A wildflower garden delivers months of color with far less work than a vegetable bed or a formal perennial border, but only when it is planned like a garden rather than a seed toss. The difference between a weedy patch and a thriving meadow comes down to site selection, weed control, soil preparation, and the […]
A clover lawn offers a sustainable, low-maintenance alternative to the traditional grass lawn. Made up of clover species in the genus Trifolium, this turf type needs far less mowing, watering, and fertilizing than a conventional stand of grass, and it feeds pollinators while holding soil in place on slopes. Homeowners who want to cut their
Amaryllis bulbs are grown for one spectacular result: large, trumpet-shaped flowers that open indoors in the middle of winter. Most amaryllis sold in the United States are hybrids of the Hippeastrum genus, a group of tropical species native to Central and South America. A true Amaryllis genus also exists, with two species from South Africa,
String of pearls (Curio rowleyanus, formerly Senecio rowleyanus) earns its name from round, beadlike leaves strung along long, trailing stems. It is one of the most popular hanging houseplants, and anyone who owns one can multiply it easily from stem cuttings. Spring and summer give the best results, with roots forming in as little as
Boxwoods anchor countless borders, hedges, and foundation plantings. Their dense, waxy evergreen leaves form a solid green wall that shows off almost anything planted in front of it, and that uniformity is exactly what makes the shrub a strong backdrop. The right companions turn a plain hedge line into a layered, season-long display, while the
Scale insects are small, sap-sucking bugs that infest plants and appear as shell-like bumps easily confused with plant diseases. They latch onto stems, branches, and sometimes leaves, drawing nutrients from the plant’s sap. Because their waxy coverings resemble fungal or bacterial infections, accurate identification is the first step in treatment. Scale requires a different approach
Ticks are tiny, wingless, blood-sucking parasites that can spread dangerous diseases in a yard. Hundreds of tick species exist worldwide, with around 90 of them found in North America, and not all threaten humans, pets, or wildlife. Still, ticks are responsible for almost 95% of the vector-borne diseases reported annually in the United States, so
Landscape fabric blocks weed seeds from sprouting both in the soil below and in the mulch above. The breathable polypropylene or polyester sheet lets water, air, and nutrients reach plant roots while shading the soil surface so seeds stay dormant. How well the barrier performs over time depends on installation, not the material alone: ground
Autumn Joy stonecrop, botanically ’Hylotelephium telephium’ ’Herbstfreude’ and formerly known as ’Sedum telephium’ ’Autumn Joy’, is one of the most dependable late-season perennials for full-sun gardens. The plant combines the fleshy leaves of a sedum with the presence of a small shrub, standing 1.5 to 2 feet tall and wide. From late summer into fall
Bell-shaped flowers bring a distinct silhouette to garden beds, with petals fused into tubes that flare at the mouth like small lanterns. The form shows up across many plant families, from the nodding bluebells of spring woodlands to the trumpet vines that climb fences in summer. These plants suit a wide range of climates and
