Are you looking for something new to try in the garden this year? Here are 10 fun annuals that I’ve enjoyed having in my garden. All are easy to grow from seed. *** Ipomoea lobata, formerly Mina lobataSpanish flag, firecracker vine, exotic love vine8–10 ft.Full sun Although I’d admired it in catalogs, I held off on growing Spanish flag for… Read more →
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow, I thought I’d pot up a few Irishman’s cuttings. This is a super-easy plant propagation method that you can use to make more of some of your favorite perennials, and now is a good time to do it. Irishman’s cuttings are simply cuttings that have a few roots on them already. They’re pretty foolproof… Read more →
Candy lilies (Iris ×norrisii) are fun, easy-to-grow, underused perennials that bloom in gumdrop colors. I grew them in my garden in Kentucky and became smitten; now that I’m settled into a new garden in Portland, Oregon, I’m ready to turn that romance into a full-fledged obsession. They’ll grow pretty much anywhere, asking only for full sun, soil with decent drainage, and… Read more →
A proliferation of plant patents, trademarks, and brands in recent years has turned plant shopping into a rather confusing experience. Plants now have goofy names. Have you noticed that the Knock Out rose is also called ‘Radrazz’? Or that Endless Summer hydrangea also answers to the name of ‘Bailmer’? Tags now warn menacingly, “UNLICENSED PROPAGATION PROHIBITED.” And the plain black… Read more →
Like any activity with a long history, gardening has its share of traditions. Some of these are sound practices, while others should have been thrown on the compost heap long ago. Seed-starting is one gardening project that seems especially steeped in lore. And with good reason—the whole process of turning a dead-looking speck of dust into a vibrant, living plant… Read more →
