Plants
Celebrating National Pollinator Week
Planting for pollinator habitat as our climate changes is so important—we have the opportunity to adapt our cultivated environments to make room for more native pollinators. Researchers are learning more every day about how these essential creatures survive and thrive. During this National Pollinator Week, we’re shining a bright spotlight on this important work and…
Read More7 Plants to Attract Bumble Bees to the Garden
Honey bees get a lot of attention and credit as hardworking pollinators, and we all understand the benefits of keeping a hive or two of honey bees near the garden. But amidst all the buzz about honey bees, we sometimes overlook the contributions of the humble bumble bee to the success of our gardens. There’s…
Read MoreWhen Do Bulbs Bloom in Minnesota?
Many gardeners want a long season of bulb blooming. The best way to get that is to plant the so-called minor bulbs, in addition to tulips and daffodils. This is the order in which they would bloom in a “typical” Minnesota spring. (We know, there is no such thing.) Snow crocus Eranthus Galanthus species iris…
Read MorePlant Profile: Begonias
For shady spots in northern gardens, begonias are a favorite choice. They grow well with just a bit of sun, come in a wide range of bloom colors, leaf types and sizes and are relatively easy to grow. So Many Begonias The genus Begonia includes more than 2,000 species and thousands more cultivars. Home gardeners…
Read MoreHow to Grow Really Big Amaryllis
Many northern gardeners enjoy the blooms of amaryllis in winter, and some save the plants’ bulbs from year-to-year by letting them go dormant and storing them before bringing them out to force into bloom for another season. But, after Executive Director Rick Juliusson wrote about an amaryllis he had blooming in a recent enewsletter, a…
Read MoreNative Plants for Any Garden
There is little else as satisfying in the garden as watching wildlife use the space: cardinals dashing in and out of oaks, skipper butterflies and sweat bees methodically circling coneflower blooms. What is a garden without the critical ecological function that makes the world work and brings us closer to nature? When we cultivate native…
Read MoreGrowing Blueberries in Containers
Many gardeners have probably noticed that plants are shrinking. Tiny tomatoes have been around for awhile, but plant breeders have also come up with ways to shrink arborvitae, cucumbers, hydrangeas and goodness knows what else. For small space gardeners, this means more plants in tight places. And, if you love fruit, growing blueberries in containers…
Read MorePlant Profile: Snake Plant
Snake plant (Dracaena trifasciata or sometimes Sansevieria trifasciata), is one of the easiest houseplants to grow, which explains its popularity in malls. It’s a great gift for a young homeowner, a perfect plant for those just getting into houseplants and one of the best statement plants to try if you have a corner of your…
Read MoreWill Your Garden Be ‘Very Peri’ in 2022?
It’s always fun to follow trends in home design and gardening, no matter what your personal garden style. This year, gardens will be ‘Very Peri’—the 2022 Color of the Year, selected by Pantone, a company that helps printers and designers create cohesive and uniform colors. Each year, Pantone’s experts select a Color of the Year.…
Read MorePlant Profile: Little Bluestem
Each year, the Perennial Plant Association chooses a “plant of the year.” It’s a great way to highlight plants that consistently grow well in gardens all over North America. (Amsonia is one of our favorites from the past.) This year’s plant of year is a beautiful native grass, little bluestem. This native of the prairie…
Read More