Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) is an ornamental grass grown as a culinary herb. Clumps form from bulb-like bases and send up coarse, wide blades that sway in the wind. The plant is a tropical or subtropical perennial that can be grown in the ground, in containers, or even in water. Gardeners in temperate zones usually treat […]
Common snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) is a deciduous shrub that earns its name in late summer, when clusters of round white drupes hang from the branches like beads of frost. Native to the United States and Canada, it is a low-maintenance plant for hedges, slopes, and wildlife gardens, and it offers three seasons of interest: tiny
Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota) is the wild ancestor of the garden carrot and a familiar sight in meadows and along roadsides all summer long. Its leaves are delicate and thready, somewhat fern-like in appearance, and its flat flower tops form creamy white disks of tiny flowers that look a bit like wild yarrow at
A homeowner on Reddit bought a set of deeply discounted lawn flamingos, put them in the front yard, and quickly learned that one neighbor considered them extremely gauche and accused them of lowering the property value of the neighborhood. The neighbor demanded removal, posted photos of the house on a local Facebook group, and recruited
Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema) is a tropical houseplant prized for glossy, lance-shaped leaves that come in green, silver, and red combinations. Native to the shaded forest floors of Southeast Asia, it tolerates low light, dry air, and missed waterings better than most foliage plants, which makes it a standard choice for offices, bedrooms, and first-time growers.
Epsom salt is the common name for magnesium sulfate, a mineral compound that shows up in garden sheds for one reason: it supplies magnesium and sulfur, the nutrients plants draw on for chlorophyll production and protein building. Dissolved in water and poured around the root zone, it makes those nutrients available almost immediately, which can
Rose campion (Lychnis coronaria) is a short-lived perennial that earns a place in landscape plantings through sheer toughness: silvery, felted foliage, vivid magenta flowers, and a tolerance for poor soil and dry spells. Mature plants stand 12 to 18 inches tall and bloom from early to mid summer, and the show repeats each year from
The voodoo lily (Amorphophallus konjac), also called konjac or devil’s tongue, grows into one of the most talked-about plants in a garden, and the conversation usually starts with the smell. Its bloom, a speckled green stalk wrapped in a purple to reddish-purple spathe, releases a rotting-flesh odor that pulls in carrion beetles and blowflies for
Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis), also called spotted touch-me-not, is an annual wildflower that fills the garden corners other plants reject: soggy soil, deep shade, and humid air. Its cornucopia-shaped orange blossoms hang above blue-green, toothed leaves that are fuzzy to the touch, and mature plants reach two to five feet tall with a spread of one
The pink dogwood earns attention for the pastel flowers it produces each spring for two to four weeks, but it earns its keep all year. Green foliage turns purplish in fall, and reddish berries draw butterflies and birds through the season. At a growth rate of about 1 foot per year, the tree becomes a
