Slug Resistant Hostas: Take Your Pick!
I’ve had a few requests to publish a list of hostas that are slug- and snail-resistant. The problem is thatContinue Reading
Category: Laidback Gardener Tip of the Day
‘Mandela’s Gold’: At Long Last, Bloom
My first plant of Strelitzia reginae ‘Mandela’s Gold’ began to bloom this week, seven years after I sowed its seed. No,Continue Reading
Avoid Lawns in Dry Shade
Don’t even think of trying to grow a lawn in the dry shade of a wooded area. Grass is alreadyContinue Reading
Be Prepared for That Early Frost
Starting in September, gardeners in temperate climates need to be ready to protect certain vegetables against that first frost. You know, theContinue Reading
The Plantain Lily: More Than Just a Hosta!
The first time I saw a plantain lily (Hosta plantaginea), I thought someone was playing a prank, that they had stuck stemsContinue Reading
Rainbow Rose Seed Ripoff
A reader asked me about “Rainbow Rose” seeds, offered on the Internet with a photo of a spectacularly multicolored rose. She wantedContinue Reading
A Fall-Blooming Shrub/Tree to Discover
The seven-son flower (Heptacodium miconioides) is a relatively recent addition to the palette of autumn-flowering shrubs and trees. It’s an obscureContinue Reading
Beautiful Flower, Strange Name
Among the stars of the fall garden is a truly unique perennial, the turtlehead (Chelone spp.). What I love aboutContinue Reading
Plants that Attract Seed-eating Birds
You’ll see lots of advice on the Internet about shrubs and trees with colorful berries that attract birds: serviceberries, hollies,Continue Reading
Fall is for Division
Yep, while it’s true you can divide a perennial in almost any season, summer division is more stressful for theContinue Reading