Asters are among the last perennials to flower, and their blue and purple daisy-like blooms arrive just as most summer color fades. With more than two dozen varieties spread across nearly every USDA hardiness zone, there is an aster sized for almost any garden, from compact 18 inch plants to tall types that reach nearly […]
Bird’s nest ferns (Asplenium nidus) are tropical plants that thrive in warm, humid conditions, which makes them a natural fit for bathrooms and kitchens. Their long, bright green fronds emerge from a central rosette that resembles a nest, and the plant gets its name from that shape. In the wild they grow as epiphytes on
Strawberries are perennial plants that grow from crowns and produce some of the first fruit of spring. A well-tended patch keeps cropping for years, but only if the plants get the cold they require: between 200 and 400 hours of temperatures from 32 to 45 degrees F. In zones 7 and lower, where the soil
Watercress (Nasturtium officinale) is a perennial herb that loves water and thrives in cool spring weather. It grows wild along stream banks and belongs to the mustard family, the same group that includes collard greens and kale. The plant is cultivated worldwide for its peppery leaves and tender young stems, which add a spicy kick
Ginseng ficus, known botanically as Ficus retusa and Ficus microcarpa, is a tropical tree from Southeast Asia in the mulberry family. Its narrow roots swell into a potbelly trunk, which makes it one of the most common bonsai subjects sold for homes and offices. The same homeowners who plan a kitchen remodeling project for a
The ti plant, known botanically as Cordyline fruticosa and sold in many regions as the good luck plant, is a tropical broadleaf evergreen prized for large, colorful, palm-like leaves. Landscape crews install it as a foundation accent, a privacy screen, or a container specimen, and interior designers use potted specimens to add height to atriums
Tomato plants are the most popular vegetable in the home garden because they deliver more flavor per square foot than almost anything else you can grow. A single healthy plant can produce 10 to 15 pounds of fruit over a season, and the difference between a bland supermarket tomato and a homegrown one comes down
Mums signal fall the way tulips signal spring, but the plants sold at garden centers in September are often treated as one-season decorations. With the right buying timing, planting depth, and watering rhythm, the same plants can bloom for six to ten weeks and, in the case of garden mums, come back the following year.
Hummingbirds burn an enormous amount of energy for their size, and a reliable food source keeps them coming back to the same yard all season. A simple homemade sugar-water solution mimics the natural sugar content of flowers and gives them a digestible energy source they can process quickly. The same logic that makes homemade solutions
Rising grocery prices and warmer weather have pushed more homeowners toward growing their own herbs. The payoff is real: a few basil plants can supply fresh leaves for months for the cost of a single bunch at the store. The question that stops many beginners is where to plant. Pots and in-ground beds both produce
