Fine Gardening

Richie Steffen

Richie Steffen is executive director of the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden in Seattle.

How-To
Making the Most of Microclimates in the Winter Garden

Every garden has microclimates—small spaces that stay a little warmer or don’t catch the cold north winds, allowing you to grow a more delicate plant or provide extra care for…
Design
Winter Interest From the Ground Up

As the last autumn leaves reluctantly drop and as bare seed heads stand tall in the field, we can no longer deny that winter is upon us. Our lush summer…
Northwest Regional Reports
Shrubs for Small Spaces in the Northwest

Mark Weathington, director of the JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University in Raleigh, North Carolina, discusses several small shrub varieties that provide big interest in a petite package as…
Design
A Variegated Shrub With a Long Season of Interest

I vividly remember my first encounter with Japanese summersweet (Clethra barbinervis, Zones 5–8). The local arboretum had a few large mature specimens that I stumbled across when they were starting…
Southwest Regional Reports
4 Must-Have Plants for the Northwest

As garden centers start to open their doors for the season (and we get ready to run into them with open arms), we decided to ask some regional experts what…
Northwest Regional Reports
4 Outstanding Spring Plants for the Northwest

We all have certain plants that immediately come to mind when thinking of a garden in spring. For many, these are daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths skirting the trunks of flowering magnolias,…
Northwest Regional Reports
Best Native Woodies for the Northwest

Gardeners love native plants, and for good reason. They are built to thrive in the conditions of a specific region, often without complaint, and are an essential component in the…
Northwest Regional Reports
Regional Picks: Tough Plants—Northwest

See regional picks for tough pretty plants, and read the article by Julie Lane Gray for even more ideas. It’s important to define first what I mean by a “tough”…
Northwest Regional Reports
Regional Picks: Seasonal Combo—Northwest

1. ‘All Gold’ Japanese Forest Grass Hakonechloa macra ‘All Gold’ Zones: 5–8 Size: 12 to 15 inches tall and 2 to 3 feet wide Conditions: Partial shade; fertile, well-drained soil…
Northwest Regional Reports
Regional Picks: Showy Shrubs – Northwest

See regional picks for showy shrubs, and read the article by Paul Cappiello for even more ideas. “Show-stopping shrubs—you know the kind. You’re leading a group of friends around the…