Weather patterns that swing between drought and deluge are becoming more common over much of the U.S. So what’s a home gardener to do? You might think about capturing some of what here in the Pacific Northwest we call “liquid sunshine.” This month we check out one Oregon homeowners’ system that combines practicality with a […]
The leaves that have been swirling to the ground these last few weeks may be trash to some, but they are treasure to me. In our neighborhood, everybody but me rakes their leaves to the curb to be sucked up by giant vacuum vehicles and carted off to a commercial composting facility. I’m the crazy […]
With winter around the corner – and the harsh climate conditions that it typically brings with it – gardeners will need to start giving some serious thought to preparing for their plants. Whatever lies in store, protecting plants is important so as to ensure that they emerge unscathed and ready for the spring. Celebrated landscape […]
While the fall may mean that there is slightly less planting to do around the garden for green-fingered enthusiasts, that does not leave nothing to do at the colder time of the year. The season is not without charms of its own – and professional garden and landscape designer Dan Pearson has claimed that now […]
There is a great deal of work for green-fingered enthusiasts to be getting on with throughout the fall, particularly now the summer has firmly given way to the colder conditions of the end of the year. However, the importance of planning ahead for next year's gardening activities should not be understated. Mark Diacono, who runs […]
As I planted garlic cloves along my sunny driveway yesterday, I was filled with gratitude for the blessings of yet another season in the garden. Each year, it seems that the day I plant garlic is the most beautiful of the fall season, and this one was no exception. Despite weeks of summer drought, multiple […]
Planning ahead is one of the major considerations to take into account when gardening throughout the winter. Many plants need to be placed in the soil now so they can develop throughout the colder season and bloom next spring. Professional garden and landscape designer Dan Pearson has claimed that now is the time to plant […]
Every so often, a flower or plant may emerge as a new star of the horticultural scene. It might have remained under the radar for some time, but once it gains the public’s attention, its beauty and wonder captures the imagination and every gardener wants to know about it. This has certainly been true of […]
An expert has suggested that gardening enthusiasts make careful use of the opportunities presented to them by shaded spots. Stephen Lacey, garden writer, lecturer, broadcaster and a plantsman with a particular interest in planting design, claimed that this can be a particular issue at this time of year. Indeed, as the summer weather is retreating […]
In most parts of the country, autumn signals the end of the gardening season. Tender plants are stored in greenhousesand garages. Borders get a winter mulch. Even in warmer climates, it’s time for a break. But wait—there’s more. Here are five award-winning plants that I saw introduced in the recent New Varieties Showcase at Portland Oregon’s […]
A good friend and pretty experienced gardener recently asked me if it was too late to plant lettuce. Her question reminded me that there is considerable ambiguity about planting greens in the late summer/early fall. There shouldn’t be; September and October present perfect, in many years, the most perfect conditions for the germination and growth […]
Professional garden and landscape designer Dan Pearson has claimed that any annuals greenhouse growers intend to grow need to be planted now. In an article for the UK national newspaper the Guardian, he said that this is simply one of the many aspects of gardening that ensures green-fingered enthusiasts are firmly grounded in the moment. […]
