If you have a gardener on your holiday gift list you are a lucky person indeed. Not only do you probably share an interest, you also have an excellent starting point to give them a gift they will absolutely love. And then there’s the benefit of being able to do a little shopping for yourself at the same time.
This guide is an eclectic list of fun, beautiful and functional gifts that is sure to please your favorite gardener. If you’re looking for a really classic gift idea, check out my most tried and true tool recommendations gift guide.
This gift guide is not sponsored, but in the interest of transparency, items from companies I’ve partnered with in the past are marked with an asterisk. Some links are affiliate links, which means The Impatient Gardener may receive a commission if you purchase through them. Thank you for supporting The Impatient Gardener.
TOOLS AT THE READY
When I was at Chanticleer Garden in Pennsylvania in September a lovely young woman walked up to me and introduced herself. She was working at the amazingly inspirational garden as an intern (and that is a great, hard-to-land gig, by the way). Well it turns out that she also happens to sell a fabulous leather tool belt. With several nice “pockets” for pruners, knives, a phone and other in-the-garden necessities, it also has a wide nylon waist strap, which I find to be more comfortable than a leather one. And you can’t beat the price.
I can’t think of a piece of garden gear I’ve tried in the last five years that has revolutionized my gardening experience the way the Hoselink hose reel has. I was fully anti-hose reel for many years and resisted trying it. And when I did, I immediately bought reels for every spigot. Aut0-retracting, articulating and with a variety of mounting options, the Hoselink really is as good as you hope it will be.
Peter Jackson, the potter behind the Wakefield Handmade brand, creates gorgeous collector-worthy pots, that make beautiful gifts on their own or along with a little something to grow in them. He typically sells via pre-orders, but check the website for in-stock studio items. You really can’t go wrong with any of them, as is typical will something made with love. I’ve given these on multiple occasions to very happy recipients and it’s a joy to see them in use year after year.
By the holidays, lot of gardeners and would-be gardeners are chomping at the bit to start growing. But it’s too early to start almost anything for the next gardening season. Enter microgreens, which are fun and easy to grow, satisfy the gardening itch and quite popular with a wide range of recipients. (What I’m trying to say here is that you can buy these for your grandmother or your nephew, and they will both love them). I love this set from Park Seed which is the whole package—seeds, soil and the perfect tray—so your recipient can plant and get growing before the wrapping paper is cleaned up.
I’ve been recommending (and giving) Caste Glass’s hand-blown glass birds as a gifts for several years because I think they fill a hole in the “impossible to buy for” category of recipients. Garden art is very specific and should be approached cautiously. But these abstract birds are small enough to be tucked in to a special spot in the garden and manage to fit into any aesthetic. Each is unique, just like the person you’ll buy it for.
If you’re thinking traditional with a twist, an unusual amaryllis is the ticket. Instead of the typical big, red blooms, how about a Royal Dream Harlequin, a beautiful creamy double flower with a dark pink to red picotee edge, all planted and ready to go.
Fatshedera ‘Angyo Star’ rising above a shady container this summer.
Oh sure, we all know about some of the classic holiday plants, but what about giving a plant that’s a little bit more special? Fatshedera ‘Angyo Star’ (a cross between English ivy and Fatsia) from Southern Living Plant Collection is one of those plants that everyone asks about. I know this because I grew it in a container outside this winter and I’m pretty sure almost everyone who came to my house asked about it. That same plant is now inside, doing quite well as a houseplant. Reaching 5-6’ high by 4-5’ wide when mature, it’s shade tolerant and thrives outdoors year-round in Zones 7a-9b. Imagine all the oohs and ahs when someone opens up a stealthily wrapped ‘Angyo Star’.
A big, beautiful, high-quality pot is one of those things that a lucky recipient will have forever. They are classic and classy, and just about every gardener can use one. Seibert and Rice makes stunning, frostproof, Italian terracotta pots that will be used for decades to come. If you’re struggling to choose a style, I think you can’t go wrong with any of the rolled rim designs.
With the advent of the easy-to-assemble raised bed kit, you actually can give a garden as a gift. I’m partial to the round Corten steel variety (like I installed for my mom a couple years ago, and she loves it), but the Epic Gardening shop has a wide range of styles and colors of metal raised beds that come in a wrappable box.
After awhile, a lot of gardening stuff starts to look the same, so when something different comes along, it’s not only tantalizing (in the “try not to buy it for yourself” vein) but also a pretty good bet that even a longtime gardener won’t have something like it yet. These very classy willow cloches (honestly, I’d call it more of a mini obelisk) fall under that category.
