Life
Winter solstice kindles renewal, hope and introspection
Winter can be an excellent time to deepen our spiritual understanding of life and how interconnected we all…
Steve Smith
Life
Let the garden, always alive with hope, renew your faith in a better future
As much as gardens provide bounty, they also yield hope, which our spirits need as much as our…
Life
On gloomy, gray winter days, golden foliage breaks through brilliantly
There may not be 50 shades of yellow, but many plants turn to gold come winter and pop…
Life
With 132 shades of brown, December gardens burst with ‘winter interest’
With most primary and secondary colors lost to the changing seasons, I’ve come to see just how beautiful…
Life
Being ‘thank-full’ means filling up on the beauty right under our noses
With people so divided and quick to argue, I hope you’ll literally and figuratively stop and smell the…
Life
Daylight-saving time is a government plot to turn us all into zombies
They say it’s all about saving energy. But what about the lost energy of every sleep-deprived citizen caught…
Life
No, reducing our carbon footprint won’t hurt our planet’s plant population
On the contrary: Climate change, and the resulting increase in extreme weather events, will reduce plant growth far…
Life
To rake or not to rake? With fall leaves, there are two kinds of gardeners
Whether you’re a rake-wielding Neat Nellie or a let-‘em-lie Messy Molly, here are the facts about fallen foliage.
Life
For bold texture in the shade, fatsias are among my ‘most favorite’
These versatile evergreen shrubs thrive in the understory, bringing a tropical feel to gardens and living spaces alike.
Life
Your pine is fine: Seasonal needle drop is perfectly normal
Even in “The Evergreen State,” people needlessly fret over the health of their cedars and pines. Here’s how…
Life
How plants make fall magic with their brilliantly colorful leaves
I certainly can’t begin to explain “why” fall color happens, but I can explain “how” it happens.
Life
With winter on the way, October is the time to tuck and roll
That means preparing to put our gardens to bed while taking stock of the season gone by so…
Life
My garden runneth over with fountain grasses, and for good reason
These late-blooming perennials come in many varieties. They work well as accents, groundcovers, edgings or in containers.
Life
Save for one infamous variety, fleece flowers are easy to fall in love with
This long-blooming, easy-to-grow perennial comes in many desirable varieties. But watch out: One is an invasive knotweed.
Life
September is the time to get growing on your cool-season veggie garden
From carrots, beets and garlic to broccoli, cabbage and spinach, it’s just plain fun — albeit a bit…
Life
As with the seasons, container plantings are not meant to be permanent
Here are some tips for reinvigorating your tired-looking pots with plants fit for fall and, in some cases,…
Life
Auxins, tropisms and apical dominance: The curious case of the crooked conifer
Cook Island pines grow straight up in the New Caledonia islands. But anywhere else, they grow toward the…
Life
As summer fades, you can fall in love with your garden all over again
The days may be getting shorter, but the gardening season is hardly over — it’s simply shifting gears,…
Life
Garden variety: Diversity and inclusivity yield good vibes
If variety is the spice of life, let me extoll the merits of including a diverse palette of…
Life
Snippin’ and clippin’: Take time to tend to your garden
These may be the lazy days of summer, but there’s still work to do to keep our yards…