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Welcome to our library of articles, where you can search and browse over 2,000 articles written by our own team of garden writers. Interested in becoming a Dave's Garden writer? Submit an article to apply.
Boxwood has a use in almost any garden. It can be sheared into neat geometic shapes for a formal garden setting, or left to grow into it's natural shape for a more casual look. As far as height, you will find anything from 2' to 15'. There are cultivars with variegated foliage for a different look. It is as well suited for a hedge as it is for a specimen planting. Come with me as I take a closer look at this very popular shrub.
You can’t keep your kids in a bubble. At some point, they have to go out into the world without you. And when they reach school age, they spend a good deal of time out of the house. Wouldn’t you feel a little better knowing that while at school, they’re not being exposed to pests…OR harmful pesticides?
So I was sitting out on the patio one evening enjoying a lovely glass of Cabernet when my husband appeared in the back doorway. “What are you doing?” he asked, looking a tad perplexed. “I thought you were out here gardening.” “I am,” I replied. “I’m currently honing my Integrated Pest Management techniques.”
On Saturdays, the Writer's Group would like to say thanks by presenting a "You Supply The Caption" photo. A gardening related photo will be presented, and you the Readers will provide humorous captions. The wit available on Dave's is some of the best around, so please join in the fun! This feature is not a "for compensation" article - just our way of saying Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoy...now let's hear some funny stuff!
Those of us that keep plants in the house must be vigilant for the slightest sign of pests. Here are a few common house plant bugs and what to do about them.
As the “Go Green” trend continues to pick up speed, gardeners will be hearing more and more about something called Integrated Pest Management. In the first part of this series, we’ll define IPM and learn about the basics of using this pest control method in your garden. It’s easy, really!
Looking around, a lot of us are lacking space for more plants inside the house and out! So what do you do when you have to start looking for new and unique places to place those new house plants? Here is a short top ten list!
How many times have you walked into your garden and found a freshly sprouted seedling laying on its side, that beautiful newly opened rose bloom you went out to cut totally wasted? You’ve had some unwanted visitors and they’re not doing you any favors. I’ll tell you about some common pests and how to control them to keep your lawn and garden in great shape.
They are everywhere, climbing trees and poles, overtaking fences, trying to climb the house. The wild grape can be annoying but it is useful in many ways. Let us take a closer look at them.
Lentils are one of the protein-rich legumes and said to be more easily digested than larger beans. They are one of the earliest domesticated crops but seldom grown by modern gardeners. Lentils have been found in 5,000 year old settlements in the Eastern Mediterranean and Mesopotamia, in Egyptian pyramids, Hungarian caves, Britain and Switzerland, in even earlier civilizations like the Peruvian Indians.
Ralph Moore celebrated his 101st birthday on January 14, 2008, the same day he retired from 70 years of hybridizing roses, most notably miniatures. What follows is a brief look at what inspires a man to dedicate his life to always question, always wonder what is next, what the new rose will be.
This hot little number is sure to add some smoulder to your Jewel collection. Different in some ways from the other Jewel Alocasias I've discussed here, this one still requires some focused attention to keep it thriving. Read on . . .
When woodland flowers make their spring debut, they are a most welcome sight for nature lovers. In my neck of the woods, no flower is as showy as the Virginia Bluebell.
Known variously as Gazing Globe, Garden Ball, Garden Globe, Victorian Ball, Ball of Happiness, Butler Globe and even Witch Ball, this enchanting piece of garden art has been around for centuries and is now making an entrance back into our outdoor spaces.
Tired of the same old assortment of pots for your burgeoning collection of succulent plants? We were. Good choices for potting succulents are rarely available and at many standard nurseries or garden centers. The following article is a discussion of some solutions to this problem and a pictorial introduction to some of these 'other' pots.
Butterflies are a welcome sight in any garden. If you really want to attract the beautiful "flying flowers," you will need to provide a variety of plant material. As gardeners, we are also interested in the aesthetics of our gardens. So you will want to include some shrubs in your butterfly garden design as the backdrop for the other flowers.
On Saturdays, the Writer's Group would like to say thanks by presenting a "You Supply The Caption" photo. A gardening related photo will be presented, and you the Readers will provide humorous captions. The wit available on Dave's is some of the best around, so please join in the fun! This feature is not a "for compensation" article - just our way of saying Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoy...now let's hear some funny stuff!
