Annuals & Perennials
Vegetables
Lawns
Organic
Trees & Shrubs
Containers
Indoor
Common Problems
Garden Design
Tools
Food

You can create a great centerpiece using cut flowers in a short time for not much money. By using larger leafed greens and less expensive flowers your bouquet will sing, but won't break the bank. ...more

How to Care for Koi and Water Gardens

Koi are a great addition to any water garden. Koi can live for many years and will winter over in an outdoor pond if the water is generally greater than 3 feet. If you live an area where the water doesn't freeze than y ...more

How To Keep Cut Flowers Longer

Everyone loves to get fresh cut flowers. When you get them, you want to keep them as long as possible. Here are some great tips to keep those blooms beautiful longer. Flowers keep best when cut with a shar ...more

Growing Wisdom Summer Garden Tour

The summer garden is at its peak and looks best in early to mid summer. In this garden tour Dave Epstein, host of Growing Wisdom, shows you his own garden and what are some of the best plants for summer interest. In or ...more

Plants for tough spots-Low bush blueberry & more

We all have areas in the yard that are tough to get anything to grow. This video explores some of those areas and gives several suggestions on plants that thrive in less than hospitable conditions. At a trip to the New ...more

Plants harmful to dogs

Pets are parts of our family. As such, we want to care for them to the best of our ability. There are plants that are harmful to our four legged friends. Some dogs like to chew or even eat plants. This vide ...more

How to build raised beds for growing vegetables.

When designing a garden using raised beds is a great way to create a wonderful growing space for your plants. Whether you are growing flowers or vegetables, raised beds may be the perfect venue to use. At the Massachusetts h ...more

How to dry and paint allium flowers

Various forms of allium can be dried and painted for year-round use. I used mine in planters and containers in the winter, but you could dry them and use them anytime. Be sure to spray in a well ventilated area and wea ...more

Summer programs at Mt. Auburn Cemetery

It's never too early to think about summer and what you might want to do for fun and excitement.Programs in the summer at Mount Auburn can range from wine tastings to butterfly talks. The programs at the cemetery are unique ...more

Protecting Plants From Painting

When you do any sort of home renovations its a good idea to think about protecting your plants. There are many ways to help save your plants from damage that might occur during these projects. ...more

Small Plant For Foundation Plantings

Foundation plantings along the outside of a home are probably the most common plantings in the country. Choosing the right plants for this location is critical. In this video, we notice that part of the foundation is made of ...more

Butterfly Garden For Children

The flight of a butterfly in a garden is a pleasure to behold. Getting to know butterflies in the wild or in the garden, as with all studies of nature, takes time and patience. Winged adults are fast and shy, often seen as a trans ...more

Managing Changing Light In The Garden

Sunlight is one of the most vital elements for healthy plants. As any gardener knows light changes throughout the day, the month and the year. The sun's angle is never the same two days in row. In addition ...more

Weston Nurseries For Commercial Customers

If you are a landscape professional or are hiring a landscape contractor in the Southern New England are try Weston Nurseries for your planting needs. Weston has been in business for decades and has a large and reliable comm ...more

How To Dry Flowers

1. Pick flowers just before they peak. This is usually a few hours after the blooms open. Pick in the early morning if possible. Get the flowers out of the sun and remove the leaves from the stems. 2.Create a ...more

Growing Flowers For Cutting

There are many flowers to grow for cutting. The key is that they stand up strong in a vase and last a reasonably long time. Here are some flowers that are perennials or bulbs that are good for cutting. Ap ...more

Building An Archway For Plants

Arches and arbors can be expensive to buy and time consuming to build. In this video, Dave Epstein builds an arch from some PVC piping and rebar. The idea is quite simple actually. He used ½ in PVC and ben ...more

Espalier Japanese Maple Bloodgood

Horticulturists and sometimes agriculturalist use the espalier technique of controlling woody plant growth by pruning and possibly grafting branches so that they grow in relatively flat planes. Often the plants are arranged in for ...more

