Recently a good friend of mine complimented me on my column about late summer bloomers for the sunny border but lamented that she only had shade in her yard and couldn’t take advantage of my advice.  So for her benefit and anyone else that is faced with an overabundance of shade, here are some bloomers that will liven up any dark corner of the yard this time of the year...

Of all the chores that gardeners have to accomplish, pruning consistently remains the most...

Let’s face it, for the most part the lawn is the man’s domain.  It is literally his “turf” and when left alone he can spend endless hours in the yard.  Depending on how the turf is maintained, this can either be an ecological disaster or a valuable bio-filter and climate moderator.  Here are some thoughts to consider...

Fall has always been my favorite time of year, especially when I lived in California and the summers were so oppressive.  While August can feel like the doldrums, September is full of all sorts of gardening activities.  Here are some highlights for the month…

As we move from late August into early September it is not unusual to have our borders start to look a little tired.  The good news is...

Believe it or not, it is time to start thinking about planting a fall veggie garden.  There are several factors that go into having a successful fall garden.  Here are some of my thoughts…

It’s been almost five decades since I had a college level plant physiology class and studied the process of how plants move water through their vascular systems and how they adapt to drought conditions so they can survive the dry summers.  After some research, I am happy to say that...

At the end of every column I write, is an invitation, to send in your questions about gardening issues you would like answers for.  Here are three common ones I receive every year...

This is it folks, the final lap of the summer gardening season when all our hard work should come to a crescendo.  August is high summer for us and perennials should be...

Part of the joy of gardening, for me, is in watching feathered friends visit my yard and flit about the shrubs, flowers, feeders and water features.  As much as I love my plants, these little creatures are an “extra treat” that makes all my hard work that much more worthwhile.  A beautiful garden with lots of...