Gretchen Heber 
Banana plants add a dramatic and splashy punch of the tropics to the landscape, but they will succumb to winter’s wrath if they’re not properly cared for. In this article, our experts share several ways to safely overwinter these (mostly) cold-intolerant plants so they are happy and healthy when warmer weather returns.
While many plants, with their beautifully colored flowers, shine brightly in spring and summer, others really come alive in autumn. We put together a list of our favorite woody shrubs that add spectacular fall color to the landscape with their leaves, stems, or flowers. Discover 15 of our favorites in this guide.
When you feel that glorious, chilly nip in the air, you know it’s time for fall shrub planting. Head to the garden store, make some selections, find the shovel in the back of the toolshed, and give your bushes a tremendous head start so they’ll reward you beautifully come springtime. Learn how to plant shrubs in autumn.
Learn everything you need to know about how to grow the majestic olive tree, a large plant that makes a dramatic landscape statement while providing delicious fruit that’s suitable for preserving in brine, oil, or water, or for pressing to make a flavorful oil that’s beloved by cooks around the world. Read more now.
If you’re in need of a quick-growing ground cover that tolerates shade, salt, heat, cold, and drought, consider Asiatic jasmine, the easy-to-grow, low-maintenance import from Japan and Korea that quickly develops a thick carpet of cover, filling in your garden’s most problematic and frustrating bare spots.
Epazote is a pungent, aromatic herb that has been a cornerstone of Mexican and Central American cooking since the time of the Aztecs. Its jagged green leaves have a complex, hard-to-pin-down flavor combining hints of mint, citrus, anise, and oregano. Learn how to plant and grow epazote in this guide. Read more now.
Underutilized in American kitchens but delicious and worthy of a larger role in everyday recipes, leeks are easy to grow. They require rich soil, a good amount of water, and lots of sun. Read on for expert tips and advice about how to add this member of the onion family to your garden, and dine like the French do.
Chard makes a nutritious and colorful addition to your vegetable patch. This leafy green is easy to grow and there are lots of varieties to choose from. With different flavors, textures, and colors you’re sure to find a variety perfect for your garden. Learn more about the different types of chard with our 9 top picks.
You’ve filled your yard with fescue, miscanthus, and fakahatchee for multi-season interest that’s beloved by the residents of your home as well as the wildlife. Wondering how to prune your ornamental grasses? Get tips on the how, the when, and the why of cutting back these artistic and pretty landscape plants now.
Now on Gardener’s Path, learn how to propagate the lovely native American shrub beautyberry. You’ll want as multitutes of these graceful plants with their large, light-green leaves, arching branches, and eye-catching purple berries, and it’s easy to get more plants from seeds or softwood cuttings. Find out more now.
Is your garden bugged by stink bugs? Learn how to banish these malodorous, produce-eating pests from your garden once and for all with tips and hints from the experts at Gardener’s Path.
For dramatic beauty in the landscape, consider purple fountain grass, a showy ornamental that dazzles with colorful leaves and long, droopy, and fluffy plume heads. It’s grown as an annual in most of the US, but overwinters in zones 9-11. Now on Gardener’s Path, learn more about this hybrid plant with African origins.
If you love colorful, fragrant sweet pea vines so much you’d like to have more of them in more parts of your garden, or if you’d like to share with your neighbors, check out this guide to saving sweet pea seeds on Gardener’s Path. You’ll learn which plants to harvest from, when to harvest, and how to store seeds.
Love the flavor of figs but worried you can’t grow them because you live too far north? Northern gardeners have plenty of options when it comes to selecting fig varieties that will do well in colder climates. Our experts offer up 7 of the best cold hardy fig trees and top tips on how to care for them in the winter.
If you are looking for a drought-tolerant flower that blooms profusely from early spring to late fall, consider blackfoot daisy, the heat-loving American native that’s not picky about soil and is resistant to pests, deer, and diseases. You will love its cheerful white flowers and low, rounded form. Read more now.
Splashy, vibrant ornamental peppers can add dazzling bursts of color and texture to the landscape. While they are technically edible, most people find them lacking in flavor or too spicy to enjoy – so why not add them to the garden just for show? Learn how to grow these brilliant beauties now.