Selecting Tulip and Other Bulbs

Tulips are great bulbs that come in a huge array of colors, sizes and bloom times. It is important to understand the plusses and minuses of growing these perennial favorites. While I am sure some of you will disagree, I find ...more

Weston Nurseries Chelmsford, MA

Weston Nurseries is located in Hopkinton and Chelmsford, Massachusetts. Since 1923 they have have been known throughout the Northeast region for providing exceptional plants including their own introductions of azaleas a ...more

Mount Auburn Cemetery

Mount Auburn Cemetery has been designated a National Historic Landmark by the Department of the Interior, recognizing it as one of the country's most significant cultural landscapes. Founded in 1831, it was the first large-scal ...more

Using Greens In Garden Design

Using greens, plants like lettuce, kale, collard and such, is a great design technique that will be sure to wow visitors to your garden. In this video Dave Epstein shows how greens are used to create a fantastic look in the ...more

Creating A Living Path

Paths are a great design element that allows us to move through our gardens. Living paths use plants to create additional interest from the path itself. In this video Johnny's Selected Seeds has used some of their favo ...more

Creating Backyard Ponds

Water gardens and ponds are great additions to any backyard. In this video Dave shows how he has expanded his water garden in a much larger feature. I think on of the key things to remember is that this is an ongoing proc ...more

Pruning Dead Branches

Plants go through natural cycles of loosing branches. As such, its a good idea to keep on top of pruning them. Pruning out the dead branches promotes better air circulation, even growth of living branches and lets face ...more

Gardening Using Sculpture

Sculptures can be a great addition to the garden. See how Dave Epstein uses several sculptures in his garden to create an interesting landscape. ...more

Plants For Screening

Neighbors are great to have, but sometimes we want a little privacy. There are a select number of plants that grow tall and skinny and make for great privacy screens. Beech, Oak and certain evergreens all come in varie ...more

Designing In Small Spaces

Designing a yard in a small space can prove to be a challenge. By selecting the right plants and placing them properly you can achieve a masterful design in a small urban yard. In this video Gary Koller shows Dave Epst ...more

Proper Planting Tip-Healthy Roots

Dave shows you how to plant container plants successfully ...more

Hardscape Supports For The Garden

Hardscape accents like fallen trees, old fence posts or even old pieces of rebar can you used around the garden in a variety of ways. Whether using them for supports, borders, or marking rows accents are an important part of ...more

Growing Pitcher Plants

The native Pitcher plant, Sarracenia, comes in many varieties including hybrids. These insect eaters grow between 4 inches tall for the Parrot Pitcher and up to 3 feet for the Yellow Pitcher. Pitcher plants naturally grow in ...more

Weston Nurseries Overview

Weston Nurseries is located in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, 25 miles west of Boston. They are known throughout the Northeast region for providing exceptional plants including their own introductions of azaleas and rhododendrons. &ldq ...more

How To Mulch New Plants

New planting of trees and shrubs can be especially susceptible to drying out if not watered correctly. Mulching new plants can help conserve water a great deal. Whenever you put in a new tree, shrub or perennial its a go ...more

Foundation Planting Guide

Foundation plants can be tricky to pick. They might look good the first few years and then grow too big. Using a weeping red bud aka cercis will help anchor the corner of your home. I choose to use this ...more

New England Grows Overview

NE Grows is a trade show for horticultural professionals. It is where industry leaders exhibit their products and a great way to keep in contact with clients and build new business. ...more

Landscapes For Businesses

The entry way to a business is the first thing your customers see. Landscaping can make your business a more inviting place. Choosing the right design and the correct plants is critical to make that happen. The entry ...more

Waking Up Plants From Winter

If you store plants in the house or garage for the winter it is important to wake them up slowly in late winter or early spring. To do this you basically need to give them water very slowly. Depending on what container t ...more

Learning About Living Walls

New England Grows provides continuing education and contact hours for horticultural professionals, as well as one of the most popular green industry trade shows in North America. There are many seminars at New England Grows includ ...more

Small Leafed Rhododendron In Design

Rhododendrons are a great plant to add winter interest to any garden. Using small leafed rhododendron is more unique way of designing rather than use the larger leafed types. Rhododendron shrubs like acidic soil that i ...more

Identifying Clearweed.