I love a good combo gift. The next gift ideas are ones I envision being mixed and matched, but of course they all work on their own as well.
A GORGEOUS SEED BOX
I will admit my love of all things Sneeboer, but that’s because they are just that good. And this simple seed box—a collaboration with the great New York garden shop Gardener—is up to Sneeboer snuff. The box is made from light wood, but the heavy clasp has the most satisfying click. It’s the little things right? Fill this with your favorite seeds and this is a total winner of a gift.
This blog started with my struggles with water wands and I’ve been trying just about every one on the market since then. And I’m happy to report that I now have two I quite like. The first is Dramm’s Professional Watering Wand in the 36-inch length, which you think you don’t need but you do. It works better for me with the 170 water breaker (that’s the smaller one that provides better flow, in my opinion). Thumb “volume” control is where it’s at.
The other is Hoselink’s water wand. This one is a bit thicker and has a fixed head that puts out a nice, soft flow. It has a bend to it that is odd at first and then suddenly seems very natural and practical. It comes with the Hoselink quick connect fitting attached and I recommend this one if you don’t want a longer length wand and you use the Hoselink Hose Reel.
OK, so the color of twine isn’t that important, but I do love black twine, which disappears in the garden when used for propping up gravity-afflicted plants. Nutscene Tin o’ Twine also has nice packaging, which is how garden twine can become a gift. I like that it lasts all season but can go in the compost to break down.
If your recipient is all about practical, then it’s time to dispense with fancy and go fully functional. And that’s where this photo storage-turned seed storage system comes in. I’ve been using these (I have two) for years and they are the best for sheer practicality.
Niwaki’s Crean Mate is a little block of magic. I’ve been told it’s a pumice stone, but it seems more magical than that. A Crean Mate and a little water cleans rust, sap and whatever the goo that ends up on pruners and other blades is. The Crean Mate is the first step in cleaning or sharpening my tools and I’d be lost without it. In fact, I just bought three more to stick in drawers all over the place. There is a regular size and the new mini, which I prefer because it’s easier to get into nooks and crannies.
Gloves are one of those things I prefer to buy inexpensively. I lose them (only one of each pair, of course) far too often to spend a lot of money on them, and I’m not alone (all of our right-handed gloves are having a heck of a party somewhere). I like gloves that are thin but protective. These also have touch screen sensitive fingers so I can look up a weed on my phone without taking off my gloves.
Touch Screen Gardening Gloves, $12 for two pairs (I wear a size smaller in these gloves than I do in Atlas Nitrile Gloves)
HANDY CLIPS
Every year I find more use for these clips in the garden, and they are a lot quicker than any other method that I’m aware of.
Tub trugs should comes as standard issue with every garden because there are about a billion uses for them, from collecting weeds, to moving plants, washing vegetables and so much more. Fun colors help.
A garden journal makes an excellent gift for a gardener who is just starting to get serious, and Linda Vater’s beautiful take on it, offers the opportunity for a five-year record of the beautiful spaces a gardener is setting out to create.
If you’re looking to give a book that’s loaded with enough inspiration to get any gardener through winter, Claus Dalby’s new book on cottage gardens is a perfect choice for gardeners looking to achieve the look. Full of gorgeous photos and information to help achieve the look, this is a book that will certainly bring a great deal of joy.
Thank you to Park Seed for partnering with me on this post. As always, all words and thoughts are my own.
You might be asking yourself what begonias and peppers have in common that they’d end up in the same article. A lot actually, at least when it comes to starting them from seed, which makes them good seed-starting partners.
SEED-STARTING SIMILARITIES
Begonias and peppers are good seed starting partners for a few reasons.
They should be started from seed at about the same time. Peppers should be started about 8 to 12 weeks before your last frost, a bit earlier for bell peppers and a little later for hot peppers, but I start them all at the same time. Begonias should be started about 10 to 12 weeks before your last frost. By batching it all at the 10-week mark I simplify things a bit, and particularly in the case of begonias, it’s OK to be a little on the late side because they’ll start performing in the garden quickly. If you don’t know your last frost date you can look it up here, or you can use the From Seed to Spoon app to just see the dates for starting various crops based on your location.
Begonias and peppers are both heat lovers, so you can sow them in the same tray and give them the same conditions, about 70 to 80 degrees of bottom heat from a heat mat.
As you grow them on inside under lights they’ll both appreciate a good amount of light, although you can remove them from the heat mat after they germinate.