If you’re looking for an assertive climbing vine that can take heat and drought and still reward with spectacular displays of yellow, orange, and red trumpet-shaped flowers, consider crossvine, Bignonia capreolata. This evergreen US native is easy to care for, bothered by few pests, and can grow to be 50 feet tall.
Purple martins are one of America’s best-loved birds. Do they call your yard home? To learn how to give them the proper environment to bring their beautiful song and aerial acrobatics to your property, read more now on Gardener’s Path.
Offering a spectacular springtime display of bright yellow, trumpet-shaped blooms, the assertive Carolina jessamine vine happily climbs up arbors and scrambles over fences all over the southeastern United States and beyond. Read our expert advice to learn how to add this easy-care native plant to your garden now.
If you’re looking for a versatile, low-maintenance shade plant that does well in the sun, too, consider Mexican petunia, aka Ruellia simplex. Sporting purple, pink, or white blooms, this easy-care hardy perennial comes in varieties short and tall, and you’ll love its slender, droopy leaves and sometimes-purple stems.
Have you had trouble with your kale plants wilting, and wondered how to end this floppy foible? Check out our complete guide to preventing this droopy problem. You’ll learn about timing, fertilization, water requirements and more. And soon you’ll rejoice at seeing your veggies standing strong. Read more now.
With its characteristic aromatic, spicy, earthy flavor, oregano is used extensively in a variety of cuisines and is a staple in many American spice racks. But why not grow your own? Learn how to add this flavorful, easy-to-grow herb to your backyard garden, plus tips on harvesting and bonus recipe ideas. Read more now.
Perfume your garden, and your neighbors’ gardens, with the glorious scent of Texas mountain laurel. Come springtime, this evergreen shrub displays numerous spectacular clusters of aromatic purple flowers. The lovely plant is drought tolerant, deer resistant, and easy to grow. Get expert tips and advice now.
A number of culinary herbs make excellent groundcover, adding variety, texture, and beauty to the garden and sublime flavor to meals. Learn more about these versatile plants now at Gardener’s Path!
Sometimes full sun doesn’t really mean full sun. Before buying plants, gardeners in hot and dry regions of the southern United States should take our expert advice into consideration, to learn where and what to plant. Read more about hot weather gardening now on Gardener’s Path.
Mint is a prolific, perennial herb that’s easy to grow and propagate, so you can always enjoy a fresh supply of leaves. With a tingling flavor and bright scent, it’s ideal for beverages, savory dishes, and sweets. And it can repel pests in the home and garden as well. Get all the details on how to grow mint right here.
Cucumbers are a summer staple in the vegetable garden, and there are numerous of different cultivars available. Whether you want to grow slicing varieties for salads and sandwiches, or those more suitable for pickling, learn about 33 of the best cucumber varieties and choose your favorites. Read more now.
For vintage flair in a modern garden, consider vining sweet pea. With so many colors to choose from – including pink, lavender, violet, deep purple, red, yellow, white, and blue – you might have a hard time deciding which to plant! Learn why this fragrant flower should be growing in your garden now!
Whether you’re considering an in-ground sprinkler system, buried reservoirs, soaker hoses, or drip irrigation, get expert advice about the benefits of each and learn how they can help to maintain moisture levels in the home landscape. Read more about irrigation methods for home gardeners now on Gardener’s Path.
Are you a fan of Brussels sprouts? Gotten over your childhood hatred of the green gems? Homegrown sprouts taste even better than the ones you’ll find at the store. They’re challenging to grow, but the flavor is well worth the effort. Don’t be discouraged, find your way to success with sprouts now in this guide.
Verbena’s delicate, colorful flowers make them a popular pick in many parts of the country, but these plants have varying requirements depending on where they are grown. If you’re in the south or southwestern part of the US, check out this guide to growing and caring for verbena in warm zones. Read more now.
The fresh taste of juicy homegrown tomatoes is one of the joys of summer gardening. Whether you enjoy them tossed in a summer salad or cooked in a classic sauce, tomatoes are a must-have in the veggie garden. Learn how to plant and grow your own tasty tomatoes and enjoy the fresh taste of summer. Read more now.
