When Lightning Strikes a Tree
Lightning often strikes the highest object of a given sector… and that is often a tree. Trees most likely toContinue 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.
3 Hardy Plants with Umbrella Leaves
Round, umbrellalike leaves are pretty rare in the wild, even more so in temperate climates. They share a curious leafContinue Reading
The World’s Strangest Plant
The strangest plant in the world is probably the welwitschia (Welwitschia mirabilis) found in Africa’s Namib Desert. It is aContinue Reading
A Sage Made for the Shade
Gardeners use quite a few sages in their gardens: the culinary herb common sage (Salvia officinalis), the various perennial sages,Continue Reading
Dry Herbs Quickly… in Your Car!
To dry herbs quickly, park your car in a sunny spot, spread the herb stems and leaves on a bakingContinue Reading
Yet Another Horticultural Ripoff: Square Watermelon Seeds
Really, people will sell anything on the Internet! On sites like Kijiji and Amazon, you can readily find vendors offeringContinue Reading
What is a Witch’s Broom?
A witch’s broom (witches’ broom) is a deformity mostly found in woody plants, typically trees and conifers. The natural structureContinue Reading
Low Care Pallet Garden
Do you have a wooden pallet lying around… or could you find one easily? Here is an interesting use forContinue Reading
Free Your Tree!
One of the damages professional arborists see the most frequently on trees is strangulation. Someone long ago staked the treeContinue Reading
Living Trees are Mostly Dead
Most mature trees are made up of 99% dead cells. The only living parts are the leaves, the buds, theContinue Reading