Miltonia orchids, also called pansy orchids, are epiphytic plants whose flat, round flowers mimic the garden pansy. Two genera sit under the common name, Miltonia and Miltoniopsis, and they have distinctly different growth and flowering habits, which is the first thing a new owner has to sort out. Growers who already keep a vanilla bean […]
The Persian silk tree (Albizia julibrissin) earns its name from the silky pink flowers that cover the canopy each summer and the fern-like leaves that fold shut at night. Gardeners plant it for speed: expect about 3 feet of growth per year from a young tree, with mature specimens reaching 20 to 40 feet tall
Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) is the vine that climbs the walls of Ivy League campuses, and it brings the same dense greenery to homes, fences, and pergolas. This deciduous woody vine clings to almost any surface, tolerates both shade and sun, and adds 3 to 10 feet of growth each year until it reaches 50
Truffles are among the most expensive foods sold by weight, and the orchards that produce them are among the slowest agricultural investments a landowner can make. First harvests typically arrive six to ten years after planting, and one bad season of drought or poor soil chemistry pushes that date back further. Before committing acreage, builders
Radishes (Raphanus sativus) are among the fastest crops in the garden, going from seed to harvest in as little as 21 to 30 days. That speed makes them a perfect first crop for new gardeners, but it also means the harvest window arrives quickly and closes fast. Pull too early and the roots lack heat;
After a hard winter, most lawns come into spring looking brown, patchy, and lifeless. That appearance is usually normal: turf enters dormancy to protect itself from freezing temperatures, and the crowns survive even when the blades fade. Spring is the window to bring it back, and timing drives everything. The same scheduling discipline that governs
Dill looks delicate, with feathery fronds that sway in the slightest breeze, but the plant is easy to grow and forgiving to prune. Regular pruning keeps it bushy, delays flowering, and increases the harvest of leaves, stems, and seeds. Dill also earns its place in the garden by attracting beneficial insects such as ladybugs, green
Chinese pistache (Pistacia chinensis) is a deciduous tree that pays for its space with three seasons of interest. It carries dark green foliage through summer, sets red fruit that matures to a midnight blue, and sheds its leaves in a fall display of orange and red. The bark exfoliates in thin plates that add winter
Edging plants, the bushes, hedges, and low-growing compact plants that line a walkway or bed, create a well-defined border between garden features. They separate your property from the neighbors’, divide the garden from a driveway or sidewalk, or outline the edge of a perennial bed. Growing conditions decide which plants survive: a hosta that thrives
Epiphytes are a group of unusual plants that grow on a variety of surfaces merely for physical support and receive moisture and nutrients from the air. They appear in many plant families and are found mostly in tropical regions clinging to trees, rocks, and other natural structures. They are not parasitic and do not harm
