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Growing wildflowers involves a bit more than simply opening up a seed packet and throwing the seeds into the grass, with fingers crossed that in a few months you will find a beautiful mix of flowers bobbing in the breeze. If you follow that whimsical but sadly unrealistic strategy for getting wildflowers into your yard, you’ll likely be met with disappointment. And so will the bees, birds, and butterflies that visit your outdoor space!...

There are numerous aster species and cultivated varieties in the Asteraceae family that includes chrysanthemums, daisies, and sunflowers. Most bloom from late summer to fall, but some, like the Alpine aster, A. alpinus, open in the spring. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Our guide to growing asters tells all you need to grow and care for your own....

They’re easy to handle because they don’t need as much pruning as other types. And they’re also disease-resistant, vigorous growers. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Sounds good, right? But what on earth is a shrub rose? And how does caring for one differ from what’s required to tend to other types of roses?...

We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Oaks, dogwoods, gingko – they’re great in the fall, don’t get me wrong. But botanically, the top color-changing trees are most definitely maples. No contest. There are numerous species of Acer, so we wanted to whittle down the options for you, leaving you with the cream of the crop to choose from....

That might sound like a pretty straightforward ask, but let me stop you right there. What exactly are you looking for? We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Perhaps you prefer something that smells like a fine wine, or a bowl full of ripe blackberries left in the sun. Roses come in a bouquet of fragrances, colors, and growing habits, so feel free to peruse the following list to learn about what we believe are some of the most intense-smelling options commercially available....

And with over 120 different species, there’s one well-suited to nearly every growing situation – wet or dry conditions, full sun or shade, vast meadows or compact gardens. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Outfitted with these details, you should be able to choose the one (or maybe even two!) that will work perfectly in your landscape....

Do you grow radishes? Did you know you can eat the greens as well as those crispy, spicy roots? The trusty spring and fall veggie garden staple, Raphanus sativus, produces edible leaves in the early stages of its growing cycle. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. You can harvest them at full-size along with the red, white, or Easter-egg-hued roots that are such a delight for home cooks....

That sunny day so many years ago, as his shipment was being unloaded from the delivery truck, the sharp-eyed Piaschyk noticed three specimens that were not like the others. These three didn’t quite look like what live oaks — or any tree he was familiar with — are supposed to look like. As the owner of a large and reputable garden center called Treeland, Piaschyk knows how various species are supposed to look....

While most home gardeners purchase a shrub from a plant nursery, or take cuttings from existing plants for propagation, you can also choose to grow them from seed. Starting hydrangeas from seed may take a bit of time and forethought, but if you are up for the challenge, it can be a rewarding project. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....

For centuries people in the United States grew their own fruits and vegetables. This allowed us to spend less money at the store (if they even existed) and more time at home. Think about how much of your time is spent at work and how much of that money earned is going toward your produce. Could you work less if you spent less? For most people, that answer is yes....

They are members of the immense Asteraceae family, that includes asters, chamomile, coneflowers, coreopsis, and sunflowers. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. There are native and introduced varieties for all temperate growing zones, in either annual or perennial form. Most thrive in full sun, while some tolerate partial shade. And while organically rich loam is best, many do just fine in soil of average quality....

The emotive lexicon is well deserved. This large, deciduous shrub, native to the southeastern United States, is truly beautiful. With long, arching branches bearing large, light green leaves, and clusters of little flowers that morph into green and then brilliant purple berries containing three to four seeds each. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....

We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. This species can offer an instant upgrade to anyone’s home, adding an air of class and a touch of prehistoric interest anywhere it’s placed. What’s not to love? Whether you’re a fern expert or a pteridophyte neophyte, this article will provide the necessary know-how to grow Boston ferns like a pro....

Thanks to its sweet purple flowers, however, we come down firmly on the pro-ruellia side of the debate. With forms tall and short, this evergreen, herbaceous perennial – suitable for growers in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 to 11 – deserves consideration for inclusion in southern gardens. The tall version forms clumps 18 inches across, while the short type forms 12-inch clumps. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....

We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. What Is Lemon Balm? Colloquially known by many names such as Melissa, sweet balm, honey plant, balm mint, garden balm, English balm, and heart’s delight, lemon balm is an herbaceous perennial member of the mint family. It is a sprawling, bushy perennial herb with toothed, opposite leaves on square branching stems, tiny white flowers, and a subtle lemon fragrance and flavor....

With only a hint of care and attention, these fast-spreading plants put on a vibrant summer-long show. The intensely colored, trumpet-like flowers seem to float in a sea of green thanks to the ample supply of lush, rounded leaves. Wonderfully low maintenance, they thrive in poor soil, perform better when they’re not fertilized, and quickly fill in difficult spots where other plants dare not tread. They add sunny charm to beds, borders, hanging baskets, patio pots, and window boxes, and make a pretty weed break or an appealing, soft ground cover in areas with lean soil....

The majority of fruit trees are reproduced through methods such as grafting or air layering, which produces plants that are clones of the parent. This means the fruits you’ll eventually harvest from them will be exactly like those from the parent plant. Starting with seed, on the other hand, means it’s likely that the fruit or growth habit of the tree will be unlike that of the parent plant. This is because each seed holds genetic information derived from pollination....

You won’t be able to wait even a moment, much less all the way until dinnertime. They’ll be that good. But in order to get to this glorious time, you have to make sure that your corn is pollinated. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Where I live in Zone 4, my growing season is short, and I don’t want to leave anything to chance when it comes to ensuring that I’ll be harvesting juicy kernels in the fall....

It’s not quite the same as plucking a ripe apple from the tree, after all, but it’s not as difficult as it may appear to be either. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. This might seem like a waste of time since they’re only about two to three inches in length and have a lot of seeds on the inside, but what they lack in size or require in processing, they make up for in flavor and versatility....

It is a cool-weather crop often referred to as a “brassica” or “cole crop,” with edible heads, leaves, and stems. Cauliflower resembles broccoli in its form, but it is actually quite different. Unlike broccoli, which has a domed head of tightly packed edible flower buds, a cauliflower head consists of dense, curd-like plant tissue with a soft texture and mildly sweet, nutty flavor. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....