Mickey Gast

If you’ve never had a plant break your heart, try growing a gardenia! Gardenias blooms are the work of a fairy tale, if that fairy tale is Goldilocks and the …

I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who actually bought irises to plant in their garden, like you would roses or rhododendrons. Come to think of it, every iris grower …

A crowded patch of irises is the most common reason for a disappointing show of flowers. If you’ve experienced a disappointing flush of iris blooms this spring, then it’s probably …

It’s been sixteen years since Heather Jo Flores published the book Food Not Lawns, and the #nolawn revolution is picking up pace faster than you can say “No Mow May.”  …

I don’t know about you, but I find it physically impossible to walk past dahlia patches and not stop and admire them. I’ve been known to travel far and wide …

I’m not in the habit of checking the Guinness World Records website before I write a gardening article, but when my research uncovered that the world of competitive gardening is …

With their deep green glossy leaves and blooms that resemble cotton candy, rhododendrons never fail to add a good dose of curb appeal to gardens and public spaces alike. So …

In our previous growing guide, we talked about how begonias can brighten up your garden with their colorful long-lasting blooms and stunning foliage patterns. But begonias can be equally happy …

One of the fascinating things about begonias is that once you decide that growing them is a good idea, you’ll start noticing them everywhere. With over two thousand known species …

The first few times I saw real anemones, they were elegantly tucked into bridal bouquets. With their slender stems and marshmallow-like blooms, anemones looked as fragile as they did elegant.  …

When I published this post about fertilizing peonies, I already knew I was going to write about some of the reasons why some peonies don’t bloom. But my decision was …

In a gardening class I once took, the instructor compared the pruning of plants to cutting our hair. You can’t just let your hair grow forever, and at some point, …

When asked whether she loved or hated peonies, one of my gardening friends (who had been growing peonies for a couple of decades) replied simply “yes.” And it made perfect …

I don’t know how many people would consider their yards as outdoor living rooms. But once I started thinking about my yard and garden in those terms, I experienced an …

Even though climbing vines aren’t necessarily the easiest plants to get started in a garden, once established, they are excellent at accomplishing several goals. A few of the advantages of …

Imagine stepping outside into your garden on a mellow summer morning and finding yourself engulfed in a sea of color while waves of fragrance tickle your senses. The gentle breeze …