HOW TO SOW PEPPERS
If you’ve ever grown tomatoes from seed, you know most of what you need to know about peppers, and that’s not a surprise given that they are close relatives. Sow them about a quarter-inch deep in seed-starting mix or, if you’re using the Park’s Original Bio Dome like I did, you can just put them in the hole in the special sponges.
I sow two pepper seeds to a cell and will thin the weaker seedling out later.
Keep seed-starting mix evenly moist or leave about an inch of water in the bottom of the Bio Dome, then cover them with a humidity dome and set them on a heat mat until they germinate in about seven to 10 days.
HOW TO SOW BEGONIAS
Begonias are sown differently from peppers. Since the seeds need light to germinate, they should be sown right on the surface of the soil, or on top the Bio Sponge.
But don’t expect to see the seeds on top the soil, because begonia seeds are incredibly small, almost like large dust particles. Anytime I’m dealing with a very small seed, I put the seeds into a small container (I used the lid of the toothpick jar in this case) and use a toothpick to pick up an individual seed then lightly wipe it on the surface of the soil.
A toothpick makes picking up itty bitty seeds easier.
If you can find pelleted begonia seeds, it’s well worth the extra cost, although you’ll probably still need to do the toothpick trick.
Even pelleted begonia seeds are incredibly small.
AFTER SOWING
After sowing, set the seed tray on a heat mat under a grow light (the begonias need light, but if you are only starting peppers, the light isn’t necessary until after they germinate). Keep them evenly moist and remove the dome when most of the seeds have germinated.
Cover cells with a humidity dome (one is included with the Bio Dome) until seeds germinate.
If you’re growing in cells with seed mix, you’ll need to transplant the small plants to pots (3-inch or so) when the roots fill the cell. Use regular potting mix at this point. You can also start using a dilute fertilizer at this point.
If you’re growing in a Bio Dome, you’ll want to fertilize with the included fertilizer pack but you may not need to move the small plants up to pots. When it’s safe to plant them outside, just pop them straight into the garden.
WHAT I’M GROWING
After a few years of growing peppers I’ve figured out what types of peppers I’ll actually use and that determined my selections.
Mexican Sunrise is a hot Hungarian pepper, with a nice amount of heat (which for me is enough to know it’s there and not enough to make me afraid to eat it). It’s tolerant of cooler conditions, which is helpful in my not-too-hot garden. It’s an All-America Selections winner, which means it’s been tested in trial gardens all over North America and found to be the best performing variety of its kind. I’ve found it to be extremely productive.
Mexican Sunrise
Pot-a-peño is a small jalapeño pepper perfect for containers, but also great in gardens where you don’t want to dedicate a lot of space to peppers. It has great flavor and, although I’ve grown plenty of super hot peppers, this is at a level that I love to use to actually flavor dishes, rather than use as a party game. You can eat them green or red. This is also an All-America Selections winner.
Pot-a-peno
Candy Cane Red peppers were just too pretty to pass up. This sweet snacking pepper is a new variety for me and it has variegated foliage and fruit. The peppers ripen to a variety of colors, including green and red striped. You can’t buy that in the grocery store!
Candy Cane Red
Kitchen Minis Fresh Bites Yellow are the cutest little pepper plants. They were new last year and I grew a couple of them in a planter filled with quick-grab edibles by the back door. Sure, the peppers were delicious, but they were beautiful as well, and that is reason enough to grow these small plants.
Kitchen Minis Yellow
Both of the begonias I’m growing are new-to-me varieties that I’m eager to add to the garden.
Viking Explorer Rose on Green is another All-America Selections winner, and a sister to other Viking Explorer begonias I’ve grown and loved in the past. It grows into a sizable plant—20 inches high by 24 inches wide—that is absolutely covered in flowers all season. Although it will do best in dappled sunlight, it’s quite adaptable to different lighting situations. The seeds are pelleted.
Viking Explorer Rose on Green
Pizzazz White is exactly the kind of annual I like to have lots of on hand to scatter around the garden to fill holes and brighten up dark corners. It’s a bedding begonia that I’ll use for those empty, front-of-the-border spots in the shade.
Pizzaz White
In most areas, it’s not too late to start either of these, alone or together.
For limited time, use the promo code IMPATIENTGARDENER15 for 15% off your Park Seed order.
There is a tendency to think of plants as delicate things that require coddling, but some demand the opposite treatment.
That’s how I found myself in a full-on assault a couple weeks ago as I engaged in the abuse of Brazilian fern tree seeds. The three-quarter-inch long, flat seeds were hard as a rock and the package they came in suggested it could take up to 180 days to germinate. I have better things to do than wait half a year for seeds to germinate so to speed up the process, some scarifying was in order.
