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Planning & Design
Impact ideas: 8 ways to add “wow” to the landscape
A picturesque landscape doesn’t have to be an investment involving landscapers, contractors and a wholesale overhaul. It’s possible to breathe new life into a sad landscape with just a few high-impact, modestly-priced changes. Consider these eight possibilities.Continue reading
Freshen up the garden with fragrant plants
New plant varieties are usually bred for longer bloom time, new colors, compact size, pest and disease resistance, or improved cold hardiness. These are attractive qualities many gardeners gravitate toward during plant selection. An often overlooked trait, however, is fragrance.Continue reading
Many plants have preferences about where they make their home. Before you venture to the garden center, weigh your ideas against the space you expect to plant in. The successful plant will suit the environment your home and landscape offer.Continue reading
New 2011 shrubs boast blooms, pest resistance
One way to cut work in the garden is to plant low-maintenance, pest-resistant shrubs that need little to no pruning. Three excellent new flowering shrubs are debuting in spring 2011 that fill all three of those bills. Check out these at the garden center.Continue reading
Plants with colorful fall fruits are often underused. Fall-fruiting plants offer more than just color, though.Continue reading
Ready to walk on the wild side in your garden? All you need are plants that provide food and shelter and a source of water. Continue reading
Spring is planting time, and for those expanding their gardening horizones, that means a date with the shovel or rototiller. Learn helpful tips for converting lawns into beautiful gardens and landscapes. Continue reading
Perennials perform in winter, too
As long as your perennials have not been bothered by insect or disease infestation, many of them can stay upright through the winter to serve as a food source for birds. Others hold their own to provide winter interest. Continue reading
Cold tolerant annuals carry color into fall
You don't have to give up color in the landscape just because the temperatures start to drop. Here are three annuals that are tolerant of cooler weather and will keep going into winter. Continue reading
Small, tough shrubs perfect for containers or landscapes
Shrubs add size and mass to the container collection and, in large pots, will likely survive two or three years in cold climates. Continue reading
Plant annuals for easy summer color
Annuals are about the least expensive way to try something new in the summer garden. Many annuals are easy to grow from seed, or for instant good looks you can buy transplants at garden centers. Continue reading
Rock gardens and other landscape spots with shallow, sandy or fast-draining soil need plants that can tolerate those challenging conditions. Continue reading
Broaden your plant and seed selections with online, mail-order retailers
Many gardeners look for plants that are rare, hard to find or more unusual than average garden-center fare. This is where online and mail-order catalog retailers come in. And early spring is the time to order. Here are some tips. Continue reading
Three plants that can take the heat without a lot of water
Hot, dry summers can be hard on plants. Be a water-wise gardener with these three heat-tolerant plants. Continue reading
Three no fail annuals to take the heat
As temperatures rise, some plants flag, requiring more water to keep blooming or they go dormant. Not so with three sun-loving annuals that take the heat and keep on blooming all summer long long with very little work. Continue reading
Evergreen perennials — color all year long
Most of us think of evergreens as trees and shrubs, but there also are evergreen perennials to brighten the winter landscape. Continue reading