I’ve been gardening for a long time and I don’t think there’s been a year where a new disease or insect hasn’t shown up in my lawn or garden. In this first of a series I’ll give you my top 10 plant diseases that you’re most likely to see.
Trees provide structure and “bones” for landscape design. Even a single well chosen specimen can provide a wonderful focal point or anchor a garden bed. Whether you have space for one tree or for dozens, you’ll enjoy them more if you put some thought into choosing them. Planting trees to commemorate an occasion or to remember a special person can give personal meaning to your landscape.
Rubiaceae, the Madder or Bedstraw family houses well known genera such as the Gardenias & Coffea (coffee). It is also home to many lesser known groups like the Ant Plants. Let's take a look at these curious epiphytes & some other plants around the world that make natural dwellings for ants.
If large imposing perennials are your thing, then you must grow Ligularia. Few garden perennials offer such decorative foliage and striking flower displays. For the back of the border, they are second to none! As long as they have steady access to soil moisture, Ligularia will provide you with the ultimate plant for Big, Bold and Beautiful!
When we last visited Mr. Squirrelah, he had just found a new home in the nice people’s yard. He was getting a peanut each day, and had found a comfy hole in a big tree and a nice log for sunning. Let’s check in to see how he is getting along...
OK, so we all have a little garden art here and there. But how do we know when the art stops and the shock-your-family-get-you-in-a-nut-house art starts? Here we go! There are a few little tips to help you know when you have really crossed the line in the world of garden art.
Of all the plants Aunt Bett and I gathered from the mountainside, Plantago was her favorite. It would cure most anything, she said. I didn't think it had much going for it as far as looks were concerned, except it came in two different sizes, fat and skinny. She called the fat one Broadleaf; the skinny one was Snakeweed. I made sure I wore my asphidity bag when we gathered the Snakeweed.
Life in the United States certainly has changed since I was a pup…and I’m only 45. The climate is in a state of flux, the price of gas has soared, and the amount of food being imported into our country will soon outweigh the exported. There’s never been a better time to start growing your own vegetables and fruits. Why? Let’s examine the situation a little further.
Meet Xanthorrhoea, Blue Gums & the ancient Wollemi as we travel from Dreamtime to modern discovery in search of of Australia's most beautiful & significant trees.
A lot of people on Dave's Garden have butterfly gardens; there's even a forum specifically for people to discuss their love of butterflies. But we live within earshot of one of the big old cities in the Northeast. I never thought we would see a butterfly in OUR garden! Today, Earth Day 2008, seemed like the right day to tell you about it...
Japanese gardens (nihon teien) are perhaps the most recognized of the stylistic garden types, and certainly one of the oldest. Some references to this horticultural art are found in eighth century text, and more detailed discussions in modern Japanese manuscripts dating back to 1466.
There is no humor in this subject. If you are still grieving the loss of a recent tornado, fire, hurricane, flood, earthquake or other disaster, this article is not for you. If some time has passed since your disaster, and you are thinking of starting over in the garden, you are welcome to read my experience and suggestions, and take from it anything you may find useful.
We all try to garden for the birds and butterflies, but what about the other critters? Don't shoo them away, make them happy too for a well-balanced, healthy garden. Here are a few ways to do this.
The colors on the leaves of this Blue Jewel are said to be the reverse of those on plants we've been looking at recently. Wait a minute, what does "reverse" mean here? The reverse of what? Let's explore this Jewel, and this dilemma, together - read on. . .
The following article is a discussion, from a personal experience point of view, of the Echeverias. I have grown dozens of Echeverias in pots and in the ground in Southern California and consider them one of the best and easiest plants to grow in this climate. There are hundreds of Echeveria species of which only a fraction are available in cultivation, but I have tried to grow many of these available species (though I certainly have not tried them all). In addition the the species, there is a seemingly infinite number of Echeveria hybrids available and I will discuss a few of these as well.
Living on Reunion island, I am only one hour away by plane of what we call here ‘the big island’ or the ‘the red island’; the Republic of Madagascar. It is quite big, with its 587000 square km compared to our 2511 square km…and has a lot to offer for nature’s lovers.
Earning Texas SuperStar™ status certainly isn’t easy. A plant must not only survive, but thrive, in blistering heat, drought, clay soil and sometimes violent weather.
