Oct 16 2023
Few flowering shrubs have the presence of a hydrangea in full bloom. From enormous blue and pink mopheads to elegant white panicles and oakleaf hydrangeas glowing with autumn color, these long-lived shrubs can become some of the most impressive plants in the garden. Hydrangeas are often described as easy to grow, and they can be—but …
Aug 27 2023
You notice a yellow leaf on your orchid and immediately wonder whether something is wrong. Is it getting too much water? Not enough light? Is the plant dying? Sometimes a yellow orchid leaf really does signal a problem. Other times, it is simply an old leaf reaching the end of its natural life. The important …
Aug 02 2023
Watching deer wander through the yard can be charming—right up until they discover the flower garden. A few hungry visitors can turn carefully planned borders into a collection of bare stems surprisingly quickly. No perennial is completely deer-proof. When food is scarce, deer may sample plants they ordinarily ignore, and browsing habits can vary from …
Jul 29 2023
Balloon flowers earn their name before their blossoms even open. Each flower begins as a plump, inflated bud that looks remarkably like a tiny hot-air balloon. When the bud finally unfolds, it reveals a broad, star-shaped bloom, usually in shades of violet-blue, although white, pink, and double-flowered varieties are also available. Known botanically as Platycodon …
Jul 26 2023
Few summer flowers can compete with lilies for sheer drama. Tall stems rise above the garden carrying large, colorful blooms in shades of white, yellow, orange, pink, red, and burgundy. Some lilies are intensely fragrant, while others provide brilliant color without much scent at all. True lilies belong to the genus Lilium and grow from …
Jul 26 2023
Roses have a reputation for being demanding, but growing beautiful roses does not have to mean spending every weekend spraying, pruning, and worrying about mysterious leaf spots. Much of successful rose care happens before the plant ever goes into the ground. Choosing a rose suited to your climate, giving it enough sunlight, planting it in …
Jul 24 2023
Few flowers deliver as much summer color for as little effort as zinnias. Scatter a packet of seeds into warm soil in late spring and, within a surprisingly short time, you can have a garden filled with bright pink, orange, red, yellow, purple, white, green, and multicolored flowers. Zinnias are warm-season annuals that thrive in …
Jul 24 2023
Petunias are one of those flowers that can make a garden look finished almost overnight. Their trumpet-shaped blooms spill from hanging baskets, fill window boxes, soften the edges of garden beds, and create broad carpets of color from late spring until frost. They are also wonderfully adaptable. Some petunias form compact mounds covered in small …
Jul 23 2023
Few flowers can brighten a shady corner quite like begonias. Their colorful blooms and distinctive foliage make them equally at home in garden beds, patio containers, window boxes, and hanging baskets. Some varieties are grown primarily for their flowers, while others produce spectacular leaves patterned with silver, burgundy, pink, green, and purple. Begonias also offer …
Jul 23 2023
Impatiens are among the easiest ways to bring bright summer color to parts of the garden where many flowering plants struggle. Their cheerful blooms can brighten shady borders, porch containers, window boxes, and hanging baskets from late spring until frost, often flowering continuously with surprisingly little maintenance. Classic impatiens are best known for their ability …