This process of breaking down a seed’s hard outer coating, which protects a seed against harsh environmental conditions in its natural habitat, is necessary for germinating seeds “in capitivity” and involves several methods including nicking, soaking and scratching.
The rock-hard seeds of the Brazilian fern tree, also called Brazilian firetree (Schizolobium parahyba), received a combination treatment of sanding the edge with 80-grit sandpaper followed by a one-minute soak in boiling water. Sanding is a common method of scarification, but the boiling water method is reserved for the toughest seeds. Soaking for a few hours in tepid water is a widely used practice for seeds such as nasturtiums and peas.
Some firm sanding on a piece of 60-grit sandpaper was the first step in working through the hard seed coat. Then I put them in boiling water for about a minute.
My decision to attempt to grow this plant happened within about two minutes of seeing it for the first time. I was intrigued by the plant mentioned in a gardening webinar by Janet Draper, a horticulturist at the Smithsonian Gardens. She’d picked up a spare plant from Chanticleer Gardens in Pennsylvania and watched it grow into a monster specimen in a single season.
It’s not a fern, but its long leaves, coveredwith 40 to 60 leaflets, resemble a fern. Native from Central America to Brazil, it can grow up to 10 feet in a single season. I’m intrigued by incredibly fast-growing plants and recognized it immediately as an excellent experiment for this gardening season. I ordered seeds before the webinar ended.
Large, bright yellow flowers cover the tree in tropical areas. Even if it grows well for me, I don’t expect to see flowers.
A Brazilian fern tree growing in its native range. I have no such expectations for my seed.Mauro Halpern photo
I haven’t found any information on growing this potential behemoth in Wisconsin, but I know enough about it to have a good guess at the conditions it will appreciate: full sun and rich, moist soil.
I planted the abused seeds in moist seed-starting mix at the end of February and have had them under a humidity dome and on a heat mat in my best attempt to mimic Brazil’s forest floor. As I waited impatiently I noticed something I’ve never seen seeds do before: the seeds grew. They are actually got longer. I assume this was caused by the seed coat softening or breaking down in preparation for germination, which did happen for one seed after about two and a half weeks.
Five seeds came in the packet and I only planted two, an heir and spare, if you will. I can always take another crack at growing this plant with the rest of the seeds, perhaps trying out a different scarification method.
If my seed abuse works, the experiment can continue, and perhaps I’ll have an oddly large, tropical tree growing in my summer garden.
This post is done in partnership with Ball Horticultural, which not only produces amazing plants, but also throws a mean party. Thank you so much to Ball for a fabulous night.
If you ever wondered how many container combinations could be made with a dozen or so plant options, I can offer an answer: Way more than you might think.
It’s an interesting insight into how gardeners’ tastes vary and how what we do with plants will always be specific to our own tastes and preferences.
The potting party guests show off their creations.
I had the opportunity to “research” the topic of container gardening recently when Ball Horticultural (family-owned, woman-run, international horticultural company responsible for some of the gardening brands you know well like Wave Gardening, Beacon Impatiens, Burpee Home Gardens and more) asked me to invite some of my local gardening followers for a potting party. Basically, they threw a gardeners’ dream party for a bunch of plant nuts.
There was tasty food, a fabulous cucumber-watermelon mojito (or a mocktail version) and friendly folks all around, but the highlight was the chance to dig into the load of plants, including some new releases for next year, and have every guest create their own dream container.
THE PLANTS
The Ball team brought an a great selection of plants for partiers to choose from, with a focus on plants featuring the Pantone Color of the Year Viva Magenta, such as Sombrero Poco Hot Pink Echinacea from Darwin Perennials, or the plants that are easy on your pocketbook and will last the whole summer, such as Hula Begonia from PanAmerican Seed. The Jurassic Rex begonias were absolutely stunning, and, as the Ball team pointed out, make great houseplants that are more interesting than your average green plant.
Some of the plants party-goers were able to choose from included Echinacea Sombrero Poco Yellow, Jurassic Dino Black Tie Rex Begonia, Beacon Impatiens Lipstick, Angelonia Alonia Big Snow, Hula Begonia and, new for next year, Petunia Headliner Violet Sky.
Party-goers were welcome to pick a pot from a selection provided by Heyden’s Gardens, the local garden center where the event was held, and then “shop” the racks of plants provided by Ball. It was so interesting to see what people gravitated toward.
