Natural environment - Page 3 of 6

  • Masterwort
    Design

    Plants That Keep On Giving

    One of the first rules that novice gardeners are ordered to abide by is the necessity of using—and, hence, buying—a minimum of three of the same plant. For aesthetics’ sake,…

  • Article

    What Is the Best Mulch? We Put Mulch Qualities to the Test

    Every gardener wants a gorgeous garden. Choosing the right plants for your site and using proper planting techniques are, of course, essential steps in establishing a successful landscape. Choosing the…

  • a mix of low-growing grasses and perennials with similar textures punctuated with plants with contrasting textures, colors and sizes creates a dynamic transition between the garden and the fields beyond
    Design

    Matrix Planting

    When designer Adam Woodruff was hired to create a landscape for a newly renovated home in Illinois, the existing site was mostly turf with a swimming pool surrounded by a…

  • View of the house with a pathway with colorful flowers on either side
    Design

    Going with the Flow

    By the time we moved into our nearly finished home in June 2008, I had created The Plan. And I drew The Plan in ink so that it would be…

  • Design

    Top 12 Tiny Hostas

    Hostas (Hosta spp. and cvs., USDA Hardiness Zones 3–9) are a staple in almost every perennial garden that enjoys open shade; fertile, well-drained soil; and extended cold weather. They have…

  • How-To

    Rejuvenate Your Strawberry Patch

    There is nothing quite like a warm strawberry picked ripe from your own garden, but not everyone has success with strawberry plants every year. Sure, plunking a strawberry plant in…

  • Design

    The Best Plants, Only Better

    The gold standards—when it comes to plants—are a handful of varieties that have proven their worth over many years. Their names, like Rozanne geranium, are almost as familiar as the…

  • potting soil spilling out of a container
    How-To

    Potting Soil Put to the Test

    In their natural environment, plants get everything they need to stay healthy from the soil: water, nutrients, and air. Most well-established plants living in soil rarely need more than an…

  • Miss Willmott’s ghost and ‘El Nino’ hosta
    Design

    Create a Garden with Cohesiveness

    Have you ever noticed that the best gardens have a seamless continuity? These spaces, which are often featured in gardening books and magazines, always seem to flow together beautifully because…

  • Design

    Creating a Low-Maintenance Garden

    Sustainable approaches decrease chores and increase enjoyment