Clearweed is a common woodland plant that occurs in many parts of the country from the midwest to the northeast. It can be a nuisance in the garden as it can take over and grow in large clumps. It can be found in poorly drained ar ...more

Homemade Cleaning Solutions

Want to make your kitchen a safer place? You can without toxic chemicals that may also damage the environment. There is this great inexpensive way to make a wonderful solution with just two common ingredients. ...more

Using A Cold Frame

Cold Frames can allow you to start plants early and keep them growing later each season by offering protection from the cold.I got my cold frame from Johnny's Selected Seeds in Maine. Strong, beautiful design, made in Maine from t ...more

Cleaning Garden Accessories

When disease strikes the garden you want to do everything possible to make sure it doesn't happen again. Cleaning any tool or other garden implement that was exposed to the disease can go a long way to making this happ ...more

Choosing The Right Soil

Over the past decade bagged soil has come a long way. Today you buy soil for any need. Watch this video to learn all about which bag of soil meets your need. Most mixes of soil are various mixtures of peat, compost, and top ...more

Designing For Fall Color

Designing for fall and winter is an important part of how to create a year round landscape. See our video on three plants that peak in fall and learn more about designing for the seasons. In this video we look at the brilli ...more

Ventilation For Low Tunnels

Low tunnels are a great way to extend the gardening season both early and later than normal. If its warm, your tunnel might need some ventilation. Here is a great way to create some ventilation easy and cheaply. ...more

Street Print With Asphault

StreetPrint® is also known as Stamped Asphalt or Patterned Paving is the original Decorative Asphalt Solution. StreetPrint® is a proprietary system that is installed using IPC’s patented StreetHeat® asphalt rehea ...more

The Common Ground Fair

The Fair allows fairgoers to make connections with a rapidly expanding base of organic farms in the state of Maine. Hundreds of vendors, exhibitors and demonstrators, more than 1,000 volunteers, and tens of thousands of fairgoers ...more

Spinning Your Own Wool

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 ...more

Designing A Garden

The design of a new bed is really wonderful opportunity to add something really special to your property. Some careful planning goes a long way to making your new bed an integral part of the landscape. ...more

Rhododendron In Bloom

Wayne Mezitt of Weston Nurseries writes the following. "Few garden plants are as popular and so widely used in New England landscapes as rhododendrons -- and rightfully so. Our climate and soils are well suited for this group ...more

Using A Trellis

A Trellis is a great accent piece for the garden. You can use them in almost any garden large or small. They make a great way to grow and display all sort of plants. When choosing the trellis think about color, shape ...more

Plantings For Ponds

Ponds are a great addition to any landscape and creating floating islands in the ponds is a unique way to create a fantastic habitat for many wetland creatures. At the New England Wild Flower Society in Framingham, MA they have ...more

The Slow Food Movement

As the world we lives continues to move entirely too fast for many of us the slow food movement is gaining momentum. This movement returns us to a time when what we ate was a part of where we lived and how we lived. Ta ...more

Replacing A Driveway

Replacing a driveway is one of those homeowner neccessities that you won't have to do more than once or twice if done right. McNulty Corporation is the company I worked with to have my own driveway done and I was very happy with t ...more

Bee Balm & Loosestrife Perennial Design

Bee Balm and Gooseneck Loosestrife make a nice statement when put in the garden together. The red and white combination is striking for the middle or back of the perennial garden. Why I think this works together is that t ...more

Choosing The Proper Bird Food

There is a huge variety of bird seed and much of it almost any bird will eat, but there are some specific seeds to use if you want to attract specific birds. Some birds can be very fussy about what they eat. Others will eat wha ...more

