regional reports - Fine Gardening

  • native plants for poor soil
    Design

    Native Plants That Do Well in Poor Soils

    If only every garden was blessed with free-draining, loamy soil with the perfect pH and balance of nutrients. Life would be so easy and the choice of plants gloriously abundant.…

  • Iphigenia tree peony
    How-To

    Peony Growing Basics for the Mid-Atlantic

    As one of the most unmistakable and recognizable flowers in the world, the peony has been revered for its enduring beauty and fragrance for centuries. It is believed that these…

  • How-To

    Tomatoes for Mountain West Gardeners

    Despite working predominantly in ornamental—especially naturalistic—horticulture, I hold an “interdisciplinary minor in organic agriculture” from Colorado State University. Early in my career I worked primarily in food crops, and before…

  • Chilean rhubarb in a large container
    Design

    Lush, Big-Leaf Plants for a Shady Pacific Northwest Garden

    If you’re a sun-loving gardener, finding yourself presented with a woodland garden or an otherwise shaded area of the landscape can feel a little overwhelming, and maybe even disappointing. But…

  • midwest moon garden
    Design

    Moon Garden Inspiration

    My wife and I are both avid gardeners, but we typically only find time to sit and enjoy the landscape at dusk or after sunset. To maximize the evening appeal…

  • annuals for southwestern gardens
    Design

    The Best Annuals for Southwestern Gardens

    Annual plants are a garden designer’s secret weapon. Endlessly versatile and extremely showy, annuals add nonstop color without a high price or a lot of work. They are perfect for…

  • mixed planting of various azaleas
    Design

    Guide to Growing Great Azaleas

    One group of plants you can use to create a blooming bridge between spring and summer are azaleas (Rhododendron spp. and cvs., Zones 3–9). As one of the most popular…

  • apple tree from below
    How-To

    6 Tips for Pruning Young Fruit Trees

    Good things come to those who wait, and this is especially true when establishing young fruit trees. Pruning to encourage proper branching structure and the production of high-quality fruit requires…

  • Swiss chard growing in a rocky vegetable garden
    How-To

    Which Vegetables to Grow in Rocky Soil and Which to Avoid

    Here in the Northeast, rocks are just a part of gardening life, and even if you are raising vegetables in an old garden (one that's been well tended for decades),…

  • sloped garden densely planted
    Design

    Design Ideas for Managing Rainwater in Your Garden

    Whenever I am working to resolve water problems in a landscape, I must acknowledge that water will always win. The best we can do is creatively direct it toward the…