Most gardeners have favorite go-to plants that perform well in their climate and simply make them happy. For me, those are coneflowers, catmint, liatris, alliums, daylilies, black-eyed Susans and oh so many tomatoes. But every year, I manage to find at least a little space for something ...

Planning this year’s garden? My guess is you’re envisioning plants bathed in daylight. But the problem is that by nightfall, when the sun has set and you’re ready to kick back at home, you won’t be able to see and fully enjoy the fruits of your gardening labor without flooding the ...

If you’re sending your sweetheart cut flowers or a potted plant for Valentine’s Day, choose ones that are safe for their pets. One lick of a pollen-covered lily stamen can be life-threatening to cats, as my daughter Julia learned when her cat, Nyah, found her way to a beautiful and ...

When thumbing through seed catalogs or plant-care manuals, you’re likely to encounter at least some descriptions that elude you. So here’s a cheat sheet to help navigate the offerings — and maybe impress your gardening friends. ------------ Aerate: Poking holes into compacted soil ...

When visiting friends or family who have both houseplants and young children, I’ve been compared to “Aunt Bonnie” from the Geico commercial “Aunt Infestation.” In it, a young couple who just moved into a new home complains of having pests — not ants but overbearing “aunts.” ...

Now that deciduous trees are bare, trunks and branches have taken center stage, and you might be noticing nuances and irregularities that evaded your attention over the summer. For instance, what are those green masses growing on your trees? Those growths could be either lichens, moss or ...