AMERICAN GARDENER

Weeping hemlock stands apart from nearly every other evergreen grown in American gardens, valued not for height but for the loose, cascading form that makes each specimen look genuinely one-of-a-kind. While a standard conifer holds a predictable, cone-shaped outline, weeping hemlock spills and drapes in an irregular pattern that landscape designers often compare to a … Read more

Weeping trees for small gardens solve a design problem that upright trees can’t: they add height and movement without the wide canopy spread that swallows a compact yard. A cascading form draws the eye downward in a way no other tree shape does, which makes even a single specimen feel like a finished focal point. … Read more

Gardeners looking for tall flowers that bloom all summer are usually trying to solve the same problem: a bare fence line, an empty back border, or a cutting garden that fizzles out by midsummer. Height does more than fill space — it creates layers, draws the eye upward, and gives pollinators a landing strip visible … Read more

The word “kumquat” comes from the Cantonese “kam kwat,” which translates to “golden orange.” Kumquats are native to Southeast Asia and have been growing wild since ancient times. The fruits were first documented in China in the 12th century, grown for culinary, medicinal, and cultural uses, and were symbolically believed to bring good luck and … Read more

Red birds captivate with their fiery plumage, showcasing vibrant shades of crimson, scarlet, and vermilion that ignite landscapes from forests to urban gardens. Their bold colors, ranging from deep ruby to blazing red, stand out vividly against green foliage or clear skies, making them a striking presence in any environment. These birds embody nature’s passion … Read more

Small greenhouses for the backyard have become one of the fastest-growing categories in home gardening, driven largely by shrinking suburban lot sizes and a growing interest in extending the growing season without committing to a sprawling, permanent structure. Most small to medium backyard greenhouses under about 120 square feet do not require a building permit … Read more

Trees that grow well in Indiana benefit from the state’s position at what its own motto calls the Crossroads of America, a description that applies just as well to Indiana’s forests as it does to its highways, since the state sits at the meeting point of several major North American ecological regions. This convergence is … Read more

Trees that grow well in Utah have to contend with the second driest state in the country, a landscape shaped by an elevation range spanning from roughly 2,180 feet along the Utah-Arizona border to the 13,528-foot summit of Kings Peak in the Uinta Mountains, one of the most dramatic vertical spans found within any single … Read more

Trees that grow well in Pennsylvania benefit from a landscape that remains one of the most heavily forested in the eastern United States, with woodlands covering nearly 58 percent of the state’s total land area today. This extensive forest cover reflects Pennsylvania’s favorable growing conditions, including a humid continental climate with well-distributed rainfall averaging around … Read more