Hamamelis For Early Color

Hamamelis is a great plant and a must have for any gardener. The spring variety blooms in January,February or March and grows to a small tree over time. There are several varieties of these plants. Some come in yellow, oran ...more

Edging The Garden With Perfection

Keeping a crisp edge on the garden border is an important part of the garden. By creating a unique edge of stone the gardens 'pop' out of the background. My edge is comprised of 1 1/2" river stone. I have a border ...more

Attending New England Grows

New England Grows is one of the largest and most popular green industry events in North America ---- known for its progressive educational conference and world-class exhibition. In 2009, close to 13,000 green industry professio ...more

NE Grows Trade Show For Professionals

Gardening and Microclimates

You know what plant zone you live in but your plants keep dying even though they are suppose to be hardy. It might be the microclimate. Some microclimates can change an area by half or a full zone. Areas that are wi ...more

Creating A New Foundation Planting

Creating a new planting for a foundation can dramatically change the look and feel of your home. If you are thinking of selling your house this can be a great way to capture a buyers attention right away. ...more

Preventing Winterburn On Broadleaf Evergreens.

Broadleaf evergreens such as hollies and rhododendrons loose moisture all year. Using an anti-desiccant product such at Wilt-Pruf can help protect these types of plants. Spraying an anti-desiccant is one method of prevent ...more

Unique Evergreens For Hedging

Hedges help create rooms, boundaries and define space. There are certain evergreen that are perfect for hedges. I like to use different varieties of chamaecyparis and white pine to build natural walls around the ...more

Fall Transplanting

Fall is one of the best times to transplant most anything. The great thing about moving plants in the fall is that they have a much higher success rate. In this video we transplant roses, a small rhododendron and some peo ...more

Deer Proofing Your Yard

Deer can devastate a garden by eating valuable plants. One sure way to prevent deer damage is to put up a deer fence. There are a variety of companies that make deer fencing material. You can put up the fence yourse ...more

Harry Lauder's Walking Stick

Harry Lauder's Walking Stick is one of those plants that shines in winter. When the leaves fall off this specimen is at its best. This interesting plant is really a grafted shrub. Coming from the rootstock Corylus colu ...more

Focal Points In The Garden

Placing a plant, especially something like a large leafed annual is a critical step in the creation and maintenance of a garden. The poorly placed focal point can have the exact opposite from the desired affect. I love la ...more

How To Support Vines

Growing annual vines is fun and interesting. Flowering vines like morning glory can reach 20 feet or more in just a few months. Many vines need support and fishing line is a useful tool to have the vine cling to on the ...more

Gardens Of New England By Dave Epstein

With an eye for color and light, photographer Michael Hubley traveled across New England to capture some of the most eye-catching public and residential gardens of the Northeast. What he found were stunning private gardens that re ...more

Watering Gels For Plants

If you find your plants dying from lack of water perhaps using watering crystals is a good idea for you. These polymers are made of a material that absorbs up to 400 times their weight in water. By placing these cr ...more

Designing A Poolside Garden

When designing an area like a pool deck there are a lot of factors that have to be taken into consideration. Light, soil conditions are obvious. However, there is the traffic of people around the pool, the chemicals fr ...more

Learning About Weston Nurseries

For decades, the people at Weston Nurseries have been known for their knowledge and enthusiasm about gardening. Our customers have relied on our staff to answer questions about plants, gardening, and the wide range of dependable p ...more

A Fall Video Garden Tour

Fall is still a wonderful time to appreciate the garden. Dave Takes you on a special tour of the late season yard. There are a variety of plants in bloom in late fall and some of the plants that have been chosen for th ...more

Building a Stone Planter

Building a stone planter is a fun way to create something in your yard that you can use for years to come. There are some important steps to follow for success. 1. Decide on your location for your planter. 2. Dig a 1 ...more

How To Can Vegetables & Fruits

Canning tomatoes is quite easy and you can use this method for other fruits and vegetables that have been processed for 15 minutes or longer. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until they are ready for use. Ladle hot toma ...more

