Snapdragons are one of those flowers that just make me happy. Their unique dragon mouth blooms have been staples in my garden for years. But I learned the hard way that not everything plays nice with these beauties. After making mistakes with companion planting I realized that with snapdragons it isn’t just helpful – it’s …
Black eyed Susans (also know as Rudbeckia) is one of my absolute favorite flowers for adding that a punch of golden color to a garden. Those signature black-eyed blooms just stand out against everything else. But not every plant plays nicely with them. I learned this one summer when half my rudbeckia bed looked stressed …
I’ve seen plenty of carnation catastrophes over the years. I remember Elaine from my garden club who planted her prized carnations right next to her mint – within weeks her carnations were struggling while the mint thrived. These mishaps happen more often than you’d think. I’m going to share what I’ve learned about planting carnations …
Begonias are stunning flowers that add a pop of color to any garden. With their vibrant blooms & unique foliage it’s no wonder so many gardeners fall in love with them. I know I did when I first planted them along my front walkway three years ago. But begonias can be a bit picky about …
Lobelia is one of those flowers that had me at hello. The first time I spotted those beautiful blue cascades tumbling from a hanging basket at my local nursery, I was smitten. So no surprise it’s become a staple in my garden design projects over the years. But lobelia is not exactly the most sociable …
Morning glory is one of those magical plants that can transform a boring fence into a something far more interacting overnight. Well, not literally overnight – but these fast-growing vines sure make it feel that way! I planted some last spring and practically watched them climb before my eyes. But morning glories are actually pretty …
I’m going to be honest – I’ve made some big mistakes when growing columbines (Aquilegia) in my garden. In fact I’ve killed off a lot of them over the years, mainly due to planting them with the wrong neighbors. I had this silly assumption I could plant columbines anywhere and with anything. That approach led …
I’ve been growing astilbe for many years now. When I first started gardening I thought I could just plop these pretty shade lovers anywhere and watch them thrive. Yeah, that doesn’t work! My beautiful astilbe plants struggled when planted with the wrong neighbors & it took me years of trial and error to figure out …
When I first added camellias to my garden I had no idea how particular they could be about their neighbors. After numerous costly mistakes & failed companion plantings I’ve figured out what not to plant with camellias. I’m going to give you some pointers on how to get yours thriving by planting them with the …
I never thought something as innocent as periwinkle (Vinca minor) could cause so much garden drama. Years ago I added this pretty ground cover to a sloped area in my yard that needed stabilizing. It looked gorgeous with its glossy leaves and delicate purple flowers – until it started invading everything nearby. Since then I’ve …