John Hoyland, a garden writer and expert on plants, picks his favorite types of kniphofia, or red hot poker, and tells you how to grow them. Photographs by Jason Ingram. When I was in South Africa, I was amazed to see hundreds of flower spikes that lit up in the evening. They were the flowers … Read more
An old favorite, rose campion, also known as Lychnis coronaria, is a must-have in any cottage garden. Each packet contains 45+ seeds. The seeds are very tiny so I always include extras. Rose Campion is a great perennial/ biennial for informal and cottage style gardens. The soft grey foliage will form a neat clump in … Read more
Dahlia tubers start arriving in the mail as early as February but most areas have frost risks into late spring. So what should you do with dahlia tubers in the weeks or months before you can plant them outside? Proper care in spring will give your dahlias the best start. Storing Tubers Until Planting If … Read more
Snapdragon seeds are easy and fun to collect from spent flower heads in your garden. With proper harvesting, cleaning, drying, and storage, you can save snapdragon seeds to plant more of these beautiful flowers next season Why Save Snapdragon Seeds Growing snapdragons from seed you collected yourself has many rewards: It’s inexpensive – no need … Read more
We’ve all been there: you plant your dahlia tubers and wait what seems like weeks, but no sprouts appear. You wonder, Are my dahlias dead? Did I plant them right? Did I do something wrong?. Most likely, you didn’t do anything wrong; they’re not dead; they’re just taking their sweet time to grow! This article … Read more
Stag beetles are some of the most spectacular insects in the world. Their massive mandibles and armored bodies make them look like creatures from science fiction. For insect enthusiasts, getting to own and care for live stag beetles is an exciting opportunity. However, finding reputable sources to purchase these exotic pets from can be a … Read more
Groundcovers are low-growing plants that spread quickly to form a dense cover. They add beauty to the landscape, and they can also solve many planting problems in difficult sites. Grass is the best-known groundcover, but grass is not suited to all locations. Groundcover plants should be used where grass is difficult to grow or maintain. … Read more
Giant Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia nicolai), which is grown mostly for its beautiful leaves, adds a stunning tropical touch to a garden or a sunny room inside. This huge evergreen perennial grows in clumps of woody stems that can be straight or curved and can grow up to 30 feet (9 m) tall. The leaves … Read more
Seeds of Castor Bean (Ricinus Communis Gibsonii) can be grown quickly and easily. This is a very pretty annual plant. The Castor Oil plant is a very useful tropical foliage plant. It is grown from seed annually, easily reaching 5 feet plus in one season. Gibsonii produces a tall and dramatic plant with huge dark … Read more
When to Plant Love-Lies-Bleeding Seeds Love-lies-bleeding thrives in warm weather and cannot tolerate frost. It can be started indoors or direct sown outside after all danger of frost has passed. Starting Indoors Get a head start on the season by beginning love-lies-bleeding seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before your last expected spring frost date. Provide strong … Read more