Confessions of a Laidback Gardener: I Don’t Rake My Lawn in Spring
Spring has come late to my part of North America, very late. The snow is only just melting away asContinue Reading
Author: Larry Hodgson
Garden writer and blogger, author of 65 gardening books, lecturer and communicator, the Laidback Gardener, Larry Hodgson, passed away in October 2022. Known for his great generosity, his thoroughness and his sense of humor, he reached several generations of amateur and professional gardeners over his 40-year career.
Thanks to his son, Mathieu Hodgson, and a team of contributors, laidbackgardener.blog will continue its mission of demystifying gardening and making it more accessible to all.
Garden Myth: You Can Tell a Ladybug’s Age by Its Spots
Decidedly, garden myths are numerous and persistent. One I first heard in my childhood and that still keeps coming upContinue Reading
All About Fertilizing Houseplants
Note: I republished this blog with permission from Folia Design, a Quebec City houseplant boutique. The author is Réal Dumoulin. IContinue Reading
When Tumbleweeds Take Over
For me, tumbleweeds blowing lazily down the street of a ghost town are the very epitome of the American West,Continue Reading
Americans Love Their Living Landscape
Here is a fascinating infographic based on a survey carried out this winter by the OPEI (Outdoor Power Equipment Institute).Continue Reading
Rose Classification Simplified
Confused about rose classification? Is that rose a hybrid tea or a floribunda? Or perhaps an old garden rose? IfContinue Reading
Figs: Possibly Nature’s Strangest Fruit
The genus Ficus (fig) includes more than 850 species in the Moraceae family and occurs naturally on all continents exceptContinue Reading
When Insects See Yellow
Many harmful insects are attracted to the color yellow. It’s the color of plants under stress and millions of yearsContinue Reading
A Seed-Starters Glossary
Seed and plant catalogs wing your way to your door and pop up on your screen. Garden centers are fullContinue Reading
Do You Really Need Leaf Shine Products?
Sometimes when you buy a houseplant, you’ll find its leaves are particularly shiny. Now, this can be innate—the leaves ofContinue Reading