Vitex agnus-castus Vitex is one of the most liberally reseeding plants I have ever grown. In an interesting twist, it got a couple of its nicknames — chaste plant and monk’s pepper — from old ...
Dear Deer, Leave My Trees Alone
There is no surefire way to rid your garden of the possibility of a deer buffet. As the evening falls, the four-legged rats – *ahem, cough, cough* – majestic creatures leave their shelters and ...
Frilly, Pink, and Easy to Grow: Chinese Fringe Flower
Chinese fringe flower (Loropetalum chinense) has become a go-to shrub for southern gardeners in recent years, and for good reason. In addition to its attractive deep red leaves, this ...
Find the Perfect Japanese Maple for Your Landscape
If you’re looking for a focal point to really set off your home’s curb appeal, don’t overlook Japanese maples. Japanese maple most commonly refers to any cultivar of Acer palmatum, which is native ...
Create a Sustainable Landscape with Essential Native Trees and Shrubs for the Eastern US
Trees and shrubbery are the backbone of an outdoor landscape. However, sometimes we wind up with a yard full of vegetation not well suited to our locale, that performs poorly and does little to ...
How to Survive Jack Frost: Prepping Your Trees for Winter
When winter winds whistle and you’re toasting yourself by the fire, don’t forget about your trees — they definitely need some preparatory love before Jack Frost bites. In gratitude for the ...
What to Do When the Top of Your Tree Dies
I don’t know if we’re cursed or what, but we’ve had two trees exhibit a strange, disfiguring phenomenon wherein the top part of the trunk — the “leader” — died, taking with it numerous scaffold ...
Made in the Shade: 12 Fast-Growing Shade Trees for Your Yard
Good trees do a lot more than offer shade. They act as miniature ecosystems while defining areas of the landscape, and they also provide the benefits of cleaner air. Being in the presence of tall ...
Conifer Confusion : An Identification Guide for Pine, Spruce, and Fir Trees
One of my earliest memories involves planting a spruce tree. We grew up in a very rural part of Pennsylvania, so when I say that my dad and I drove his pickup truck into the woods, I literally ...
Love Letter from the ‘20s: A Guide to Growing Avocados
We all know, of course, that letter carriers deliver the mail. But I wonder how many of you know about the 1920s mailman who “delivered” what would become most popular avocado in the United ...
