A version of this article originally appeared in the Summer 2024 issue of Northern Gardener magazine. Texture is tactile, right? It’s the way plants feel when we touch them, like the sharp tip of a thorn or the fuzziness of a lamb’s ears leaf. In garden design, though, texture is a visual element as well. Garden texture influences how we…
Read More
I just finished my second season as a community gardener, and I’m hoping my third will be the best yet. Through trial and error (mostly error), I’ve learned a few things that might work for you if you are growing food or flowers in a community garden. Set these aside for spring — and have a great season! Know the…
Read More
With the heavy rains we’ve had this year, many gardeners are suffering from tomato problems. Blights and other diseases, cracking, blossom end rot, tomato hornworms — you name it, we’ve had it. This year, I’ve had a different sort of problem on what is my best-looking tomato overall. The tomato is a WonderStar Red tomato, a newish variety that I…
Read More
Hedges can be boring – in some ways, that’s the point of a hedge. They are a straight line of the same plant, trimmed to a neat shape that creates a dividing line in a landscape and a backdrop for more exciting plantings. That’s all good, but why not mix up the plants in a hedge? That’s a question the…
Read More
Digital is efficient, but often my preference is for the physical: books made of paper, fabric you can touch and playing cards that help you plan a pollinator garden. Deal me in! The Pollinator Garden Planning Deck is a new tool for deciding which plants will work best in your garden and provide the food, shelter and nesting sites pollinators…
Read More