Ah … it’s my favorite time of the year. We all have different tastes, different reasons why one season floats our boat and others we might dread. Spring promises new hope, new growth and the promise of flowers and food. As Mother Nature closes the curtain on ice and cold, she opens the window to…

When gardeners vacation, they are excited to see flowers and plants they don’t normally see in their own backyards. If you are accustomed to seeing petunias, geraniums and marigolds, when you spot a tropical hibiscus or bougainvillea, you grab your camera and click away. Recently, I was fortunate enough to take a big trip with my…

As my wife and I traveled the highways and byways of the American Southwest during our summer vacation, one thing became apparent: The variety of flowers and plants are as diverse as the changing landscape. The trek took us from Erie, Colo., to Moab, Utah, then on to the Grand Canyon, Arizona, over to Mesa…

Just because you live in a land-locked state or have a small outdoor area doesn’t mean you can’t sip a fruity drink surrounded by flowering tropical beauties this summer. You can easily transform your outdoor summer space to reflect the ambiance of an island paradise with just a few plants from your local garden center….

If you have a patio, porch, terrace, balcony, deck or veranda, now is the time for some beautiful flowers to add excitement and a personal touch to your outdoor living space. Planting blooms of different colors, textures, heights and widths will enhance your enjoyment while cooking, entertaining or just hanging out. In this hectic fast…

As our population grows older, heck who am I kidding, as I grow older, getting down on my knees to garden is a bit of a chore and getting back up is even more of a challenge. Thank goodness there is an easier way; we call them patio pots. Patio pots come in many colors,…

“Mom, can we get a Venus flytrap? Please, please, please?!” I hear this plea in the garden center almost daily. Kids love carnivorous plants. Carnivorous plants are cool and a great way to teach children about plants and how to care for them. They are not dangerous and do not bite; but they do eat…

When I started working in our family greenhouses 30 years ago, my father-in-law, a respected and renowned grower, shared his floral wisdom. The perfect Easter lily, he told me, is one that when you knock on the door to deliver it to a customer, the vibration of the knock opens the first bloom for them…

As winter recedes across the land, the promise of new life emerges from the soil. The grass takes on a familiar hue, and the smell of spring wafts in the garden. As the growing tips of fall planted bulbs push skyward, their history is deeply rooted in folklore and stories of power and intrigue. From…