Are you open to adding a delicious taste of Latin America to your culinary garden? Consider growing Mexican oregano, the flavorful, citrusy herb whose large, woody shrub form is easy to grow. If you’re north of Zone 9, you can grow this Mexican native as an annual, or bring a container of it indoors to overwinter.
Deep-green Asian, or Asiatic, jasmine is a fantastic ground cover, especially for shady areas of the garden. But like many plants, it can get out of hand. Read more now to learn about several methods for pruning and controlling the spread of this assertive vine. Your neighbors will be glad you did!
Learn how to grow crocus, the vivid-hued, tulip-like flower that offers Northerners the first taste of spring. Find out more now with our growing guide.
Hardy Chicago figs are the perfect type of fruit trees for northern gardeners who would like to enjoy homegrown fresh figs, and who need a cultivar that can withstand chilly weather. Check out our expert advice about how to grow these bountiful trees now, including site selection, watering, and fertilizing information.
Gardeners appreciate dill’s attractive, feathery leaves and its commanding presence in the landscape. But before you add this herb to your garden, carefully consider what you plant nearby – there are good partners out there as well as potential foes. Learn more about the best and worst companion plants for dill now.
Chives are wonderful for adding a light oniony flavor to any number of savory dishes, including soups, salads, and baked potatoes. It’s a cinch to grow your own, especially in pots and containers that are easy to access from the kitchen, whether that’s on the back porch or on a sunny windowsill indoors. Read more now.
Do you live in USDA Hardiness Zones 5-7 and would like to overwinter rosemary? This pungent, warm-weather herb from the Mediterranean is commonly used to season savory dishes and provides interest in the garden. Learn about the different cold-hardy varieties that can withstand brutally cold weather. Read more now.
Wondering when and how to harvest homegrown cabbage? Get tips from our experts that explain the right time for plucking your spectacular spheres of deliciousness, and discover the best methods of picking them from the garden, how to store them in the kitchen, and fabulous recipe suggestions. Read more now.
How would you like to put some soul into your vegetable garden, and your cooking? Learn all about raising nutritious collard greens, an easy-to-grow leafy member of the cabbage family. It brings to the table a rich cultural history indigenous to the American South. Check out our growing tips now.
To get insider tips on why fall is the best time to plant trees in your landscape, discover what “fall” actually means, depending on what part of the country you live in, and get expert advice about all the steps involved in planting trees for the maximum chances of success, read more now.
Learn all about how and when to plant a southern fall vegetable garden, and enjoy homegrown produce well into fall and winter, when your northern friends can’t even see their soil underneath all the snow. Plus, get expert tips on which plants you’re likely to have success with in autumn.
If the name doesn’t intrigue you, perhaps the red and purple flowers of heat-loving bat-faced cuphea will convince you that this Mexican native is a worthy addition to your landscape. Learn more now at Gardener’s Path about this low-maintenance plant that’s a favorite of bees, birds, and butterflies, but not bats.
Now, on Gardener’s Path, learn how to grow the lovely shrub American beautyberry, native to the southeast US. You’ll love the fall and winter interest provided by the plant’s long, arching branches laden with clusters of bright purple berries, which attract many bird species, and are edible for humans, too.
Pretty flowers aren’t just for areas with acidic soil, moderate temperatures, and bucketsful of rain. Now at Gardener’s Path, learn how evergreen desert dazzler turpentine bush contributes resplendent, deep-green needle-like leaves and showy, brilliant yellow blossoms to sophisticated Southwest landscapes.
Sweet potatoes are misnamed but easy-to-grow, healthful root vegetables that are completely unrelated to regular potatoes. Now, on Gardener’s Path, discover the intricacies of harvesting, curing, and storing your own homegrown tubers. You’ll also find some easy and delicious ways to prepare this tasty orange veggie.
Looking to add a taste of the tropics to your garden? Consider growing green cardamom, the spicy, citrusy, minty spice that’s used to season Indian and Middle Eastern savory dishes, as well as delicious breads and pastries the world over. Learn more about growing this delicious spice now on Gardener’s Path.
