Plants

Deadheading — the practice of removing spent flower heads to encourage continued blooming — is one of the most time-consuming regular tasks in the summer garden. While deadheading undeniably prolongs flowering in many plants, a remarkable selection of annuals, perennials, and shrubs are either self-cleaning — dropping their spent blooms automatically — or bloom so … Read more

Shade gardening with annual flowers is one of the most rewarding and underappreciated areas of horticulture. While the majority of flowering annuals demand full sun to perform at their best, a surprisingly rich and diverse selection of annuals thrive in partial to full shade — producing abundant, colorful bloom in the dappled light beneath trees, … Read more

Hummingbirds are among the most thrilling and sought-after garden visitors in North America. These tiny, jewel-bright birds burn energy at an extraordinary rate — their hearts beat up to 1,200 times per minute — and must consume approximately half their body weight in nectar every single day to survive. They are powerfully attracted to tubular, … Read more

Groundhogs — also known as woodchucks (Marmota monax) — are among the most frustrating garden pests in North America. These large, voracious rodents can devastate a garden overnight, consuming enormous quantities of vegetables, flowers, and foliage with remarkable speed and efficiency. However, like most herbivores, groundhogs tend to avoid plants with strong fragrances, toxic compounds, … Read more

Annual flowers — plants that complete their entire life cycle in a single growing season — are the backbone of the summer garden. Unlike perennials, which may bloom for only a few weeks, the best summer annuals flower continuously and prolifically from late spring right through to the first autumn frosts, providing uninterrupted color for … Read more

Gravel is one of the most versatile and cost-effective materials available for garden landscaping. It comes in a wide range of sizes, colours, and textures — from fine pea gravel and crushed slate to smooth river pebbles and white marble chippings — making it easy to match any garden style, whether cottage, contemporary, coastal, or … Read more

Creating a naturalistic vivarium or terrarium with live plants transforms a reptile enclosure from a bare functional space into a rich, stimulating, and biologically active environment. Live plants provide hiding spots, climbing opportunities, humidity regulation, and psychological enrichment for reptiles. However, plant selection is critically important — many common houseplants and garden plants are toxic … Read more

Gardening beneath spruce trees (Picea spp.) presents one of the most challenging environments in horticulture. Spruce trees — including Norway spruce (Picea abies), Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens), white spruce (Picea glauca), and Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) — cast dense, year-round shade from their sweeping, low-hanging branches. Their shallow, fibrous root systems compete aggressively for … Read more

Oak trees (Quercus spp.) are among the most ecologically valuable trees on Earth, supporting thousands of species of insects, birds, and mammals. Gardening beneath them, however, requires careful plant selection. Oak canopies create dense summer shade, and their surface roots compete aggressively for water and nutrients. Many oaks, particularly in California and the American West, … Read more

Growing plants beneath cedar trees presents a unique set of challenges. Cedars — whether Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana), Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata), Atlantic White Cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides), or true cedars (Cedrus spp.) — create dense shade, highly acidic and dry soil from their needle litter, and shallow, competitive root systems. Their evergreen canopy … Read more