Garden Design

The grass is green, the birds are singing, and for our magazine editors that can only mean one thing: It’s time to plant our containers. This year the staff of Fine Gardening turned their favorite garden task into a friendly competition. They designed and planted up individual containers, filming the entire process for your viewing

The original title of this episode was, Big and Bold Plants for the Back of the Border. But between the length and the tongue-twister alliteration, we shorted it a bit for promotional purposes. However, on today’s program you’ll hear all about plants that really stand out in the last row of the garden choir. These

When it comes to underappreciated perennials that deserve more attention, penstemon, or beardtongue (Penstemon spp. and cvs., Zones 3–9) is among those at the top of my list. This genus is a pollinator magnet and is endemic to North and Central America, with roughly 230 to 280 species. Of these, 93 make their home in

To us, tropical-looking plants are plants that thrive in the heat and that add a lot of bright color to the summer garden. They are perennial but disappear for the winter. A bit farther south they are evergreen and don’t freeze to the ground. A bit farther north and you have to replace them every

We visited Yvonne’s new Virginia garden (Yvonne’s New Garden in Virginia) on the GPOD before, and today she’s sharing more. I’m sending two sets of pictures—one for the woodland walk and the second for the Japanese-inspired garden. I’m especially proud of these sections, as I designed and planted them myself (with the exception of the

There is extraordinary diversity within Clematis, including an outstanding array of growth habits, foliage types, flower colors, and bloom sizes to marvel at. But go beyond the tried-and-true familiars to explore a little further and you’re going to discover a whole new intriguing world of clematis! In Northern California, my favorite clematis are long-lived, long-blooming,

The formula for creating wonderful containers doesn’t need to be difficult. First, find complementary plants you like that fit your growing conditions. Next, think of each plant’s growing habit and combine contrasting habits together. There’s a reason people say that great containers have thrillers, fillers, and spillers, or upright plants, midsize plants, and cascading plants.

As we gladly came to the end of a wild and wet winter, I was excited to see some of the best of the weird shade-loving plants coming up. The crazy thing about these plants is that they grow perfectly in our wet world. Most of these could never survive in the dry climates of

Today Helen is taking us along on a visit to the beautiful J. C. Ralston Arboretum in Raleigh, North Carolina. There are absolutely stunning plantings there, and it is free. While crape myrtles are best known for their beautiful flowers, the cinnamon-colored bark on this Japanese crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia fauriei ‘Fantasy’, Zones 6–9) arguably is

Spring’s arrival signifies new beginnings for gardeners. There’s a world of opportunity awaiting, and lots of work to be done as we race against the clock to finish all of our last-minute cutbacks and beat out the resurgence of weeds. Luckily, with these must-have garden tools by your side, you can accomplish all you set

Eric Sternfels has shared pictures of Ned Wolf Park in Philadelphia before (A Garden Made by a Community), but he sent in these photos because he said it was clear that the May bloom bonanza needed documentation. He was clearly right! This park is lovingly maintained by local volunteer gardeners and is a marvelous space.

When I tell people I grow kale in my vegetable garden, they often give me funny looks and ask why I bother. Even my next-door neighbors, who welcome all my other spare vegetables, refuse my kale— except for an occasional leaf to feed their pet lizard. People think of it as something unpleasant to eat

Once August rolls around, I know I’m going to have my hands full of vegetables from the garden. Even though I use as much fresh produce as possible—and donate the extra to my local food bank—there’s always more than I can handle. If I’m short on time, I go for the quickest and easiest ways

Growing and maintaining a healthy pollinator garden begins with a commitment to organic practices (including complete avoidance of pesticides) and to supplying year-round nourishment for your garden’s beneficial insects. From late spring through fall, open-faced, daisy-like dahlias (Dahlia spp. and cvs., Zones 8–11) are ideal for this purpose. Fancy double, ruffled dahlias are beautiful, but

Most gardeners are familiar with garden phlox (Phlox paniculata and cvs., Zones 4–8), woodland phlox (P. divaricata and cvs., Zones 3–8), and the two common species referred to as creeping phlox (P. subulata and cvs., Zones 3–9 and P. stolonifera and cvs., Zones 5–9). The annual phlox (P. drummondii and cvs., annual) has taken on

