Basics

The road to having a beautiful spring flower bed starts with proper bed preparation. Follow these few easy steps to assure that you – and your garden – have a blooming, colorful spring.

Natural garden design can seem overwhelming at first. But if you break your project down into sections and approach it like a professional would, you’ll save time and money in the long run – and have a great garden to enjoy for years to come!

The first step in creating a natural garden is to let Mother Nature be your guide. Is your home seaside? Think coastal garden. Live in an arid region? Look to the desert. And if your weather’s hot and steamy, embrace that tropical garden paradise. Learn how…

Creating a garden plan requires more than artistic skill – it relies on your observation and creative spirit, and gathering landscape ideas for a natural garden. Think about what you want for your garden. After you’ve mulled over your possibilities, it’s time to get some ideas down on paper.

As natural areas continue to disappear through urbanization, an increasing number of gardeners are inviting nature into their yards. This movement – called “natural gardening” – has three approaches. Learn what they are, then decide which are right for you – and your landscape.

No matter how large or small your outdoor space, garden planning with trees and shrubs is a good idea. These woody ornamentals can offer great shade and privacy (among other benefits), creating retreats that transform any landscape. Rethinking your garden? Learn some ways to use trees and shrubs.

Sometimes landscape projects need to be taken back to the (major) basics. Learn more about making site improvements to your existing yard regarding three important factors: drainage, lighting and irrigation.

You’ve moved into that perfect new home with a wonderfully mature landscape – but the yard’s not really “you.” With a little work and patience, you can reshape that existing landscape to reflect your family’s style, needs and tastes – with the added benefit of established beauty!

Anytime you plan a new garden – big or small – there are important factors to take into consideration. Don’t know where to start for your natural garden? This garden design checklist of questions can help get you started – and likely save you some time and money.

Natural gardens need tough plants that can withstand various conditions. Planting ornamental grasses, groundcovers and ferns is the perfect way to enhance the garden while reducing erosion and helping the environment. Learn more about these three groups of useful perennials, as well as how to properly plant them.

If you think cottage gardens are just for New England and prairie meadows for the Midwest, take another look at natural gardening styles. These breathtaking garden themes can be adjusted to just about any area of the country, using native plants that work well in each region!

When you like a shrub and want it in your garden, it’s tempting to buy first and ask questions later. But if you dream of a beautiful woody ornamental landscape, take the time to answer those questions first. Your garden – and wallet – will thank you for it.

Don’t know what colors to use in your garden? Follow Mother Nature’s cues – and hues. Seasonal color is easy with trees and shrubs! From flowers and berries to foliage and bark, woody ornamentals offer year-round garden color in ways you might not have considered.

Deciding where to grow shade gardens is easy if you consider your purpose and site options. Discover a few shade gardening ideas by asking yourself a few important questions.

Using color, form and texture in the garden helps set the tone of your landscape, no matter what theme it is. Once you pick the right selections that also work with your climate, you’ll be ready to design with those plants, layering and massing them just like Mother Nature.

How do you want to use your shady garden space? As a display for foliage and flowers, a grown-up getaway for relaxing, a dining area or a place to stroll? Coming up with some shade garden ideas and a purpose before planting is the smart way to get growing.

You’ve surely seen them – those hedges, shrubs and trees that have been mercilessly pruned into odd, irregular shapes to fit small spaces they’d naturally outgrow. Let’s raise our voices (and awareness) of proper planting and pruning, so our landscapes can grow as nature intended!