There’s something faintly ridiculous about reseeding the same patch of lawn beneath an oak tree every … Pennsylvania Sedge Grows Where Grass Won’t, and You Barely Have to Mow ItRead more
Plants
Plants are rarely as straightforward as their labels make them sound.
Some are tougher than expected. Some are far fussier. A few seem perfectly happy almost anywhere, while others can turn one small change in light, soil, or watering into a full-scale protest.
I write about plants worth knowing, how they behave, where they tend to do well, and the quirks that make them interesting in the first place.
That might mean a dependable groundcover, a fern with a curious past, or a plant that earns its keep simply by coping with conditions others dislike.
Christmas Fern Stays Green All Winter, Even in Dry Shade
Winter has a way of making woodland gardens look abandoned. Deciduous trees lose their leaves, summer … Christmas Fern Stays Green All Winter, Even in Dry ShadeRead more
Ground Cover Under Pine Trees Fails From Thirst, Not From Acidic Needles
There’s something suspiciously convincing about the bare ground beneath a pine tree. Needles accumulate, grass disappears, … Ground Cover Under Pine Trees Fails From Thirst, Not From Acidic NeedlesRead more
Where to Plant Solomon’s Seal So It Actually Thrives
Solomon’s seal looks more delicate than its growing habits might suggest. Arching stems rise in spring, … Where to Plant Solomon’s Seal So It Actually ThrivesRead more
Epimedium Thrives in the Dry Shade Most Plants Can’t Stand
Dry shade has a special talent for making perfectly sensible gardeners buy the same doomed plant … Epimedium Thrives in the Dry Shade Most Plants Can’t StandRead more
Plants for Dry Shade That Survive Under Big Trees
A mature tree can look wonderfully generous until you try gardening underneath it. Up above, there … Plants for Dry Shade That Survive Under Big TreesRead more
When Victorians Went Crazy for Ferns – Britain’s Strange Obsession
Victorian Britain had a massive fern problem. Respectable men and women tramped through wet woods searching … When Victorians Went Crazy for Ferns – Britain’s Strange ObsessionRead more