Shopping the racks of Ball plants to make containers. And yes, those were some fun gift bags waiting in the wings.
There were some plants that emerged as clear favorites. Angelonia Alonia Big Snow, a stout little upright number, seemed to end up in many container, as did ‘Blue Spear’ lavender‘Blue Spear’ lavender. One table of partiers all used both of these plants in their containers and then went different directions for other accent plants. Some went with a mostly white look, adding in Easy Wave White petunia, which maintains a nice, neat habit. Others went for the classic combination of white, blue and yellow by adding in Bee’s Knees Petunia, a fabulous soft yellow Petunia that is also an All-America Selections winner.
The gardeners at one table were clearly into the white and blue color scheme, starting with Angelonia and lavender and then adding in accents.
Shade containers were equally creative and varied, but many featured the absolutely spectacular Jurassic Rex Begonia series, which I fell in love with last year after I saw them at the Gardens at Ball display gardens in West Chicago, Illinois. They are certainly substantial enough to fill a container on their own, but some gardeners at the potting party added in Hula Begonia (which I grew last year and also gets quite sizable) or Beacon Impatiens, which are downy mildew resistant Impatiens walleriana, which, until Beacons came along, made the plant inappropriate for growing in many areas because the non-Beacon version could, and often was, wiped out in a matter of days when affected by the disease.
Jurassic Dino Black Sky rex begonia with Hula begonia and Splash Select White Hypoestes.
And then there were others who went a completely different direction. One gardener created an edible container featuring Quick Snack cucumber, a 2024 introduction for the Kitchen Minis line of potted vegetables appropriate for growing indoors or in small areas. She added in Everleaf Thai Towers basil (a sister to my very favorite must-grow basil Everleaf Emerald Towers) and an Easy Wave petunia for a bit of color.
An edible container featuring Quick Snack cucumber is perfect for a small-space gardener.
IT’S A PARTY!
Ball knows how to throw a party, so there was a fabulous spread of delicious bites, but also a refreshing watermelon cucumber mojito (here’s a similar recipe if you want to try it), poured out of a watering can, in keeping with the theme.
The watermelon cucumber mojitos were delicious.
But what was even better was watching a group of gardeners, most of whom didn’t know each other, just enjoy creating something with plants together. And boy did they create. Check out their designs.
I spy a lot of Bee’s Knees petunia here, but everyone did something a little different.Can you tell they were having a good time?The blue and white table, but isn’t it interesting how even though they all started with the same two plants, all their containers ended up a little different and with their own, personal touches.Britt told me that most of her garden is green so she wanted to go with a lot of color for her container.
CONTAINER OBSERVATIONS
Studying all these container designs was so interesting and I left with a great appreciation for how certain plants could really shine in their role in a container. A few notable observations:
Alternanthera Purple Prince is an excellent uniter. Used with white and blue combinations, but also with hotter color combos, it worked as the perfect accent in every scenario.
Don’t sell polka dot plant (Hypoestes) short. It was incredible at punching up shade containers without competing with the stars of the show.
Combining annuals and perennials is a fabulous way to change up a design but still have season long interest. The containers that incorporated Sombrero Poco Echinacea, which is shorter growing and therefore excellent for containers, along with more common annuals, were so interesting.
Bring in the edibles. A lot of party-goers incorporated Everleaf Thai Towers basil right in with annuals and it was not only beautiful but also practical.
Don’t underestimate plants that start small. Having grown both Beacon Impatiens and Hula Begonia, I can attest to how wonderfully these plants fill out when they have a bit of time to grow. But you’ll often find them in smaller sizes when you buy them, which isn’t a bad thing because they can be a bit fragile for transportation. I know that the people who used these in their designs will have an incredible display in a couple weeks.
THE PARTY’S NOT OVER
Needless to say an excellent time was had by all and I’ve never seen people leave a party happier than when they walked out with their fabulous containers. Many party-goers have great gardening Instagram accounts and will hopefully be showing how their containers look as they grow on. Follow the hashtag #ballpottingparty on Instagram so you can catch the updates.
I think I’ve found the perfect party theme. Gardening together with new and old friends is a true joy. Thanks, Ball Horticultural, for bringing people together through plants and the occasional party.
For no good reason at all, there is still an annual debate about when you should clean up your garden. Well debate no more, because as far as I’m concerned, the answer is that you should do what’s best for you. But there are some compelling reasons to sit tight until spring to clean up your garden.
Allium ‘Millennium’ holds up all winter with golden yellow, hollow stems, that are friendly to overwintering insects.