Attracting Hummingbirds To The Garden

As I write this article I am looking outside through the rain at my humingbird feeder. If you look closely on the left side you can see the red hanging from a post. The right side of this picture is the computer screen. ...more

Back Of The Perennial Border

In the perennial garden the back of the border is one of my favorite areas to be creative. Since it is in the back you can some risks you might not want to take in the front. For example, plants that loose their lower ...more

Plants That Butterflies Love

Butterflies are a wonderful bonus that comes with growing native wildflowers. You can create your own butterfly garden in your own yard that covers an entire acre or just a small container. The butterflies will find yo ...more

How To Identify Poison Ivy

Poison Ivy. Just those two little words make my skin itch. I hate the stuff and I am highly allergic as well. I get it every year and have a whole host of products to combat the nasty plant. Of course ...more

How To Make Hydrangeas Blue

Do you grow hydrangea? Did the tag tell you they were suppose to be blue yet they are pale white or even light pink? Unless the tag was wrong, the problem is the soil and the nutrients in the soil. One of the mos ...more

How To Use Tools Correctly

When using tools like shovels and rakes there is always the risk of injury. It is important to not use your back rather use your legs. Work slowly and take rests after a few minutes. Always do stretches as ...more

How To Fix A Leaky Backyard Pond

Having a water garden is a great addition to any landscape. Water gardens are relatively easy and maintenance free. However, overtime they may develop a leak. There is nothing quite so frustrating as to see t ...more

Proper Stretching For Gardeners

If you do any sort of yard work from raking leaves to moving rocks to planting trees you know that it is easy to injure certain parts of your body. Stretching before, during and after your yard work will lessen the chances t ...more

How To Choose The Right Bird House

To get the most birds in your yard it is important to have food, water and shelter. The shelter part can be one of the trickier aspects of bird watching but with a little education and persistence you should be able to attra ...more

How To Get Cuttings To Root

Rooting materials Clean, coarse, construction-grade sand is suitable for rooting many cuttings. It is also excellent mixed with an equal volume of peat moss. Vermiculite is a lightweight material used for rooting. It holds water ...more

How to Attract Bluebirds to Your Yard

...more

How To Germinate Seeds Like A Professional

Starting seeds indoors in late winter and early spring can be a very rewarding endeavor. As a gardener, growing your own plants from the time they are just a seed, brings something of an added accomplishment to the hobby. &n ...more

How To Force Branches To Bloom

A tall vase of blooming forsythia branches can bring spring inside weeks early. By gathering branches of flowering deciduous shrubs and trees and forcing them to bloom or leaf out early in your home you feel better especially in t ...more

How Maple Syrup Is Made

Pure maple syrup is made by concentrating the slightly sweet sap of the sugar maple tree. The basics needed for making maple syrup therefore are some sugar maple trees and a method of concentrating the sap into syrup As ...more

How To Bring Color To A Winter Garden

Winter can be a bleak time of the year. However, adding several evergreens, some specimens with wonderful bark and form and you can create a 12 month garden that will be the envy of everyone. You might want to check ...more

How To Choose The Right Bird Feeder

Birds in Your Backyard 101 This article will explain the secrets of successful birdfeeding. Learn about the basic type of feeders, the different types of seed and the wonderful birds that you can attract right outside your ...more

One Of The Easiest Indoor Plants

Zamioculcas zamiifolia is commonly called the "ZZ plant" in the trade. I find the ZZ to be an exceptional performer in any light. Especially the low light levels where few plants grow ...more

How To Cut A New Garden Bed

Gardening is one of those hobbies that will have 10 different people telling you 10 different things. Even before you purchase your first plant for a bed, you will hear all sorts of ideas on how to cut the bed. Straigh ...more

Bringing Color To Your Home

Ever get a tip from someone that seemed really simple but made a huge difference? A few years ago I got such a tip. A friend of mine showed me that nearly all of the 80 or so plants in my house had the same containers. ...more

