native dogwood tree, Cornus nutallii, starts bloomin and then in the month of May we can observe the eastern dogwood tree, Cornus florida. Finally, in the month of June the Korean dogwoods, Cornus kousa, come into bloom. They are a slightly larger tree with more of a rounded form and can also bloom in either white or shades of pink…
Last Chance To Prune Spring Flowering Shrubs And Perennials
Westcountry Lupines Are To Die For
Why Am I Still Wearing A Turtleneck?
All Hail To The Lowly "Pigsqueak"
Over my lifetime as a horticulturist, I have found myself enamored with different genera of plants to the point that I have gone out of my way to collect as many variations of the same genus, simply because I thought they were “really cool”. The genus “Bergenia” is a typical example and for me it all started when I was quite young…
Believe It Or Not, Rhodies Can Be Yellow And Orange Too
April and May are high season for enjoying the gorgeous blooms of rhododendrons. They come in many colors and sizes, and for the most part, are easy to grow. While some varieties bloom as early as February, and a few others hold off until June, this is the time when the bulk of them come into their glory…
Introducing 'Ruby Gold' Bleeding Heart
Do You Have Spring Fever?
Something special happened in the garden this last week. We experienced the vernal equinox, a time when we receive exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night… Once we hit this spot, when our day lengths start to exceed our night lengths, we can expect to experience magical things happening in the garden…
I often tell gardeners in our region to rediscover their “Evergreen State”, which (in a play on words) simply means to show some gardening style with the structure, texture and color of conifers. Around here nature has the many shades of green covered, but how about some bold blues and bright yellows? When all of the deciduous shrubs and trees have…