Fine Gardening – Issue 195
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Dahlias Don’t Ask Much | Letter from the Editor
Sometimes I don’t notice things until someone points them out. Then I can’t stop noticing. I used to love Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Bad Moon Rising” until a friend mentioned that…
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How to Support Soil Life
The vitality and resiliency of every garden depends on plants interacting with a vast array of insects, fungi, and microorganisms, especially those that make their homes in the soil. Through…
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Battery Power 101
The biggest disruption to a garden’s peace and serenity typically is the exhaust-laden cacophony of power equipment. Happily, today’s new battery-powered outdoor power equipment offers a quieter, more convenient, more…
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A True Blue Beauty for Shade
It’s a bit of a mouthful to pronounce, but this little charmer will soon have you calling it “Wulfy, my little Liebchen.” The genus Wulfenia is in the Plantaginaceae family,…
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Fall Fragrance From a Little-Known Shrub
I wouldn’t say I’m a full-on curmudgeon. However, a plant with spikes that can hold its own against rowdy neighborhood kids will always pique my interest. Enter ‘Sasaba’ holly tea…
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Bridge the Summer-to-Fall Gap with this Beauty
If you’re searching for that perfect transitional plant from the purples of summer to the oranges of fall, look no further than this new perennial. ‘Bleeding Hearts’ looks nothing like…
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Indoor Foliage Plants with Pizzazz
So you’ve seen the light on houseplants and you’re definitely on board. However, your house isn’t all that bright. In fact, it’s downright unilluminated as far as south-facing windows are…
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Summer Stalwarts to Carry Things Through to Season’s End
Rusty foxglove returns reliably for years Name: Digitalis ferruginea Zones: 4–8 Size: 36 to 48 inches tall and 12 to 18 inches wide Conditions: Full sun to full shade; well-drained…
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Exciting Plant Selections to Add Softness in the Shade
Chinese ground orchid looks exotic but thrives in cooler zones Name: Bletilla striata Zones: 5–9 Size: 14 to 20 inches tall and 12 to 16 inches wide Conditions: Full sun…
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Sturdy Spring Plant Options to Lean On
‘Cosmopolitan’ geum has long-lasting flowers Name: Geum ‘Cosmopolitan’ Zones: 4–9 Size: 18 inches tall and 15 to 18 inches wide Conditions: Full sun; well-drained soil Native Range: North American hybrid…
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Ideas to Spruce Up Your Shade
Two of the ways gardens often come together are by trial and error and by chance. If you ask Barbara Weissman about the garden she and her husband, Fred, have…
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End-of-Season Veggie Garden Tasks
More gardeners these days see the value of holding off on fall cleanup in ornamental beds, choosing instead to leave stems and seed heads for winter beauty and for providing…
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Out-of-the-Ordinary Dahlias
Dahlias are easy to grow whether you’re an experienced or beginning gardener, which is perhaps why they are universally loved. They come in so many different bloom styles and plant…
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Pests and Diseases to Watch Out for in Dahlias
As beautiful as they are, dahlias are not without their problems. Here are some issues that might plague your plants. Dahlia mosaic virus Mosaic virus appears as yellow veining…
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A Few Dahlia Quirks to Keep in Mind
From the time you plant your dahlia tubers to the time they start to bloom can be more than three months. But they are worth the wait. Be sure to…
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Tough Yet Pretty Plants
Next time you’re at Disneyland, study the plants. Their connection with the adjacent rides is simply astounding; the thistle-like Miss Wilmot’s Ghost (Eryngium giganteum, Zones 3–9) surrounding the Haunted House…
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Texture Never Quits
Texture is often referred to as the third element of garden design. We all tend to get overly focused on color and form, but texture is that hard-to-explain “little something…
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Texture Never Quits: Plant IDs
The garden of Joann Currier and Sebastian Hamilton in North Carolina is a study in textures. At every turn you see another plant—be it a perennial, conifer, or even cactus—that…
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Regional Picks: Tough Plants—Midwest
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”…
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Regional Picks: Tough Plants—Mountain West
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”…
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Regional Picks: Tough Plants—Northeast
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”…
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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”…
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Regional Picks: Tough Plants—Southeast
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”…
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Regional Picks: Tough Plants—Southern Plains
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”…
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Regional Picks: Tough Plants—Southwest
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”…
