With the great benefit of garden travel via GWA: The Association of Garden Communicators and the organization’s annual meetings, I have seen gardens north, south, east, and west—from Pasadena’s chaparral to Quebec’s well-watered scenery. What is one plant that surprisingly accommodates such a variety of situation? Acanthus. I have seen acanthus everywhere! In honor of […]
Summer has officially arrived! To welcome summer in the garden is to enter into the deep, inviting wonder of lush foliage. Most beloved perennials and brightly colored bulbs have had their burst of bloom throughout the spring, and the baton is passed to hardy shrubs and herbs to hold up garden beauty as the year’s […]
Nigella’s gentle, happy presence lingering in our garden for the length of spring has moved me to write a poem. Any plant that offers this much delight to its gardener and dazzle to its garden is worthy of a wordy-flourish! I hope to pass on the flirty genius of these annuals and convince you as […]
It may seem as if everywhere you are hearing the buzz about pollinator gardens; that’s because the National Pollinator Garden Network is on a mission to inspire home gardeners to help support the health of pollinators. The mission objective? To increase pollinator populations, thereby securing the future of our country’s food production. Nectar- and pollen-providing […]
This Valentines week, let your desire be your guide in dreaming of plants for your garden. In fact, in the Bible, desire IS a plant, a horticultural allusion that rewards those who dig into God’s Word from a gardener’s point of view. Meanings not apparent to the regular reader reveal surprisingly flirtatious insight to the […]
With the winter upon us and most of the leaves fallen, evergreen branches remain faithful to shelter and protect our feathered garden friends. Don’t the birds seem to dart and zip about the chilly sanctuary in joyful, happy liveliness?! They live in the garden’s trees all year, but somehow escape notice, I suppose, upstaged by […]
Once again, The Association of Garden Communicators (GWA) gathered its gaggle of writers, editors, photographers, videographers, marketers, etc. for its annual conference—nothing is more fun than being with a group who loves everything garden and who are crazy to communicate the joy and intrigue in a meaningful way. We took Atlanta by storm; literally the […]
Chrysanthemums, or mums—their endearing nickname—are not merely a favorite fall flower, but a faithful friend in the garden. Let the 5 following reasons convince you to be mesmerized by mums and plant a few in your garden this fall. #1 Mums Declare Fall Fun! Mums are a flower-lover’s way of saying, “Celebrate Fall!” Complementing the autumn […]
Have a spot in your landscape frustratingly hard to mow? Are tree trunks and roots, pots, or sprawling plants making it impossible to maneuver the mower? A chamomile lawn may offer a delightful solution, a whim of classic British gardening and Bible gardening to infuse your land. Roman chamomile is an Anthemis species related to […]
What is the answer for August—these end-of-summer days that languish near triple-digit temperatures, plants thirsty and withering? Where can we go for help?! The Watering Rock Good news! Jim Whitis of JCPJ Enterprises has a simple solution, the Watering Rock. He dreamed up this practical, low-tech product for “those hard-to-reach parts of his landscape,” tinkering with […]