Looking for an intriguing edible plant with spectacular flowers that will astound the neighbors? Consider growing caper bush, a Mediterranean native whose preserved fruit makes a delicious addition to many dishes. Learn more about growing this tough beauty — and preserving the fruit — now on Gardener’s Path.
Learn from Gardener’s Path how you can add a dose of prehistoric drama to your landscape, home, or patio with sago, an ancient plant from Japan that looks like a palm but is actually related to conifer trees.
Faassen’s catmint is a mounded perennial that’s drought heat and tolerant, and unlike its cousin catnip, it doesn’t drive kitties crazy. You’ll love the gray-green foliage and lavender-blue flowers, not to mention the butterflies and hummingbirds this plant attracts. Learn how to grow it now with our in-depth guide!
While you may have heard of mosquito-repelling plants, and while there are some that contain substances that do indeed repel the dreaded pests, it’s a bit more complicated than simply adding new plants to the landscape. At Gardener’s Path now, learn the best way to keep mosquitoes from biting at backyard barbecues.
Looking for a versatile, small, and fruitful tree for your landscape? Learn all about dwarf citrus, a petite performer that produces sweet and tart fruit of the same quality and size as its full-sized cousins, in a specimen, espaliered, or container form that’s perfect for smaller spaces. Read more on Gardener’s Path.
Whether you want to weave your own linen fabric, boost your intake of healthful omega acids and other nutrients, preserve your butcher block countertops, or just enjoy attractive flowers, consider adding multipurpose flax — either the annual or perennial type — to your landscape. Learn more at Gardener’s Path.
Would you like to grow a beautiful plant that’s virtually free? Pineapple plants are easy to grow from a part of a grocery-store fruit you would normally relegate to the compost bin. Learn how to prepare, grow, and nurture your own beautiful tropical plant in this article from Gardener’s Path that’s all about rebirth.
Whether you’re a seasoned hen-raising expert or a newbie about to embark on this egg-producing hobby, Kathy Shea Mormino’s “The Chicken Chick’s Guide to Backyard Chickens” will teach you all about raising these generous birds in your garden. Read our review of this easy-to-read and humorous book now at Gardener’s Path.
Need a creative DIY project? Garden paths can add interest and practicality to the landscape, and they’re useful and attractive whether you have multiple acres or a small suburban lot. If you’re ready to make some design-savvy changes to your outdoor space, learn how to add walkways to your yard now at Gardener’s Path.
Like many of your other landscape plants, trees need a little extra attention as winter prepares to rear its chilly head. Get the best tips now on Gardener’s Path for preparing your beauties for the arrival of Jack Frost.
It is frustrating and alarming when the top part of an otherwise healthy tree dies inexplicably. Want to learn why this happens, how you can treat this odd problem, and how to prevent it from happening to other trees in the future? Our expert tips can help. Read more now on Gardener’s Path.
TV gardening personality Joe Lamp’l says modern edible gardening is becoming the wide availability of tools and products make modern gardening easier and more appealing to a larger variety of people around the country. Read our interview with the gregarious Joe Gardener on Gardener’s Path now.
Are cockroaches — much to your horror — running amuck in your garden? Check out Gardener’s Path for advice on discouraging and killing these vile creatures. We’ve got ideas for natural deterrents, as well as tips for bringing out the big guns, if you really have to.
Meet Bob Piaschyk, a smart and determined Texas nurseryman whose sharp eyes identified a beautiful and unusual tree. With luck, its propagation could lead to the financing of his grandkids’ educations. Learn about his quest now at Gardener’s Path.
If a top university recommends this tree for its own campus, you know it’s gotta be good. We share five unbeatable reasons why you should plant a fast-growing and easy-care Monterrey oak tree in your landscape — learn more now at Gardener’s Path.
Should you cut back your bicolor or African iris every winter, as you probably do with your ornamental grasses? It depends on a few factors. Learn more about when and how now from Gardener’s Path.
The crape myrtle is celebrated for its abundant groupings of colorful and delicate flowers in hues from white to deep red. If you know anything about these trees, you know that pruning them is a subject of great debate. To learn the proper way to trim crape myrtle trees, read more now on Gardener’s Path.