Feed Yourself and Feed Your Neighbors Too We live in a time where people are beginning to take a second look at growing their own food. Raising your own produce saves money at the grocery store, having fresh produce at hand is convenient, you know exactly what was and wasn’t sprayed on the food you are about to eat and gardening can be very therapeutic for us as well. For centuries people in the United States grew their own fruits and vegetables....

While it’s a cousin of the North American native honeysuckle, L. sempervirens, the Japanese variety was introduced to the continent and has naturalized in many areas, with the exception of the southwestern part of the US. Lonicera japonica What is the appeal of the honeysuckle vine? The nose knows. In some parts of the world, it’s considered the definitive scent of summer. The fragrant blooms beckon to pollinators in the summer months, with the intoxicating, vanilla-like aroma drifting on the warm breeze....

Leaf gall is one of those diseases that can turn a stunningly beautiful camellia into a display that makes you scratch your head. Plants are weird and wonderful. Some days they look picture perfect and other times they look decidedly… wrong. Sometimes the problem is a branch that is growing oddly crooked, or maybe the sun scorched the leaves of a shade-loving species. And then there are those times when disease strikes and causes your plant to do some strange stuff....

Gardening can be hard work. Every year you pull out the tiller and plow through the rock and weed filled ground to make it loose enough to plant in. In addition there are tasks like amending the soil, planting, watering, and weeding among other tasks. For some people it just begins to take too much time, or too much energy. I used to plant my garden the old-fashioned way too. I would put in all that effort and my harvest would be mediocre at best....

1. Shabby Basket Planter Cover the inside of a basket with a large polyethylene and fill it with soil. The rest of the steps are here. 2. DIY Basket Planter Choose a large basket and a pot to display your plants in a modish manner. Learn the detailed How-to at Domino. 3. Easy Basket Planters Upcycle, clean, and paint old baskets into DIY basket planters. Get the tutorial here. 4. DIY Basket Planter Use basket reed, basket cane, scissors, masking tape, and strong glue to weave your homemade basket planter....

Of course, choosing which type to grow can become complicated pretty quickly. Vanilla ice cream or plain white shirts worn day after day with a suit and tie may seem a bit, well, boring. But white roses are anything but. Whether you consider it a color or the lack of color, white can be elegant, fresh, or even dramatic. Plant white roses and you’ll have blooms appropriate for centerpieces, weddings and bridal bouquets, cake toppers, or even just as a single bloom picked and placed in a bud vase as an exquisite self-care gesture....

For this ambrosia, we owe maple trees our most sincere thanks. But of all the species of Acer out there, one in particular carries the maple syrup industry on its back: the sugar maple. Acer saccharum Whether it’s a stack of pancakes or a bowl of piping hot oats for breakfast, I’m always ready and waiting with a Basque-style glass bottle of maple syrup. The ol’ pancreas may not appreciate my carbolicious meal, but with each bite I become more and more appreciative of maple syrup – the savior of bland breakfasts everywhere....

It’s easy to see why van Gogh was drawn to these beauties. Helianthus annuus ‘Teddy Bear’ Even though they look more like miniature mops than a stuffed animal, it’s still quite easy to understand how ‘Teddy Bear’ sunflowers got their name. They’re fluffy, bright yellow, and a comforting small size – especially when compared to their relatives that can grow to 10 feet and taller! Scientists have even determined that the double-bloomed sunflowers in the famous paintings by Vincent van Gogh were ‘Teddy Bear’ types, but they couldn’t find the gene mutation that gave them the green centers as depicted by the artist....

From seed to root, all parts of this plant are edible. Now all you need to know is how to harvest this fragrant herb. While perhaps not the most well known plant these days, throughout much of history, angelica was looked upon as a powerful and important culinary and medicinal herb. Extracts of this plant have been used historically to treat infection, and it was even used in “the King’s Majesty’s Excellent Recipe for the Plague” in the 1600s....

I’ll go over how to use this herb as a green manure, and the garden benefits of using it as a cover crop. I’ll also offer some solutions for sourcing borage seeds. You may be familiar with borage as a lovely garden herb that produces delicate little blue flowers, blossoms that are perfect for freezing in ice cubes for a refreshing summertime twist in your favorite chilled beverages. But did you know this herb, known to us botany geeks as Borago officinalis, can also be used as a cover crop to improve the soil?...

