February 8, 2020 - Issue #447

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There is no better way to brighten up a shady spot than by planting hostas. Although the plants bear tall spikes of white or lavender flowers in midsummer, hosta are planted primarily for the season-long show of their striking foliage.

Eliminating weeds and getting the soil ready for your flowers and vegetables are important first steps in growing a successful garden. Time spent in preparation reduces the time you'll have to spend maintaining and weeding your garden over the course of the growing season.

Whether single-colored or intricately patterned, daylilies (Hemerocallis) are practically unmatched for their adaptability and versatility in the garden.

In the realm of gardening, instant gratification is an elusive matter. For the most part, nature forces her rhythms on our desires. But find a way to speed up the seasons, and you can nudge spring-flowering tulips to bloom in winter.

Peonies are renowned for their large, colorful, bowl-shaped, flowers and dark green foliage. Once established, these beauties are some of the longest-lived and most reliable garden plants.

Sporting huge, cup-shaped blooms in early summer, the Oriental poppy is the most striking of the perennial poppies, and the delicate, papery flowers belie the plant's hardiness and durability.

Rain gardens are gardens shaped like shallow bowls that are designed to capture storm water and hold it until the ground can absorb it. It can be an attractive addition to your landscape and, an added bonus, many of the plants that are suited to a rain garden are natives that attract beneficial and pollinating insects, butterflies, and birds. It's win win all round!