It’s a big deal to build a house, let alone buy a property. From raising finance for one build to a thousand and one decisions and choices… time and money add up quickly. Did you take the garden into account? Most of the time, your beautiful new home overlooks a patch of land that is … Read more
If scavenging deer, ravenous insects, scorching sun or freaky frosts have ever threatened the existence of your favorite flowering plants, don’t despair. Native plants are superheroes waiting to defeat them all. Here are three that sport crackling red blooms and thrive despite their natural predators. Flame Acanthus (Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii) is one of the … Read more
SAUK COUNTY GARDENERS Jeannie Manis Sauk County Master Gardeners Association “It’s exciting to see things reappear, plants that you’ve had for twenty or thirty years. It’s like seeing an old friend again.”– Tasha Tudor I was excited to finally see my white peony bush bloom this year. It was a piece of peony that our … Read more
Nick Clifton Special for the Roanoke Times This is an exciting time of year for a gardener. The weather is warm day and night. The sun is high in the sky and intense. You seem to notice the growth when you stare at your plants. The anticipation of your first tomato or “tomato” harvest is … Read more
Native joe pye weed grows alongside native coneflowers and non-native spirea and catnip. Jessica Damiano via AP As home gardeners learn more about the role of native plants in the ecosystem and their importance to pollinators, wildlife and people, many are turning to “rewilding”. The term refers to a landscaping approach that depends on the … Read more
Rosemary, a culinary herb that many of us use in our kitchens, is also a wonderful drought-tolerant landscape plant. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), a woody perennial shrub, is a Mediterranean native well suited to our valley climate. Its generic name means “dew of the sea” because it grows well by the ocean, where the mist provides … Read more
Native joe pye weed grows alongside native coneflowers and non-native spirea and catnip. Jessica Damiano via AP As home gardeners learn more about the role of native plants in the ecosystem and their importance to pollinators, wildlife and people, many are turning to “rewilding”. The term refers to a landscaping approach that depends on the … Read more
Brian Jervis Ask a master gardener “I’ve been hearing a lot about a fungus called mycorrhizae that everyone seems to think I need to add to my garden soil. What is it and do I need it?” — CG Mycorrhizae can play a very important role in plant health, but because they are invisible, their … Read more
Spekboom is a delight in any garden, as a houseplant, as a hedge, as a ground cover, in sun or partial shade, for the enjoyment of dedicated gardeners or those short on money and water. The South African succulent has bright red stems, the brightest of small, fleshy leaves, and is particularly beautiful when it … Read more
By JESSICA DAMIANO Associated Press Imagine this: you have planted milkweed, bee balm or California lilac and are happy to see bees and butterflies fluttering around in your garden. They are comfortable feeding pollinators and love the life these plants attract to your garden. As you stroll past your beds to check on your tomatoes, … Read more