Toni Leland has been writing for over 20 years. As a spokesman for the Ohio State University Master Gardener program, she has written a biweekly newspaper column and is the editor of the Muskingum County MG newsletter, Connections; she currently writes for GRIT, Over the Back Fence, and Country Living magazines. She has been a gardener all her life, working soil all over the world. In her day job, she scripts and produces educational DVDs about caring for Miniature Horses, writes and edits books about them, and has published five novels.
Of all the garden blooms that could grace a property, few can compete with the elegance and beauty of the peony. These hardy but magnificent flowers are easy to grow and even easier to enjoy. Read More
Summer's here and it's HOT! Our beautiful gardens aren't the only things that suffer from high temperatures and suffocating humidity. Be aware of how the heat can affect YOU while carrying out your gardening chores. Read More
Brought from Europe to North America in the 1950s, crown vetch quickly outlived its welcome. The aggressive plant is fairly attractive, and performs well as ground cover, but use it with care. Read More
One of my very favorite shrubs is Buddleia, more commonly known as butterfly bush. This hardy shrub is tolerant of almost any type of environment and care (or lack thereof). To add color and texture to your landscape, consider one or two of the newer cultivars. Read More
Over 15,000 species of moss grow on this planet. To some, moss is a thing of beauty, frosting the landscape in emerald green. Read More
Nothing tastes better on a chilly winter morning than a steaming bowl of cooked oatmeal or porridge, dappled with raisins or blueberries, scented with cinnamon, and swimming in cream. Read More
First, the good news--as bold and buzzy as they seem, those big black bees that challenge you will not hurt you! Despite the nuisance of buzzing you or producing a little sawdust here and there, Read More
No other blue quite measures up to the almost iridescent hues of delphiniums commanding the highest post in the garden. Read More
Adventurous gardeners love to experiment, and what better way than to explore some of the lesser-known perennials that don't usually inhabit the local greenhouse. These plants will probably be varieties that you'll need to order (or special order from your local nursery), but the ones covered in this series over the next several articles will bring pleasure and interest to your gardens that will make the search worthwhile. Each article in the series will feature one sun-loving and one shade-loving plant. Read More
A field of white daisies and yellow buttercups is a lovely sight to behold. But if creeping buttercup finds its way into your gardens, you've got trouble with a capital "T"! Read More
For many of us, it's not too soon to be thinking about planting shrubs when the ground warms up. For the homeowner with a small piece of land or condo plot, or the gardener who wishes to spend more time enjoying the landscape than pruning it, dwarf shrubs are perfect choices. Read More
Gardeners and homeowners today are more cognizant of the need to protect our planet and care for our environment. Gone are the days of dusting and spraying everything that moved, or drenching herbicides on plants that sprouted where they didn't belong. Organic and biological controls are the wave of today and the future, and they are as close as your Internet connection. Read More
We've all done it - filled a small empty spot in the garden with a darling little tree or shrub. Then one day, we notice that it's not so little and no longer darling. What was used as filler has now overgrown its appointed place in the landscape. Nurseries and garden centers use the phrase "right plant for the right place." This means not only considering water, light and soil, but thinking farther ahead than the immediate future. Read More
In my article "Controlling Moss in the Lawn," I mentioned that many gardeners consider this invasive plant to be a pest. Another school of thought believes that these simple plants can be incorporated into the garden to expand its beauty. Who hasn't wandered a forest trail, marveling at the velvety green blanket on rocks and logs? That same beauty can be an element in almost any garden. Read More
I recently attended the Ohio State University Master Gardener Conference, and part of the program included a tour of Columbus gardens. Of all the interesting and informative things I experienced, one stands out: the Ohio AEP Rooftop Garden. You're probably picturing palm trees and picnic tables. So did I, but what a surprise and eye-opener this project turned out to be. Read More
Creeping Charlie (or Charley) is a common visitor in many regions and once it settles in, it's as hard to get rid of as free-loading distant relatives! Understanding the conditions under which it thrives will be your best defense against this pesky weed. Read More
Still reeling from sticker shock over the price tag on that beautifully sculpted topiary creation in the garden center? Not to worry--simple indoor or outdoor topiaries can be yours for the price of a potted tree or shrub, a pair of pruning shears, some ribbon, a little courage, and a fair amount of patience. Read More
There is something serene and magical about a topiary garden. The strong structural lines of a maze or hedge, the fascinating perfection of globes and pyramids, and the whimsical nature of green and growing animals and objects take one's imagination to flight. A traveler could spend years visiting the magnificent topiary gardens scattered around the world, but would be unable to choose the best. They are all so fantastic! Here then, is a brief tour of some of the more famous garden "art galleries." Read More
On an early morning stroll through the garden, sipping a mug of steaming coffee and inhaling the fresh dewy air, one comes upon a new begonia bloom with most of the petals chewed off. What a way to start the day! One or two slugs in a flower bed can wreak havoc, so prepare yourself for the onslaught of this night visitor. Read More
Imagine a rainbow of colors as a backdrop for your sun-loving perennials and annuals. Tall stalks of Gladiolus in red, chartreuse, yellow, orange, lavender, purple, apricot, pink, and white. The only missing color is a true blue, but recently, bulb catalogs are boasting hybrid Gladiolus in near-blue. Read More
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