How To Create Spectacular Patio Designs

Ever go to a friend or families house and see a design element in the garden you just loved? Perhaps it was the material used for the patio, or a special rock or even a unique bird bath. My good friend Gary Kolle ...more

Using Garden Chatter and Forums

One of the great aspects of gardening many of us love is sharing. We share our plants, our produce and our knowledge. Here at Growing Wisdom we have a section where you can exchange ideas and ask each other questions a ...more

Preventing Snow and Ice Damage To Landscaping

Cold weather and snow can do a considerable amount of damage to plants. However, there are ways to mitigate the damage. Here are three ways to protect plants from cold and/or snow. The first is to make a tent ou ...more

Closing Down Your Pond For The Season

In late fall and early winter it is time to close down a garden pond for winter. Shutting down the pond is actually quite easy. Clean out the filters and pumps, shut off the electricity and store all the material for t ...more

Preventing Winter Damage To Plants

Several types of winter plant damage occur in our area. The most obvious type referred to as tip-kill or die-back, is a result of the local conditions - mainly cold winds, bright sun, and low relative humidity. These conditions ac ...more

Dual Uses For Houseplants & More

Do you ever go to someone’s house for a party and they give you a gift to take home? The gift is often a simple way of saying thanks for being part of a great evening. Instead of going out and buying gifts for ever ...more

Caring For Ornamental Grasses In Winter

I love ornamental grasses. They are true workhorses in the garden. In the summer they move majestically in the wind. In fall they flower wonderful delicate plumes of color ranging from white to brown and even purple ...more

Water Features In The Meditation Garden

Water is an important element that you can add to any garden. I tell people that adding a water feature to a garden is a simple as adding a rock that collects rainwater or as complicated as building a pond with thousands of g ...more

Making Your Own Centerpiece

The holidays, parties, weddings, and many other functions all call for centerpieces. How many of you have run around your town looking for just the right centerpiece to finish off the table. There are wonderful flori ...more

Plants For A Meditation Garden

I recently headed over to a meditation garden at West Woods in Westwood, MA. The garden was designed by my friend and mentor Gary Koller. Gary has taught me a lot about garden design and has a love of plants that surpa ...more

How To Use Color To Design Interesting Containers

Color is very important when designing a container. In fall many of us change out the summer container for a more autumnal feeling. This is a great idea and quite easy to do. I recommend picking a color that you ...more

Cleaning Up The Vegetable Garden

It's always a sad time for me when I start cleaning out the veggie garden. That said, it's also exciting to know that I have another year ahead to grow more things. When cleaning out the garden in the fall, it' ...more

The Classical Labyrinth and Garden

Recently, I had the pleasure of visting a classic labyrinth at The Center at Westwoods in Westwood, MA. The labyrinth was designed and built by Colin Garland. Colin gave me a great tour of this amazing space and showed ...more

An October Flowering Gem In White

During the month of October, perennial gardens can be empty of flowers. Much of the country is undergoing a transition into winter, and color starts to shift to trees and shrubs. One trick I like to use to make my pe ...more

Sweet Autumn Clematis

The deeper into fall we get, the harder it is to find flowering trees, shrubs, and perennials. However, there are a few foolproof plants that I think everyone should find a spot for in their garden. One of these plants i ...more

Having Patience When Planting

Rush, rush, rush. Hurry up. Is it done yet? We live in a time when we expect instant gratification. So too have many homeowners turned to the instant lawn, the mature tree, and the overnight extreme garden ma ...more

A Must Have Perennial, the Peony

Almost no garden perennial rivals the peony. It's truly a wonderful plant. There's nothing like the smell of these beauties in late spring; and even after the flowers are done, the leaves lend a stature to the garden. & ...more

Using One Perennial To Hide Another

A good garden is one that has interest twelve months of the year. A good garden is also one that uses interesting pieces to conceal less interesting ones. What do I mean by this? Well, consider daffodils. Each spring, ...more

