Rob Zimmer

Shady garden spots don’t have to be green

Published by admin on Wed, 05/31/2023 - 11:37am

From late May into June, as the trees fully flush out overhead, there are many excellent perennials that provide wonderful and elegant beauty in the shade.

Crab apples key source of food for birds

Published by LPulaski on Wed, 05/17/2023 - 12:40pm

It is just about time for spectacular flowering crab apple trees to come into full bloom. From late April into May, flowering crab apples put on a spectacular show, loaded with masses of colorful blossoms that decorate our yards and landscapes for weeks.

Flowering colors for each month of the year

Published by admin on Tue, 05/02/2023 - 2:07pm

Often, I am asked for suggestions for color in the garden to last the entire season long. While it is easy to find plants that bloom in the middle of summer, many gardeners struggle when it comes to early season bloom and late-season bloom.

Monarch decline in Mexico cause for alarm

Published by admin on Tue, 04/18/2023 - 9:21am

With the recent release of data from monarch colonies on their Mexican overwintering grounds, once again, monarch lovers were hit hard with bad news. From population estimates, monarch numbers overwintering in Mexico last winter decreased once again, this time by 22%.

Texture, like bloom, important factor for gardens

Published by admin on Fri, 03/31/2023 - 4:25pm

While choosing plants for your garden and landscape this year, think beyond the bloom and consider one of the most important elements of garden design and beauty. This is texture.

Texture, especially when utilizing a variety of forms, brings your garden, yard and even containers to a whole new level. Incorporating texture into the garden is a fun, exciting and challenging gardening activity and one that will grow on you once you begin choosing plants especially for their texture.

Sensational spring shrubs will beautify

Published by admin on Wed, 03/15/2023 - 11:36am

Gardeners’ dreams have turned to spring, and a popular question I’ve been receiving over the past few weeks is regarding spring blooming shrubs. For beginner gardeners or longtime garden lovers, spring blooming shrubs are an enticing and tantalizing part of the landscape. Some of these shrubs bloom so early that they provide a joyous burst of color, even when everything else appears brown and lifeless.

Some garden items ready to grow — indoors

Published by admin on Tue, 02/21/2023 - 1:41pm

If you are getting anxious to begin gardening in 2023, there are a number of plants and crops that you can begin to grow indoors right now. In fact, some of these can be grown indoors all winter long. This week, here are some of my favorites to start now, indoors, from seed.

National Garden Bureau celebrating orchids

Published by admin on Fri, 02/10/2023 - 8:00am

Orchids are among the most versatile and varied of all flowering house plants, and to celebrate their spectacular beauty and grace, the National Garden Bureau has proclaimed 2023 as the Year of the Orchid. Each year, this organization awards one houseplant as its plant of the year. This year, the entire family of orchids takes the honor.

Winter ritual of reading seed catalogs under way

Published by admin on Tue, 01/31/2023 - 2:05pm

It is that time of year again when gardening catalogs begin to arrive in our mailbox. While many people think that January is a boring time for gardeners, we know best. January, in fact, is one of the most exciting and dynamic times to be a gardener.

Resolutions for better gardens helpful

Published by admin on Tue, 01/17/2023 - 12:01pm

Many people make New Year’s resolutions to carry them through and help them make changes or transformations through the new year. With that in mind, why not commit to some New Year’s resolutions for your garden? Here are some great ideas to help you make the most of gardening in 2023.