Common cattail (Typha latifolia), also called bulrush or broadleaf cattail, is a perennial aquatic plant that grows in bogs, marshes, and wetland edges across temperate regions. It rises upright from basal leaves, sends up a long narrow stem, and finishes with a tall cylindrical brown inflorescence that holds through winter. In the right spot a […]
Matilija poppy (Romneya coulteri), also called the fried egg flower or California tree poppy, is a tender perennial native to California and northern Mexico. Each bloom carries six large white petals around a ball of bright yellow stamens, and the flower’s nectar draws bees through the spring months. Mature plants grow 6 to 9 feet
String of hearts (Ceropegia woodii) is a popular trailing houseplant grown for its cascading strands of heart-shaped leaves, and it is one of the easiest plants to multiply. Three methods work well: rooting stem cuttings in water, rooting cuttings directly in soil, and planting the small tubers that form along the vines. The vines trail
Landscape timbers add an attractive, natural-looking frame for a flower border, perennial bed, or lawn edge. The project is straightforward enough for a beginner, takes about eight hours from start to finish, and runs about one dollar per linear foot in materials. For that price you get a defined edge that keeps mulch in place
Monstera Peru is an epiphyte with an upward, vining growth habit and uniquely puckered, thick dark green foliage. It grows slowly and asks for less light and water than other species in the Monstera genus, which makes it one of the easier statement plants for a home interior. It earns a permanent spot in living
Philodendron squamiferum stands out in any collection because of its unusual stems. The petioles are covered in short red-brown hairs that give the plant its common nickname, the fuzzy petiole philodendron, while the large dark green leaves split into deep lobes as they mature. It grows as a climbing vine, reaching 2 to 15 feet
Gardenias earn their reputation with creamy white blooms and a fragrance that carries across the yard, but they are particular about where they grow. Acidic soil, partial shade, and steady moisture are non-negotiable, and any plant that demands different conditions will struggle beside them. The fix is to choose companions that thrive in the same
Chickpeas, also called garbanzo beans, are legumes, but botanically they are not peas. The plants are bushy annuals that grow about 18 to 24 inches tall, and like tomatoes they are indeterminate: they keep producing new leaves and flowers until the season ends. Blooms arrive in purple, white, pink, or blue depending on the variety,
Some houseplants outlive the people who planted them. A cast iron plant in the corner of a living room can reach a century, and a Boston fern passed between generations carries a family’s history in its fronds. Nurturing a plant for decades is a slow project with a sentimental payoff: the same plant can give
A crisp edge is the fastest way to make an ordinary lawn look professionally maintained. Edging cuts a sharp perimeter line around the turf, stops grass from creeping onto sidewalks and driveways, and keeps planting beds from being overrun. The work takes about 30 minutes on a typical lot, and the tools range from a
