A big yard is not required to grow a show-stopping magnolia. Several dwarf varieties stay small enough for a patio pot, and most compact cultivars max out near 20 feet, with many staying far shorter in containers. Growing magnolias in pots has another advantage: the container removes the hardiness zone limit, so gardeners can grow […]
Pattypan squash, also called scallop squash, is a summer squash in the cucumber family with a flattened, scalloped fruit that appears in white, green, yellow, or bicolor blends. It is an annual, so each garden cycle runs from the last spring frost to the first fall frost, and the first fruit can be ready in
Growing blueberries in containers is so easy and productive that you might want to try it even if you have enough in-ground garden space for this antioxidant-rich fruit. Blueberries grow well in pots and are a great solution if you do not have optimal garden soil. Because you control the potting mix completely, container growing
The starfish cactus (Stapelia hirsuta) is a stem succulent from South Africa that grows as a low, clumping perennial, usually no more than 8 inches tall and wide. Gardeners call it the carrion flower, and it is also sold as the African starfish flower or simply the carrion plant, because the star-shaped, hair-covered blooms release
Sunflowers have earned a reputation as garden bullies. The theory circulating in gardening circles holds that the tall flowers poison the soil around them or quietly steal nutrients from their neighbors. Before anyone digs up a healthy patch, the science says the accusation is mostly myth. Sunflowers compete aggressively for water, light, and nutrients, but
Cut hydrangeas leave the florist looking flawless, and within a day or two the heads can slump and the bracts turn papery. The stems are the weak link: thick and woody, they exude a sticky sap that seals the cut surface, so the flower stops drinking almost as soon as it hits the vase. The
Spiky plants give a garden a resort-style look with clean lines, bold silhouettes, and texture that reads from across the yard. Succulents, ornamental grasses, and cacti carry this look across most USDA growing zones, and their sharp foliage often deters deer, which makes them practical as well as dramatic. Indoors, the same shapes anchor shelves
When summer temperatures climb past 100 degrees F, many landscape trees drop leaves, scorch at the edges, or stall growth entirely. Heat-tolerant trees handle the same conditions through adaptations that conserve water and shield leaf tissue, so they keep producing shade when ordinary species fail. Selection starts with the same judgment used when selecting and
Carnivorous plants eat bugs and other small creatures. They evolved this talent as a coping mechanism to help them survive: instead of drawing nutrients from the soil, they capture insects and digest them for nitrogen and minerals. The result is a group of plants that looks strange by conventional standards. Pitchers, which are modified leaves,
The right selection of foliage plants can greatly impact a garden. Leaves carry the color and structure that flowers only provide for a few weeks, and a border built on foliage looks finished from spring to frost. Choose plants that add bold shapes, fine textures, and brilliant color, and the garden reads as designed even
