canna

It's an experiment: I'm wintering over a bunch of plants from my summer containers, hoping I can grow them again next year, even bigger and better. I know I don't have ideal conditions, but I won't know what works and what doesn't unless I try. Read along to find out how I'm storing over a dozen different plants.

I am happy to report that our area is no longer "abnormally dry." It is however, abnormally hot and humid. I have been moving plants in the cooler part of the day and keeping busy in the house the rest of the time. I'd thought I'd show you some highlights from August. I love them [...]

Are you familiar with the children's picture book Goodnight Moon? In it, a young rabbit says good night to all the objects in his bedroom as a way of settling down to sleep. Frost is predicted for later this week--I marvel that we've dodged the bullet this long--and I went around my garden to say [...]

This has been the best gardening year I can remember. Until a dry spell arrived in September, we enjoyed consistent rainfall and moderate temperatures. There is nothing like moist soil and a cool morning to draw a gardener into the garden, and that's where I went, leaving my blog behind me. Here are some of [...]

I have been spending every free minute gardening this season and enjoying myself thoroughly. I focused first on getting all plants into the ground as soon as I acquired them, and then switched to weeding. Only another gardener could understand the pleasure to be had from setting a bed to rights, especially if the soil [...]

Editor's note: Starting seeds is usually something cold climate gardeners do in the wi-- no, I won't say that word. But some seeds can be started now. Guest blogger Lisa Ueda shares her method for starting cannas from seed. My winter vacation destination of choice has always been the Florida Keys, where I usually fantasize [...]

Annuals Our growing season is so compressed, that most annuals are only now looking their best. My children like to grow zinnias every year, and the bright colors of Renee's Garden Crayon Color Zinnias really appeal to them. They like both the Cool and the Hot. (As a member of the GWA, I received the [...]

To every plant, there is a season, and I find that pretty much the same plants are blooming that were blooming last year and the year before at this time. So even though I'm intoxicated with my peonies and wowed by my poppies, I'll use this post to showcase some of the other plants that [...]

Usually, when you want to know your last spring frost, the experts send you to a hardiness zone map, a chart, or even the NOAA records, conceding that this will only give you a ballpark figure. If you really want to know your local last frost date, consult a neighbor--at least until you've kept records [...]