1.SUPPORT YOUR GARDEN’S ECOSYSTEM
Letting plants stand for winter provides a host of benefits for the critters that you share your garden with (whether you realize they are there or not). Birds forage from seedheads, mammals find shelter, and insects hole up in nooks and crannies, or hollow stems. A thriving ecosystem is a boon for any garden, not to mention the environment in general.
Those same alliums look even better with bit of frosting-like snow.
2. BEAUTIFUL WINTER INTEREST
“Dead” plants can be beautiful. Shades of yellow and brown that catch the sun just so accent textures that rise above dull, dormant lawns or snow. Snow sits on seed heads like adorable little caps. OK, maybe that’s all a little romantic, but if you’ve ever toiled through a long, bleak winter, you know that anything that makes the gray outdoors a little bit more interesting is a good thing. Your plants are up for the job.
Ornamental grasses like this Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’ offer all the benefits of other plants left to stand over winter, with the addition of movement.
3. YOUR PLANTS WILL THANK YOU
Snow is an excellent insulator, and anytime there is a big shift in temperatures in winter, plants fare much better with a blanket of snow protecting them from those extremes. Standing plant material helps snow collect around the crown of a plant—the most delicate part—and adds extra protection on the root zone. And when temperatures start warming, that snow melts and provides a nice drink for plants.
Early snowfall? Take it as one more sign to hold off until spring to clean up the garden.
4. IT’S EASIER
Embrace your inner lazy gardener and take the easy way out by cleaning up in spring. There’s less plant material to clean up in spring as some has been dealt with by animals or simple already broken down into a state that doesn’t need cleaning up. The plant material that is left tends to be light, crispy and brittle so it can over simply be broken off and should it need to be moved, it’s much lighter than it was in spring. You can leave the wheelbarrow parked behind the garage if you employ the “chop and drop” method in which you simply chop the standing material up into pieces and let it lie where it lands.
From a functional standpoint, it’s a perfect mulch, returning nutrients right back to where they came from, covering the soil around plants and quick to break down. It lacks a bit in the aesthetics department, but since it breaks down quickly it doesn’t take long for the garden to look perfectly tidy again, especially as new foliage covers the worst bits.
There’s no law that says you have to choose the same strategy for your entire garden. I like to do a pretty thorough cleanup on any parts of the garden that immediately border a walkway or patio that will need to be shoveled when the snow flies. If there are plants that have flopped over in an unappealing fashion, I don’t feel bad given them the chop in fall.
So plant some bulbs, pick some apples or carve some pumpkins. Enjoy autumn without stressing over having to clean up the garden.
The Ficus genus encompasses a plethora of beautiful and fascinating plants, from dramatic fiddle-leaf figs (F. lyrata) to the Great Banyan tree in India, a F. benghalensis specimen that spreads out to cover nearly five acres.
The species commonly grown as houseplants like rubber trees (F. elastica) and weeping figs (F. benjamina) are in the same genus as the fig trees cultivated for the miraculous fruits that make our charcuterie boards pop.
The Ficus genus is very diverse, consisting of vines, shrubs, and trees, with species that grow just a few inches tall to those that reach heights of hundreds of feet.
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I’ve yet to meet a ficus I don’t like, from enjoying the fruits of my common fig (F. carica) trees to the adorable little ginseng (F. microcarpa) bonsai I keep on my desk.
In this guide, we’ll go over what the plants in this genus have in common and how to care for them, in a broad sense.
Here’s what I’ll cover:
What Is a Ficus?
Regardless of which Ficus species you’re growing, there are lots of similarities between them. Let’s discuss exactly what a Ficus is first.
Ficus is a genus in the Moraceae family, which also includes mulberries. There are five subgenera within the genus: Ficus, Pharmacosycea, Sycidium, Sycomorus, Synoecia, and Urostigma.
There are over 800 Ficus species, growing across the globe in tropical and warm temperate areas.
Most do best in Zones 9 to 11, though there are outliers that tolerate climates down to Zone 5 and up to Zone 12.
Almost all are evergreens and grow edible fruits, though not all of the fruit is considered palatable.
In many cases, that’s only because Westerners haven’t learned to appreciate the fruits from some of the species, while local populations in the areas where the plants grow natively enjoy them.
But even where humans don’t eat and enjoy the fruits, the wildlife sure does – bats, monkeys, and birds love them.
The unique fruits are actually what defines the Ficus genus.
If you’ve ever opened up a fig, you’ve probably noticed the unusual interior. That’s actually the inflorescence made up of hundreds of tiny flowers held inside a syconium.
