Land management

  • cottage garden that isnt chaotic
    Design

    A Cottage Garden That’s Not Chaotic

    Typical cottage gardens—the ones we see in English gardening books and magazines—are undeniably beautiful. But often, when gardeners in the States attempt to replicate their charming and iconic look, the…

  • Design

    Garden Design that Looks Great After Hours

    After a busy day, you need rejuvenation. You want the renewal that comes from putting aside work, to-do lists, and digital devices. You need to pause before rushing into dinner…

  • Article

    Regional Picks: Plants That Glow – Northeast

    Northeast   1. ‘Autumn Moon’ Full Moon Maple   Name: Acer shirasawanum ‘Autumn Moon’ Usda Hardiness Zones: 5 to 8 Size: 8 to 15 feet tall and wide Conditions: Full…

  • Design

    A Gentle Approach to Planting on a Slope

    When creating a new garden design, I first analyze existing elements, deciding what works, what doesn’t, and why. Architectural and hardscaping elements are a good place to begin. When my…

  • Article

    Veggie Garden Design Ideas: Make Your Vegetable Garden Beautiful

    Whether you grow just a few tomatoes or a yard full of vegetables, edibles can be a beautiful part of your landscape. For design inspiration, I visited two great vegetable…

  • Design

    How to Make a Small Garden Look Larger: Creating an Illusion of Space

    Land is somewhat hard to come by in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. When a real estate listing mentions “land,” it sometimes just means enough space to squeeze between yours and your…

  • How-To

    Put the Life Back Into Your Soil

    For many decades, soil science focused on the physical and chemical properties of the earth beneath our feet. Researchers explored the importance of key plant nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium,…

  • A mature-looking garden full of plants with an umbrella, stone wall and small stone patio
    Design

    A Garden That’s Younger Than It Looks

    They never weeded a bed or planted a seed, but our four teenagers were heartbroken to leave the big garden of their childhood. Why couldn’t we wait 10 years? Where…

  • looking out to sea from the low growing garden with boulders
    Design

    Landscaping With Low-Growing Plants

    It seems like many planting designs are all about blocking things you’d rather not see: the street out front, the nosy neighbors, or the messy lot next door. After all,…

  • Purple and chartreuse form the backbone of the color scheme.
    Design

    A Garden That Has It All

    My husband and I moved into our house in November nine years ago. I recall the weather vividly because, instead of starting my new journey indoors with painting walls and…