Using Plants To Create Outdoor Rooms

One landscape idea that's getting a lot of attention these days is outdoor rooms. More and more people are starting to enjoy the practical benefits of dividing their yards into discrete spaces. There are many reasons to crea ...more

What To Look For In A Backyard Water Garden

This week I took a tour of a water garden in the suburbs of Boston. The great thing about this garden is how complete it is. We show you a variety of plants and ways to use them to soften the look of a pond and create a ...more

The Importance Of Measuring Rainfall Accurately

You garden looks dry, but you think to yourself, "It just rained! How can that be?" Well, our perception of rainfall is not always accurate. You might hear a shower in the middle of the night and think there's enough wat ...more

Creating The Smallest Of Water Features

If you watch my videos on a regular basis, you know I love water features. If you have a large yard, creating a water feature is more an issue of time and money than space. If you have a small yard, patio, or deck as ...more

Creating Drama with Tall Plants

Most of us know that taller plants should be placed in the back of the garden. The reason is twofold: They look better there, and they won't block the light falling on the shorter plants. Tall plants can ground the garde ...more

Providing Entrances and Exits: Using a Trellis

An arbor is a great way to create an entrance or exit to the yard and garden. The only problem is finding the right location for one in your own yard. Look for a spot that, when filled with the arbor, will help separate one a ...more

Hiding That Ugly Fence: Interesting Vines for the Yard

I was walking by a chain link fence the other day and noticed how unattractive it was. I then thought, wouldn't it be great to be able to hide the links with some vines? Here is a partial list of my favorite vines.&nbs ...more

Adding A Fragrance Dimension In Your Garden Using Woody Ornamentals

Wayne Mezitt wrote this week's muse about adding fragrance to the garden. It's a great article with lots of wonderful information. Here is what he says. "Of all our senses, our sense of smell is ...more

Finding Beauty in Weeds

What is a weed anyway? It's just a plant that someone else finds undesirable. If you got enough people telling you how beautiful dandelion was the next thing we know it would be sold for $9.50 a flat in all the nu ...more

Bringing the Outdoors In: Cutting Flowers

This time of the year many of you have flowers in the garden. I am a huge proponent of cutting flowers, branches, big leaves and bringing them inside. Almost any flower can be cut. The difference is that ...more

Getting Through the Summer

This is the time of the year when lawns can look a bit tired. Here in the northeastern part of the country, lawns go dormant in the summer. If you don’t provide your lawn with enough water, it will turn brown. In the fall, w ...more

Using Ornamental Rhubarb in Your Garden and More

Welcome to mid-July. It’s a great time of year. When the weather is cool, like in the morning, that's the best time to work in the garden. Here are some tips for this week. Water early in th ...more

Choosing Native Plants for Your Garden

This week I got a chance to speak with Tom Smarr at the New England Wild Flower Society. Tom is the horticultural director there and walked with me through the woodland exhibit and propagation area, offering lots of informa ...more

Enjoying Your Garden

As we approach the middle of July, the most important thing to do is remember to enjoy your garden. Too often we invest a lot of time and energy in the upkeep of our gardens and then forget or don’t take the time to sim ...more

Caring for Your Pond in the Summertime

Summer is the time to enjoy all the hard work of the spring. So sit back and listen to the sounds of the water, watch the wildlife that comes to visit, and have people over to share these experiences with you. You won't need ...more

Early July Tips: Protecting Against Mildew

This week, I encourage you to check your plants for mildew. You can recognize the problem by the white, soft, fuzzy appearance of the mildew on the leaves. The mildew won't harm most plants, but over the years it can cause p ...more

Choosing The Right Mulch

Mulch. It's not the most glamorous subject, but you might be surprised by how many types of mulch there are. Check out the list at the end of this article. Some types may not be available in your area, but the list shows ...more

Creating That "Purple Pop" In The Garden

This time of year, we're surrounded by green -- green grass, green leaves, green weeds. As we get deeper into summer, it becomes harder to have lots of color in the garden. Annuals certainly help create color, as does pl ...more