Think of the fig fruit as a large swollen stem enclosing a bunch of tiny flowers.
These flowers can only be pollinated by fig wasps, which climb in the bottom of the fruit through an entrance called an ostiole. While they’re inside, the wasps pollinate the plant, lay eggs, and might even hibernate there.
All species also have a waxy latex in the stems and foliage that comes out when the plant is cut, and most have aerial roots. Many Ficus species are epiphytes, and some – such as strangler figs – kill the host tree as they mature.
With over 800 species in the genus, there is bound to be some overlap and some natural hybridization. In some areas there are over 70 species coexisting.
Cultivation and History
Some of the foliage on Ficus trees looks positively prehistoric to me, like something the dinosaurs would have eaten.
Experts estimate that the plants have been around for at least 60 million years. They’ve most likely been a part of human culture for as long as humans have existed.
Fossils of Ficus species dating back to 9400 BCE were discovered in the Jordan Valley, and humans have been cultivating these plants at least as early as the 12th century.
Twelfth-century horticulturist Ibn al-’Awwam wrote a book about agriculture that included how to cultivate figs. By the 15th century, common figs were being grown in the British Isles.
Since then, many species have become popular as houseplants, with dozens of cultivated varieties available, and others are widely used in landscaping in warm climates across the globe.
Ficus Propagation
To propagate Ficus species, stem cuttings are a breeze and air layering works well, too. Or you can always pop over to your local nursery and find a potted plant to bring home.
From Air Layering
Air layering is so named because you propagate the new plant up in the air rather than in soil. This can be done at any time of year, but tends to work best in spring and summer.
To start, look for a sturdy branch at least as thick as your pinky. It needs to be large enough to support some moistened moss wrapped in plastic as well as the developing roots.
Cut or pull off the leaves at the center of the branch to expose a section that is between six inches and a foot long, depending on the size of the plant.
Take a sharp, clean knife and make a shallow cut around the entire circumference of the branch.
The goal is to cut through the bark and into the phloem of the stem, but you don’t want to cut into the cambium.
You should be cutting through the brown bark and exposing the green growth underneath. If you cut beyond the green and encounter the white cambium, you’ve cut too deep.
Don’t worry if this happens, just try to slow down and take your time with the rest of the cuts.
When you’ve made your first horizontal cut, make another one about three inches below that. The area needs to include at least one leaf node or aerial root node.
Then, make several vertical cuts about half an inch apart. These should connect to the top and bottom horizontal cuts you made.
Use the blade of your knife to carefully strip off the bark between the top and bottom cuts to completely expose the green layer underneath.
Use a discarded toothbrush or paint brush to put a thin layer of rooting hormone powder on the exposed section. You might want to mist the exposed area first to help the powder adhere.
It helps to have a second pair of hands for the next part, but you can do it yourself.
Grab a few handfuls of sphagnum moss and soak it in some water. Wring it out and pack it against the exposed area of the branch. You want at least an inch of moss all the way around, but two inches would be even better.
Hold the moss in place and wrap it in clear plastic wrap to secure it around the branch. Seal the top and bottom of the plastic with twine, zip-ties, string, or tape.
Now, your job is to keep the parent plant happy as you normally would while also ensuring that the moss stays moist.
If you don’t see moisture on the inside of the plastic, open it up on one end and touch the moss. If it’s feeling dry, spray it with some water.
Eventually, you’ll start to see roots developing inside the moss. This can happen quickly, depending on the time of year and the species, or it can take months.
Once the moss is filled about a third of the way with roots, it’s time to cut the new plant away from the parent.
To do this, take a clean, sharp knife or pruners and cut through the stem just below the moss pack.
Remove the plastic and moss and plant the roots in a pot filled with potting soil. Most species like to be a bit root bound and an oversized pot promotes root rot, so choose a container that is just an inch or so larger than the rootball.
Bury the stem deep enough that the plant can support itself in an upright position.
From Stem Cuttings
This method can be used with any Ficus species. In the spring, look for a pliable stem about the diameter of a pencil. Cut off a piece about six to nine inches long.
The most important consideration isn’t the exact length but to remove a section of stem with at least one leaf node or aerial root node. Use a pair of clean clippers or a knife to cut just below one of these nodes.
Remove all but the top one or two leaves for smaller-leaved species and all but one leaf for species with large leaves. In the case of something like a fiddle-leaf fig, you can even cut the leaf in half horizontally.
