Notes from Northern Gardener Blog

Smells are powerful, and the scent of popcorn plant (Senna didymobotrya) will bring you right back to the movie theaters of your childhood. This plant, which is also called cassia, smells so much like buttered popcorn that you’ll swear it is a relative of corn. It’s not, though. Popcorn plant is a member of the…

Houseplants have so many benefits, especially for those of us living in northern climates. They reduce carbon dioxide levels, increase humidity in our dry winter homes, remove dust, and boost mood and overall health. Plus they are fun to care for and add vibrancy to any home, which is one reason so many millennials are…

This review by Julie Jensen of Practical Organic Gardening: The No-Nonsense Guide to Growing Naturally (Cool Springs Press, 2017) by Mark Highland originally appeared in the September/October issue of Northern Gardener. In the dozen chapters that comprise Practical Organic Gardening, author Mark Highland describes every aspect of growing plants—even lawns!—without synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Recognizing…

Whenever folks walk into my back garden, they are shocked by the height of one plant. It’s close to 7 feet tall, narrow in stature and it looks like it should be growing in a jungle somewhere, but this is actually a Minnesota native plant. It’s called false aster or in botanical Latin Boltonia asteroidis.…

The latest issue of Northern Gardener is on newsstands now (and available for those who sign up for a subscription or join MSHS at the Minnesota State Fair), and it includes articles to keep you excited about gardening all through the fall. Our cover story by Gail Brown Hudson highlights plants that glow in the…