tough plants - Fine Gardening

  • bowl container full of colorful succulents
    Design

    6 Must-Have Succulents

    Creating a sense of place has been a recurring garden theme for years now, and it lends authenticity to any setting, especially here in the Southwest. For me, nothing does…

  • Design

    How to Grow 10 Perennials for Continuous Summer Blooms

    If there’s one thing the most exciting gardens have in common, it’s that they always have something beautiful happening. And that “something” usually means something in flower. Bringing that idea…

  • beautiful and tough garden Nantucket
    Design

    A Seaside Garden Designed to Withstand Punishing Conditions

    When Susan and Coleman Burke purchased land overlooking the bay on the Massachusetts island of Nantucket several decades ago, they were able to build their house and seaside garden from…

  • hardy garden design
    Design

    Designing a Hardy Garden

    I have often thought of myself as “gardening against the odds.” My rural Black Earth, Wisconsin, garden is adjacent to a marsh and pond and is technically in Zone 5a,…

  • Electric Blue foothill penstemon
    Design

    ‘Electric Blue’ Foothill Penstemon Is a Tough Native with a Unique Hue

    As a true plant geek, I’ll admit that I’m a sucker for blue flowers. An impressive, truly blue flower is a rarity in nature. Perhaps that’s why I’ve been drawn…

  • slam-dunk perennials
    Design

    8 Slam-Dunk Perennials for the Midwest

    While our gardens are always changing, we certainly put a lot of pressure on our plants to perform and look good, particularly the perennials. The wide range of soils and…

  • native sedges
    Design

    3 Hardy Native Sedges You Should Grow

    Being an undercover plant addict is my worst-kept secret. Sedges (Carex spp. and cvs., Zones 3–10) are my current fixation. I think spending so many years hooked on hostas (Hosta…

  • durable flowers
    Design

    Durable Flowers to Grow in Sagebrush Country

    The deserts and mountains of the West seem to get all the attention, but between the deserts and mountains is a vast landscape that most people just drive through on…

  • rock garden
    Design

    Grow a Rock Garden in a Challenging Area

    A rock garden can help you overcome a number of challenges in the landscape of the Southern Plains—from poorly drained soil to hot, dry, rocky areas. It provides a means…

  • hellstrip garden
    Design

    Perfect Plants for a Heavenly Hellstrip in Northern California

    Reflected heat, passing foot traffic, poor soil, restricted space, and irrigation obstacles are just a few of the challenges faced by any plant grown in a “hellstrip.” This spot is…