When late May and June hits, we can’t help wandering out into the garden with a pair of shears in hand. Bringing fresh flowers into the house seems like a seasonal rite of passage for most gardeners (at least those that don’t have allergies). But it can be a hard to cut those precious blooms

If you are looking to draw attention to your garden this summer, look no further than ‘Peachie Keen’ agastache. This perennial shines with alluring summer blooms and fragrance that make it a delight for people as well as hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. A stalwart plant that has no problem with heat, humidity, or dry conditions,

The garden pockets in this landscape were carved out from the surrounding woods and built to bridge the gap between the cultivated spaces and the wild area. Your native surroundings may not be woodland, but the same basic principles can be implemented. Three main layers make this planting approach possible. See the entire garden here.

According to NASA Earth Observatory, one-third of the United States experienced some level of drought in 2020. Unfortunately, we know this was not a random anomaly but an increasing trend with more and more of the country experiencing extended dry spells. Whether out of necessity or an interest in making more eco-friendly gardening decisions, many

Today we’re visiting with Erin Sweeney. Hello! We began building our house and garden in 2003 in northern New Hampshire. It is all hand-built and has expanded over the years to include a large vegetable garden, a 75-foot stone wall–backed border garden, and a terraced slope. We are in Zones 3–4, with some microclimates that

A well-planned water feature will lend a restful, restorative atmosphere to almost any garden. Whether it is a simple birdbath or fountain, or a larger feature such as a pond or waterfall, incorporating the sight and sound of water can transform an ordinary outdoor space into a personal retreat that feels set apart from the

A garden and a chorus have certain similarities, with lots of different plants or lots of different voices coming together to create something beautiful. If all the plants or voices were the same, the result would be rather dull, to say the least. Each element, plant or voice, has something to contribute. Just as you

If you garden in a low-wind situation, your tall plants probably won’t need staking. However, my big, bold garden is out in the open prairie, so staking is often a necessity. Here are some of the things I’ve learned from experience. See our favorite picks for big, bold plants. Go big from the start There’s

Looking to make an impression in the garden? Check out ‘Venusta’ queen of the prairie—an impressive perennial that rises to the occasion to create a bold, dramatic scene. This underutilized cultivar won the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society way back in 1993. It is a standout, 6-foot-tall naturalizing plant that provides

Containers filled with pollinator-pleasing plants will bring an assortment of fascinating creatures to your yard. From the portfolio of nature photographer Bill Johnson, let’s take a look at some of the pollinator types you are most likely to see. Learn how you can garden for pollinators, whether you have a large garden or small. Domesticated

Prayer plants (Goeppertia spp. and cvs., syn. Calathea spp. and cvs., Zones 9–11) are arguably among the most stunning houseplants you can add to your collection. Though they come in many different shapes and styles, they are known for their distinctive foliage. The geometric, braidlike ­pattern on the leaves looks almost painted on. Prayer plants

Today we’re in Hillsborough, North Carolina, where Terry combines beautiful plants with unusual pieces of garden art and sculpture made from repurposed materials. Money plant (Lunaria annua, Zones 5–9) is a biennial that thrives in moderately shaded spots, putting up clouds of purple flowers in the spring that transform into the silvery, coin-shaped seedpods that

We visited Tracy’s beautiful East Bay, California, garden last week, where we focused on her dry garden plantings of cacti, succulents, and other plants that thrive without supplemental water. Today we’re back to check out her beds with perennials, roses, and other plants that want a little more moisture. A wide view of this part

Today Alina is sharing photos of her mother Joanna’s garden. My mother has been working on her garden for over 20 years. When first purchased, her 1/3-acre property in Waterloo, Ontario, consisted of a house and a couple of trees scattered in a large expanse of lawn. I’m sure glad I wasn’t around to mow

Is there anything ground covers can’t do? They are useful in problem areas like steep slopes, under trees and shrubs, and in spaces that need erosion control. They also reduce maintenance by enveloping areas that would ordinarily need a boatload of mulch to keep weeds at bay. Now, not all ground covers play nice. Some