Garden Gate

Can I make a confession? I don’t enjoy watering. I know some gardeners find it almost meditative. Not me. Dragging (and rewinding) hoses and lugging watering cans are just not peaceful activities for me. That’s why I stopped planting small containers

Stephanie found that no matter how good her garden glove or how long her shirt sleeve, there was always a gap that left her wrists exposed to dirt, biting bugs, stinging nettles and poison ivy. When her son gave her a pair of socks that she knew she

GardenGateMagazine.com/articles/ vegetables/tomatoes From the best heirloom varieties to delicious recipes, we have plenty of help for your tomato questions. ■

This beneficial bug is about the size of a housefly but has a bright orange abdomen (or orange and black for females), two dark wings and characteristic bristles on their hind legs. Life cycle Adults lay small cream-colored oval-shaped eggs on infam

Like everything else in the world, garden hoses have a limited life. While your first thought may be to haul your old garden hose out to the dumpster, you may want to hang on to it. Using repurposed garden hoses and cable ties, you can transform all

Long before central North America was settled and developed, large swathes of verdant prairies teeming with diverse flora and fauna thrived there. Expansive grasslands existed from Canada south to Texas, and from Indiana west to Colorado. Though few

betony reaches 2 feet in height and was awarded the Perennial Plant Association’s Plant of the Year in 2019 for its eye-catching rose-lavender spikes that persist all summer. betony was bred by Richard Hawke at the Chicago Botanic Garden. It reache

(also known as ‘Countess Helene von Stein’) has large silver-green leaves that form an 8-inch-thick velvety mat and rarely send up a flowering stalk. is a popular selection for edging that reaches 18 inches tall and sends up magenta-lavender spikes

Blooms Spikes of purple-pink flowers in summer; grown for handsome velvet-soft silver-green leaves Light Full sun Soil Well-drained Pests None serious Size 4 to 18 in. tall, 12 to 18 in. wide Cold hardy USDA zones 4 to 8 In gardens humble and

When you think of lamb’s ears, you probably think of soft silvery leaves that spread to form an irresistibly woolly carpet. Less common but no less wonderful are its green-leaved cousins, the betonies. These two Stachys are so different from each oth

Blooms Yellow, gold, white, brown, peach, burgundy, green and bicolors from summer to frost Light Full sun Soil Well-drained Pests Occasional downy mildew, squirrels will eat the seeds Size 1 to 16 ft. tall, 2 to 3 ft. wide Remember sowing a sun

The garden is the home’s largest consumer of water. So, as a savvy gardener, water conservation—no matter where you live—should be a concern. A well-designed, water-wise landscape that incorporates water-saving devices and techniques can still be a l

There are so many sunflower varieties to choose from and it’s great to have choices. But it can also be hard to know where to get started and how to use them. Let’s meet a few varieties you can use in all the different spots in your yard. Then check

This summer we’ll choose five lucky readers to each receive a set of water-wise tools from the DRAMM company. The set includes a watering wand, a 25-foot soaker hose and a ColorStorm Water Timer. Sign up for the giveaway at GGMagExtra.com. Rainwater

Colorful flowers aren’t the only thing these plants bring to the garden. ‘Pipit’ daffodil pops up early in spring and has a nice fragrance. While early summer geums, such as ‘Totally Tangerine’, have a long bloom time and make great cut flowers, cris

Lisa took what’s usually a dull and unused area of the yard — the window wells — and turned them into whimsical vignettes that bring smiles and comments whenever anyone walks by. Just like works of art, she’s titled each one. Lisa’s mother, Pat Waras

Ah summer, a time when you can sit back, watch your garden grow, and wait for the harvest to roll in. Right? Not quite. While a vegetable garden doesn’t have to be high maintenance, there are a few summer tasks you can do to encourage healthy growth

At some point, every gardener needs a plant tie. It may be to tie a newly planted tree to a post so it doesn’t blow over in a strong wind, fasten a gladiola flower spike to a stake to keep it standing straight, stop a perennial from splaying out or g

Hang this lightweight chambray smock near your back door so you can grab it as you head to the garden and be protected from sun, bugs, thorns and thistles. Carry your small tools and supplies in the four large pockets — they won’t fall out as you ben

What it looks like Musk thistle has such a pretty flower, you may have seen it in a calendar or on a quilt, but don’t be fooled. Those flowers produce thousands of seeds spread by wind for miles. Musk thistle is a biennial that grows a low, almost 4-

If your garden is adjacent to a wild area where deer live and roam, then you know how damaging they can be to a garden when they stop by to browse. Since it’s likely that deer are going to sample everything in your garden once, it’s a good idea to sk

Want more color with less work? This easy-going plant combination will look great with little or no extra water. Although this garden is at its peak in summer when the Russian sage, butterfly bush, coneflower, penstemon, sea holly, mullein and gerani

This naturalistic combination relies on contrasting textures of green foliage and reliable bloomers in the heat of summer. The early-blooming goldenrod echoes the yellow pom-poms of the Jerusalem sage. A Jerusalem sage Phlomis fructicosa See inform

Sometimes side yards are the least-visited places in a garden. This makes them perfect candidates for quiet getaways. Folks may not come looking for you when you’re ready to relax in a beautiful spot alone. This design is filled with a soft, soothing