Wherever your particular problem spot—a bone-dry area where lawn grasses shrivel in July heat, a shady spot beloved on August afternoons, a sloping, sandy bank which the least downpour grooves with countless small rivers, a lawn so small that it is hardly worth mowing regularly—there are several attractive alternatives to grass. Beauty Of Groundcovers The … Read more
When it comes to building a rock garden, some folks are blissfully overconfident, while most of us are altogether too timid. In truth, rock gardening is one of the most aesthetic approaches to landscape design and plant appreciation; it demands the utmost in fine taste from all who practice it. But if you consider yourself … Read more
As an enthusiastic gardener, do you also enjoy barbecuing? How well these two hobbies go together! No store-bought fruits or vegetables can match the flavor of those picked fresh from your garden. But have you ever tried preparing vegetables on your barbecue grill? One of the favorites is corn on the cob, which is now … Read more
The problems come in the special imagination and effort required to “tame” a hill —make it reasonably easy to keep neat, safeguard it against washing away, and cover it with the kind of plants you enjoy. Another need is for steps or paths to let you travel the slope safely. You probably won’t want to … Read more
For those who appreciate flowers and those who love natural beauty, few highways can surpass the beautiful Ten Mile Rose Garden of Southeastern Missouri. Here—blooming in a stretch along a highway between Jackson and Cape Girardeau in the historic Mississippi river area—are ten miles of shrub and hedge roses. They are so well-developed and beautiful … Read more
Healthy, disease and pest-free plants will help to make your garden the envy of the neighborhood. Grow flowers adapted to your area. Plant them in well-prepared, well-drained, fertile soil. Do everything you can to keep the plants watered in drought, mulched in hot weather, and protected in winter. Collect and burn plant debris in the … Read more
A gift of three miniature roses was the beginning of my interest in growing all kinds of plants which are called “dwarf,” “pygmy,” or “miniature.” Substantial proof of my new interest lies in the number of dwarfs which I’ve added to the area where I first set the little gift roses. One miniature leads to … Read more
Annuals are plants that last through one growing season. Seeds are planted in the spring, grow, and bloom. After maturing their seeds, every part of them dies. They have completed their entire life in one growing season; if they are true annuals, those same plants will not appear again in the spring. However, if there … Read more
The dogwoods range from tiny, 6-inch Cornus canadensis to 75-foot Cornus nuttallii whose large white flowers are shown above in the photograph by Jeannette Grossman. Dogwoods flower in white, pink, red, and yellow shades. In addition to the common sorts, they come in exciting weeping, variegated-leaf, and double-white forms. And, as most of us readily … Read more
Discover the exciting world of succulents. Choose kinds to make your summer garden more colorful. They vary in appearance from the boldly sculptured to the whimsical, but all are plants ideally suited to giving the garden a late-in-the-season face-lifting. As a group, succulents are plants with watery leaves and stems. If you garden in the … Read more