Collard greens belong to the Brassicaceae family, the same cabbage family that gives us kale, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. Gardeners grow them for the leaves, which cook much like kale and taste sweeter after a touch of frost. As a cool-weather crop, collards can be planted in spring or fall, with most of the growth […]
Deadly nightshade, also known as belladonna, is one of the most toxic plants commonly found on residential property. It is extremely toxic to humans, cats, dogs, and horses, and it should never be planted in a yard. The plant is a medium-sized shrub with dark green leaves, distinct purple bell-shaped flowers, and shiny black berries.
New York ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis) is a towering perennial wildflower native to the eastern and southeastern United States, where it grows in wet meadows, pastures, stream banks, low-lying woods, and marshes. It reaches about seven feet tall, carries clusters of deep purple flowers in late summer, and feeds a steady stream of bees, butterflies, and
Cut flowers from your own garden cost a fraction of florist bouquets and arrive with stems you cut minutes ago. The display options go far beyond a vase on the dining table: vintage glasses, baskets, chairs, and wall mounts all turn blooms into decor. Success starts in the garden, where the plants you grow determine
Shrubs anchor the front of a house like nothing else in the landscape. A well-chosen row of evergreens gives the facade structure in every season, while deciduous flowering shrubs add color that rotates through spring, summer, and fall. The selection process starts with your site, not with a plant catalog: note the hardiness zone, count
A garden dinner party or backyard barbecue is one of the best ways to spend a summer evening, until bees decide they want a share of the meal. Bees and wasps are drawn to the same sweet smells that make outdoor food appealing, and a buzzing table can turn a relaxed gathering into a stressful
The mosaic-patterned foliage of Calathea musaica is among the most striking in the houseplant world, but this prayer plant asks for steady effort in return. Growers who keep it happy provide high humidity, bright indirect light, and a careful watering rhythm, the same kind of consistent attention you would put into routine home upkeep such
Dahlias deliver bold, structured flowers from midsummer through late fall, with blooms in nearly every color except true blue. They grow easily in garden beds, borders, and containers, and a single tuber produces months of flowers. Whether the plant comes back next year depends on where you garden, because the tuber survival through winter decides
Roses are the most popular cut flower for a reason: the bloom, the scent, and the associations all land differently than any other flower. Whether the bouquet is a gift, a grocery store purchase, or stems cut from your own garden, everyone wants the display to last. Fresh flowers change a room, and the difference
Lasagna planting takes its name from the pasta dish because it uses the same idea: layers. Italian lasagna stacks pasta, sauce, and cheese; lasagna planting stacks spring-blooming bulbs in a container or bed so each layer blooms at a different time. The latest-blooming, largest bulbs go deepest, mid-season bulbs sit in the middle, and the
