Garden Gate

There are so many exciting things happening in the garden world that we never run out of ideas for our issues. That’s partly why we launched the Grow Better Garden Summit a couple of years ago as an additional opportunity to share information. This y

Bearded irises are the true divas of the late-spring garden. The striking flowers have three upright petals (known as standards) and three downward petals (known as falls) that usually have a fuzzy “beard,” giving the plant its common name. These sho

May I be a garden bully for just a moment? If you are a gardener, whether new or experienced, and have not yet dabbled in the joy, meditation and artistry of topiary, then I tell you, you simply must give it a go. Don’t let its mistaken reputation fo

There’s one detail of garden design that’s often overlooked but can add so much—fragrance! It can set a style and mood, help you slow down and relax, refresh and invigorate or bring back fond memories or emotions. SCENT SOURCE Have you ever wondered

Chris takes cuttings of all the varieties he wants to keep in late summer to early fall and pots them up. “I find that if you get smaller plants well rooted, they take up less space, and look better through the winter,” he says. If you don’t take cut

If there was an award for the greatest shade plant ever, I’d probably vote for impatiens. These colorful annuals never stop blooming, and you can find an impatiens to fit almost any color scheme you can think of. This makes it fun to mix things up in

Impatiens downy mildew devastated bedding impatiens in some areas, and you could hardly find them in garden centers for years. In the meantime, New Guinea impatiens, which aren’t bothered by the fungus, filled the gap, but they’re usually more expens

If there’s one chore that can really pay dividends, it’s deadheading your annuals and perennials. Removing spent blooms helps rebloomers flower again more quickly and keeps plants looking tidy. Besides that, it prevents reseeding, which keeps them fr

HOW TO DO IT If flowers form on leafy stems, such as salvia and veronica, cut back to a leaf joint when deadheading. If you see new growth on side shoots, that's a good spot to make the cut. Once side stems are done flowering, remove those at the nex

Some of the best things about gardens are the surprises that come your way as you spend time working there—a butterfly lands on a flower right next to you, a serendipitous combination pops up in the border or maybe the bulbs you’d forgotten you plant

A little more than 10 years ago this charming Maine backyard was a blank slate. Erin and Dan Clark had just added the 29×35-foot paver patio to their existing deck, but then Erin started dreaming of a garden. What inspired her? “I knew I wanted cotta

Shrub; climber with lightly fragrant double pink flowers from late spring through fall; full sun; 6 to 8 ft. tall, spreading; cold hardy in USDA zones 2 to 9 Perennial; soft pink flowers on mildew-resistant foliage in summer; full sun; 30 to 48 in. t

To speed the growth of a plumule, which usually doesn’t emerge until year 3, I tried this process and had a leaf growing by the spring of year 2. • Place harvested seed in slightly damp peat, sand or vermiculite and seal in a plastic bag. • Set in

What are the best tools for weeding between pavers? David Richards, IA Several tools work well here. To scrape and scoop weeds up, use the CobraHead® or a Cape Cod weeder with a pulling motion. Or slice a soil knife along the edge of a paver and

This flower-filled combination has a cottage garden feel with loads of color from late spring until fall. To keep it eye-catching, prune the shrub rose and sage in early spring to shape and remove dead stems. Later, deadhead the veronica and dianthus

What it looks like Common, or lesser, burdock is a biennial weed that grows as a low rosette of foliage in its first year, blooms and sets seed in its second year, then dies. Its large basal leaves are heart shaped and crimped along the margin. The f

The front of your garden border will be as dramatic as the back when you grow ‘Crater Lake Blue’ Hungarian speedwell. Though this perennial is relatively low growing—12 to 18 inches tall—its gentian blooms create a stunning show that you can’t miss i

The words “garden fresh” appear on food labels and menus for a reason: There’s nothing more appealing than the idea that the produce you eat (and feed your children) was grown in a beautiful garden and picked at peak flavor. But true garden fresh is