Few plants match hostas for ease of growth, vigor, and versatility. With thousands of cultivars, the genus offers an enormous range of sizes, shapes, colors, and textures, which is why it is a first choice for shade gardens even though many varieties tolerate full sun. A hosta bed can anchor a foundation planting, line a […]
Roughly one in four adults in the United States deals with seasonal allergies, and for many of them the trigger is not the showiest flower in the yard but the plainest one. Pollen from certain plants drifts on the wind and lands in eyes and airways, turning spring and summer yard work into a sneezing
A hedge is a living wall composed of plants. Hedges can be purely decorative, primarily practical, or a combination of both. Hedge plants are evergreen or deciduous shrubs, and they are often trimmed to precise sizes and shapes. Decorative hedges sometimes use flowering plants for added visual interest, while practical hedges intended for privacy screens,
Queen Elizabeth rose (Rosa ‘Queen Elizabeth’) was the first Grandiflora, a class that crosses the long, upright stems of hybrid tea roses with the multiple flower clusters of floribundas. American rose breeder Walter Lammerts created it in 1954 to commemorate the ascension of Queen Elizabeth II to the throne in 1952. The result produces pink
Thousands of cactus species grow in the wild, but the ones kept as houseplants fall into two groups: desert cacti and forest cacti. Both thrive indoors with relatively little maintenance, and both come in sizes from thumb-sized globes to branching plants that reach the ceiling. Desert cacti store water in swollen stems and tolerate strong
Indian hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis indica) is a small evergreen shrub that grows in a neat, rounded shape and tops out around 3 to 6 feet tall and wide. Despite the common name, the plant does not come from India; it is native to southern China and grows wild across other parts of Asia and Australia. Gardeners
While most plants are shutting down for winter, the red spider lily (Lycoris radiata) is just getting started. After a summer dormancy, this member of the amaryllis family sends up tall flower stalks topped with umbels of bright red flowers. Each bulb produces up to four stems from late August to October, growing more than
Spring brings weeds that seem to sprout overnight, invading gardens, sidewalks, and driveways. Commercial weed killers are effective, but many are toxic to people, plants, and pets, which sends a growing number of homeowners to the kitchen cabinet for an alternative. Dish soap is the most talked about option. It will not scorch foliage the
Choosing how to water a potted plant matters as much as choosing when to water it. Pouring from the top is the familiar habit, but an alternative called bottom watering delivers moisture upward through the drainage hole, letting the potting mix draw water the way a wick draws liquid. The technique needs nothing more than
A house and its garden need attention in every season, and the list of tasks changes as the year turns. Spring favors planting and pruning, summer shifts to upkeep of decks and power tools, and fall and winter demand protection for equipment and materials. The routines connect: shrubs planted well in spring stay healthy through