Exploring Eco-Friendly Design

This week, I had a chance to meet with Deb Strick of the New England Wild Flower Society to talk about some of the great pieces of work on display at the Society's headquarters, Garden in the Woods, in Framingham, Mass. "Art Goes ...more

Discovering A New Type Of Rose

If you're like me, when it comes to roses, it's a love-hate relationship. A few years ago, however, I discovered KnockOut Brand roses, and the frustration ended. So my tips this week are as follows: 1. Find a place for at l ...more

Early June Tip: How To Grow Morning Glories

This week’s tip is to plant a morning glory where it can climb. For the past several years I have planted 'heavenly blue' morning glories at the base of a telephone pole by my house. By August they've climbed more ...more

Tips On Picking Plants In The Nursery

You might think there's not much to buying plants for your yard. However, this is not the case. Garden centers are like candy stores for adults. We see things that look good and we want to have them. Many times we ...more

Tips To Prepare For Memorial Day

Many gardeners consider Memorial Day to be the official start of the warm weather garden season. The reality is that most of you have put your warm weather plants outside already. Here are some things to keep in mind ...more

What To Do In May: Week 3

As May presses on, it's important to continue to stay on top of things in the yard. 1. It's most likely okay to put out your summer plants now. We should be done with frost. If a frost does occur, you can use a sheet to ...more

How To Use Accents In The Yard

Accent pieces in the yard are incredibly important, because they add a focal point and bring your eye to them. An accent piece can be a group of plants, a single tree or shrub, a sculpture, an urn, or even just an old piece o ...more

What To Do In May: Week 2

Here are some ideas and recommendations for the week. 1. Plant a potted herb garden. Use any pot you like -- just make sure it's at least 8" deep. 2. Weed, weed, and weed some more. Lots of weeds coming up i ...more

Early May Tips

1. Prune any remaining dead wood on roses. Any wood without leaves at this point most likely did not make it trough the winter. Prune to 1/4" above the healthiest shoots. 2. Plant lettuce and other cool weather c ...more

Late April Chores

As we head towards the end of April there is no shortage of chores in the garden. Here is my list for the second half of the Month. 1. Edge the beds. Use a good sharp edger. Be sure to leave a nice gap between l ...more

Spring Cleanouts For Ponds

Author: Tom Frost-Metrowest Water Gardens Do you want to give your pond the best start possible for a successful pond season? Then you will want to make sure you give your pond a one-time thorough spr ...more

Warmer Weather, More Things To Do

Here is the top 10 for me this week. Hope this helps you as well. 1. Finish putting down lime and pre-emergent on lawn 2. Edge the garden beds 3. Plant cool weather crops, lettuce, peas, and radish 4. Feed shrubs and per ...more

Caring For The Yard In Early Spring

It’s been a cold spring so far and this is going to continue through mid-April. I see the jet stream continuing to bring cold air in from Canada. Therefore, we have to hold off on some things we would otherwi ...more

Soil Testing: An Invaluable Step In Gardening

Testing your soil is one of the most valuable things you can do in order to have a successful garden. I can not stress enough how important this is to have done. As gardeners we often think we know ...more

Its Not Junk, Its Art

While driving on an old road in Maine last summer I stopped at an antique dealer to see how much the old milk can was being sold for sitting on the lawn. After a quick back and forth I walked away with my beat up pri ...more

Get Our Newsletter

» submit

Find us on iTunes

Dave's Latest Tweets Twitter

Annuals & PerennialsVegetablesLawnsOrganicTrees & ShrubsContainersIndoorCommon ProblemsGarden DesignToolsFood

Garden Design

Latest Videos

Growing Vegetables in Raised Beds

Attracting and feeding hummingbirds

Creative projects with cut flowers

The lastest trends in gardening and horticulture

Protecting plants from cold weather

How to build a deer fence

Growing Fall Vegetables & November Chores

Repairing winter damage