Today’s hybrids and cultivars are the result of cross-breeding and further genetic mutations that have produced qualities like new colors, smoother heads, higher nutrient contents, and increased disease resistance. Look for these characteristics when you choose varieties for the home garden. Growing cauliflower, Brassica oleracea var. Botrytis. comes with many challenges. But with close attention to temperature, moisture, drainage, and air circulation, there’s every reason to expect success with this cool-weather crop....

There are several plants that attract butterflies; here are a few to consider that are just perfect for smaller yards. Many people like to add a bit of action to their gardens by planting plants that attract wildlife. One of the creatures gardeners sometimes like to attract is the butterfly. Its beautiful colors and ability to pollinate flowers are welcome attributes to most backyards. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....

Here’s what you’ll need for the swag in our photos: Making a Christmas wreath is loads of fun, and adds a beautiful touch of natural charm to your holiday decor. But they’re also time consuming to create. And you need to practice your technique first before you’ll get a symmetrical shape suitable for display. So, if you don’t have the spare time for extensive craft sessions, try a swag instead. Loosely structured with a free form, a swag can be completed in well under 30 minutes!...

However, before you plant, be sure to check with your state’s extension service to determine if the cultivation of C. cyanus is permitted in your area. Centaurea cyanus Bachelor’s button, Centaurea cyanus, is a European wildflower that has naturalized across the United States. It is a member of the Asteraceae family that includes asters, chicory, daisies, mums, sunflowers, and yarrow. It’s a vigorous plant commonly found growing among the grain crops in farmers’ fields....

Now an enthusiastic rhubarb convert, the sweet, tart tang of the red-green stalks haunted my winter dreams and made me ache for summer. Even though all of my friends had pie-plant patches in their gardens, I still didn’t. The first time I ever tried rhubarb, it was a squishy mess inside a pie at a chain restaurant somewhere. I never wanted to eat it again. That all changed the summer I moved to Alaska, when my parents convinced me to try the pie at a quaint local establishment, with the best view ever of the surrounding mountains and the Matanuska Glacier....

One of the first things I did when I moved to my current house was plant an asparagus bed. I knew it would take a few years before this delicious perennial veggie would be ready to pick, and I didn’t want to waste any time! Asparagus is certainly a prized garden crop for a reason. Not only is it incredibly crisp and delicious when fresh, but it is one of the rare perennial vegetables that, when cared for and picked appropriately, will continue to produce bountiful harvests for years....

Also known as wishbone flower, bluewings, and clown flower, this compact plant will grow in Zones 2-11. Torenia Fournieri If your shady spots are looking a little dull and uninspired, you may want to consider Torenia fourneiri, which blooms generously and brightly in shade. Another mark in the “wow” column for this lovely annual comes from its velvety bicolored or tricolored trumpet-shaped flowers with their delicate throats of contrasting color....

Drought, shade, and salt barely phase it. It’s totally happy in somewhat sandy, rocky, heavy, or depleted soils. But unlike some tough and adaptable plants, this one doesn’t become invasive and spread into places where you don’t want it. Ilex vomitoria If a plant ever had a botanical name that could drive people to run far, far away from it, it’s this one. I can’t help but wonder if the species epithet vomitoria is part of the reason why this plant isn’t far more popular than it is....

Whether you’ve grown chamomile before and are just looking to make it thrive indoors, or if you’re new to the whole situation, this guide aims to leave you feeling well-informed and ready to grow. Chamomile, with its lovely scent and cheerful flowers, really deserves to be enjoyed all year long. It’s lovely brushing up against it while you’re walking through the garden, but you know what’s even better? Being able to pinch off a flower and pop it in your mouth – or your drink!...

One of my favorite ingredients in fresh herbal tea, this often overlooked herb is easy to grow, with a breadth of medicinal, culinary, and other uses. And it is certain to fill your garden and kitchen with the loveliest of lemony aromas. Melissa officinalis Nothing reminds me of summer quite like the fresh, citrusy scent of lemon balm. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....