That’s how they grow in the warmer regions of my New Zealand homeland. Clivia spp. The bold flower clusters of Clivia in early to mid-spring and their arching, often symmetrical, strap-like foliage make them stunning additions to an indoor plant collection. This guide will discuss how to care for them as houseplants. Most clivias can’t tolerate cool temperatures, but if you’re in Zone 9 or 10, they’ll grow happily outdoors all year in the right conditions....

There are about 70 species from which to choose, and mixing and matching results in beautiful landscape displays. If you have hostas, you know that these herbaceous perennials are some of the best shade plants for USDA Hardiness Zones 2 to 8. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. In green, white, yellow, and variegated combinations, the leaves – often of enormous proportions – brighten dark areas of the landscape to bring them into vivid focus....

Fountains are also easier to maintain than many other water features, and are relatively painless to install. Few elements in any garden manage to elicit the same reaction as a well-placed water feature. It conjures calm and can tie together an entire landscape. Go on, close your eyes and imagine the trickling sound of water while you feel a soft breeze and catch a whiff of butterfly bush… It’s nice, ain’t it?...

If you’re feeling the same way about the end of summer, it’s time to add some dazzling fall flowers into the garden mix, and clematis can be just the thing. As the summer fades, so do many of the beautiful floral displays we’ve come to enjoy. Sure, we have fall foliage, sunny chrysanthemums, and moody asters to look forward to. But sometimes I know I’m just not ready to let go of the floral abundance of the warmer months....

I’ve included some open-pollinated heirlooms with deep historical roots, some super productive and disease resistant hybrids – and some oddball varieties for the adventurous among us. If the thought of summer squash brings to mind images of yellow crooknecks and little else, get ready to make a new discovery – there are so many different types! These include straightnecks, zucchini, pattypans, round cultivars, and even some with bold stripes and other intriguing patterns....

Have a look at the Most Popular Dracaena Varieties for Indoor Growing that can survive in a range of growing conditions, are also really easy to look after, and purify indoor air! Check out our article on the best types of Dracaenas here Most Popular Dracaena Varieties for Indoor Growing 1. Dragon Tree Botanical Name: Dracaena marginata Also popular as the Madagascar dragon tree, this easy-to-care and slow-growing variety can grow up to 4-5 feet tall....

That used to be my experience, as well. But then a few years ago I started changing up the way I did things, and now I have parsnips popping up all over the place. There are some plants out there that I just won’t grow from seed. But not parsnips. These exceptional root veggies are fairly straightforward to start (no stratifying needed here) once you know what to do. And because they have long taproots that don’t like to be disturbed, they practically beg to be started from seed....

Viola × wittrockiana plants are hybrids, and centuries of horticultural experimentation have gifted us gardeners with a vast array of colors to choose from, including many bi- and even tricolor options. Pansies are such a welcome relief, blooming brightly in late fall, and bursting into a riot of color in late winter or early spring. They flower at such an unlikely time, you may be too busy appreciating their cheer in a bleak landscape to notice that different varieties have their own distinct appeal....

In the best of health, it is a floral diva aswirl in rich, jewel-like tones. But disrupt its ideal growing environment and it melts down, dramatically dropping leaf after leaf until its denuded stems make you want to avert your eyes. Garden croton, Codiaeum variegatum, is a showy foliage species for cultivation in USDA Hardiness Zones 10 to 12 or it may be grown as a houseplant in any region....

Before we get started, please note that azaleas are highly toxic if ingested. If you have pets or young children at home, keep these plants well out of reach, or consider a nontoxic option instead. Rhododendron simsii With their bright flowers and rich, evergreen leaves, potted azaleas can bring cheer to even the gloomiest of winter seasons. Along with poinsettias, they’re often found at florists’ shops and grocery stores around the country during the holiday season....

There are many different varieties, and with each comes slightly different growing requirements, and tips to keep in mind. But we’re here to help you out! Here’s what’s ahead in this guide: It’s not hard to grow lettuce, and everyone should really give it a try. You can grow it in containers, in a window box, or tucked unassumingly among flowers. It’s fast growing, and with a little planning, you can have a crop all spring, and again in fall....

Growing plants at offices, hotels, and homes are very common, but having a variety of them at a gym is the new trend. They not only provide fresh air but have several other benefits on offer too. Since every type of plant has its own qualities and benefits, read about the Best Plants for Gym that you can grow in commercial and home gym, both. Check out our article on the best plants for the bathroom here....

Sometimes, it’s those humble hidden gems that become global sensations. Roses are one of the most commonly cultivated and extensively managed plants in the world. There are hundreds of registered hybrids and cultivars already and new ones are coming to the market all the time. Countless unregistered beauties are hanging out in the backyards of passionate rosarians across the world as well, just waiting to be discovered. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....

It’s an erect, often-multi-stemmed plant with dark green, droopy, slender, and long leaves. Ruellia Simplex Beloved by many gardeners for its heat tolerance and shade-loving nature, but reviled by others for its eagerness to spread with abandon, R. simplex can be divisive. Thanks to its sweet purple flowers, however, we come down firmly on the pro-ruellia side of the debate. With forms tall and short, this evergreen, herbaceous perennial – suitable for growers in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 to 11 – deserves consideration for inclusion in southern gardens....

Peppers are believed to have originated in South America and Mexico. There are few plants in the garden more satisfying to grow than bell peppers, one of the many types of peppers to fall under the scientific name Capsicum annuum. Rich green leaves, a compact form, and brightly colored fruit make them a contender for even the most formal gardens. I did say fruit. So many of the plants we commonly refer to as vegetables are actually fruit, including peppers, for the simple fact that they are seed bearing....

Native to Brazil, Begonia semperflorens can be winter hardy in zones 10-11, but they are grown as annuals in most of the United States. Begonia Semperflorens For many gardeners, wax begonias – so named for their waxy leaves – have fallen out of favor and are thought of as rather old-fashioned. However, it’s hard to beat these sweet little plants when you’re looking for a space-filler that adds a generous dose of colorful single or double flowers in pink, white, or red....

There are some varieties that do well in containers if that’s more your style. Some varieties are considered invasive species in certain areas, so make sure to double-check your chosen variety before planting. There’s nothing quite like a freshly picked blackberry – and these fruits are easy to grow, nutritious, and delicious. Blackberries are a part of the Rosaceae family, along with some tasty relatives like strawberries, apricots, and raspberries. Like raspberries, most blackberry brambles are thorny, tangly, and can sprawl across your landscape if they’re not maintained....

There are several other species of anthurium you may come across, also being grown as tropical foliage houseplants, and they are striking as well – but not colorful, beyond various shades of green. Anthurium spp. Have you noticed that the foliage-oriented houseplants that will grow enthusiastically without a lot of effort on your part tend not to be particularly colorful? And the flowering ones that do well indoors are typically pretty labor intensive....

We won’t even talk about the mealybugs I accidentally introduced into the greenhouse at home… The crimson anthurium I bought for my mom was the only plant I took home from the university greenhouse that didn’t harbor a pest ready to take advantage of her houseplant collection. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....

In this guide, we’ll give you all the tools you need to help your Lamprocapnos spectabilis succeed. And psst, if you want to learn more about this uniquely beautiful plant, check out our guide to growing bleeding hearts. Bleeding hearts were meant for cool weather. The herbaceous perennial plants, that is. With its feathery leaves, fleshy stems, and heart-shaped blooms, this member of the poppy family, Papaveraceae, loves sweet spring breezes....