This week's Plant of the Week caught my attention in an herb garden while visiting the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix a few weeks ago. The way the flowers were circling the stem was very intriguing. Upon inspection I realized that the perennial was Jerusalem Sage (Phlomis...

I discovered this week's Plant of the Week while checking out the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin last week during a conference. I had seen this plant several places around town and finally found one with a sign that I could identify it with it...

I've noticed several cases of White Mold (Sclerotinia sp.) over the past few days. While at a field day last week, I noted several different annual flowering plants dying as a result of this fungus. And another email today concerning green beans looked like a similar problem. This...

This week's Plant of the Week is Beardstongue (Penstemon digitalis). I've noticed many beautiful Beardstongues blooming in landscapes this past week. Several species of Beardstongues can be found in the garden, but Penstemon digitalis is a pretty solid performer...

Reading through my weekly Perennial Pulse newsletter written by Paul Pilon, I came across a great little article about incorporating some edible perennials into the landscape this year. We think of perennials as mostly...

This week's plant of the week is Bergenia (Bergenia cordifolia). I love Bergenia for multiple reasons, but mostly because another of it's common name is Pigsqueak. How cute is that! The name comes from the fact that the leaves are very glossy and leathery...

So you received some beautiful flowers from a special someone this Valentine’s Day? Lucky you! They are probably looking gorgeous on your desk or dining room table right now. But have you thought about how long those flowers will last? Here are a couple of tips to help lengthen the life of your...

I didn't get around to Plant of the Week on Friday, so here is last week's Plant of the Week, the Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris, also known as Anemone pulsatilla). I just planted a pasque flower in my landscape and I'm loving it so far!   Pasque Flower is...

Limited on space or don't want the hassle of having to dig potatoes to harvest? Try growing potatoes in containers. I've done that the past few years in my garden with great success. Any sized container will work, but obviously the bigger it is, the more potatoes you can get....

Did you know that each year, Pantone selects a color of the year? Since 2000, the Pantone Color Institute has designated a color of the year based on trend forecasting across a variety of industries and markets, including fashion, travel...

The vast majority of calls into out help desks and hotlines this summer have been tree questions, many of them in urban settings. And that's for good reason. Urban trees have to tolerate a lesser than ideal location in many cases. Many people are aware of the environmental and psychological...

This week's Plant of the Week, the American Bellflower (Campanulastrum americanum) I noticed on a walk along the prairie at the Apple River Fort Museum in Elizabeth. I was struck by the blue color of the flowers, but wasn't sure exactly what it was, so I pulled out my...

A few weeks ago, lawns were a sea of beautiful blue because of the Siberian Squill blooming. This week while walking through my neighborhood, I noticed a different sea of purpli

Cacti and Succulents are by far my favorite group of plants. The colors, flowers, and interesting growth habits are like nothing else in my opinion. But one of my favorite things about this group of plants is the ease in which you can make more plants. Through the use of cuttings or division, you...

Now is the time of year we start to notice various insect critters trying to find shelter inside our homes. The good news is that most of these insects are perfectly harmless and are simply a nuisance. In fact, many of these insects are actually quite beneficial because they eat other soft bodied...

This week there are two beautiful blue flowers blooming in my garden. Last year I featured Virginia Bluebells as a plant of the week, which are stunning, but this week I want to focu

Earlier this week I discussed the amazing mood improving effects of flowers, but are you thinking of giving a gift that lasts a bit longer? Blooming plants are a great option then! Here are a few blooming plants that can help bring anyone out of the winter blues: 1. ...

Self watering containers are a great solution for us gardeners who don't like to water our containers very often. There are a multitude of these types of containers available on the market, but unfortunately some can come at a steep price. I have some self watering containers as window boxes which...

Now is the time of year when you're probably getting pretty stir crazy stuck inside because of the snow and cold weather. If you're like me, you're dreaming of being out in your garden working away. That time will come soon, but now is the time to starting planning for next year's garden by gaining...

Last week I noticed some striking white flowered shrubs while walking the Highland Community College campus. Upon closer look, I realized the shrubs were European Cranberrybush Viburnums (Viburnum opulus). I'm a big fan of Viburnums and this one is especially nice! European Cranberrybush...