The goal is to reduce the amount of leaf tissue that the stem has to support while it’s developing roots. Too much leaf tissue will quickly drain the stem of all nutrients, while too little leaf tissue will reduce photosynthesis.
Fill a small pot with well-draining, water retentive potting medium and make a hole in the center using your finger, a pencil, or a chopstick.
You can use a growers pot for this process or use the permanent growing container so you don’t have to transplant the cutting later. The container should be around six inches in diameter.
Dip the cut end in powdered rooting hormone and insert it into the hole.
Firm the soil up around the cutting and moisten the potting medium. You’re welcome to use a cloche or a clear plastic bag over the cutting to help retain moisture – just make sure the plastic is not touching the foliage.
Keep the soil moist but not soaking wet, and keep your cutting in an area with bright, indirect light, or direct morning light.
After four weeks or so, gently insert your hand into the soil underneath the plant and lift up to look for roots. If you see them, you can transplant the cutting into its permanent location.
Transplanting
If you start a plant via cuttings or air layering, or if you buy a ficus at the store, there will come a time when you want to move it into a more permanent container.
Ensure that the container you choose has drainage holes at the bottom and is one or two inches larger than the existing pot.
Gently remove the plant from its existing container and loosen up the roots a little. If you see any roots that are mushy or black, or that are broken, snip them off with a clean pair of scissors.
Hold the plant inside the new container so that it will be situated at the same depth as it was in the previous container.
Then, fill in around the roots with a water-retentive, airy potting mix. There are mixes out there made for aroids, and you can always nab one of those.
I prefer to use a product like FoxFarm’s Ocean Forest mix, available via Amazon, or De La Tank’s Houseplant Mix, which contains compost, coconut husks, worm castings, bat guano, and pumice to improve drainage.
You can pick up a one, eight, or 16-quart bag of De La Tank’s at Arbico Organics.
Once the roots are securely in place in the potting soil, water well. If the soil settles at all, add a bit more.
How to Grow Ficus
Because the Ficus genus encompasses such a wide range of plants, it’s a little difficult to sum up the care requirements for all types. When you commit to a specific species, be sure to read up on its needs.
Broadly speaking, those grown as houseplants need bright, indirect light or some direct morning light. They can often tolerate less light, but they certainly don’t prefer it.
Outdoors, most Ficus species need full to partial sunlight. Some will mature into huge trees, so they’ll grow large enough to reach the full sunlight whether you want them to or not.
Those that grow as epiphytes or small shrubs can usually thrive in lower light exposure, with some even tolerating full shade.
When it comes to water, they generally like consistently moist soil, but they won’t tolerate standing water around the roots.
If your plant is in a container, water it when the top quarter of the soil has dried out.
For outdoor specimens, allow the top few inches of soil to dry out between watering – in the absence of rain. Established trees won’t need any additional irrigation except in times of extreme drought.
Most Ficus species come from humid regions. These aren’t plants that you’ll find chilling in the dry desert.
Misting isn’t really an effective way of increasing the humidity around your plant, so it’s best to purchase a humidifier or group houseplants together if your home is a bit dry. You can also keep your plant in the bathroom, where it’s usually nice and moist.
Try to aim for a relative humidity level of about 50 to 70 percent. Most species will survive in lower humidity, but they won’t thrive.
These plants also need warm temperatures – between 55 and 85°F is fine. Don’t keep your houseplant near a drafty window or exterior door if it gets really cold in your neck of the woods.
Outdoor plants typically thrive in warmer USDA Hardiness Zones, like 8 and above, but there are a few species that grow in more northern Zones.
Depending on the species, you should plan to feed indoor plants twice a year. They aren’t greedy, and overfeeding can result in yellow leaves and poor growth.
Either granular or liquid fertilizer is fine. I generally use a mild product that’s formulated for houseplants.
That way, I can use it for all my houseplants without having to worry that they’re not getting what they need. Feed once in the spring and once in late summer.
Arber makes an excellent indoor plant food with a 3-2-1 NPK ratio that’s perfect for encouraging lots of leafy growth.
If you’re growing your plants outside, give them an all-purpose food unless you’re cultivating common figs. In that case, use a fruit tree mix to support fruit production.
I like Down to Earth’s Fruit Tree fertilizer, which is available at Arbico Organics in five-, 15-, and 25-pound biodegradable boxes.
Provide bright, indirect light indoors and full to partial sun outdoors.
Feed in early spring and late summer.
Pruning and Maintenance
As your plants thrive and grow, potted specimens will need a container upgrade every few years and once they reach the mature size, you’ll still need to replace the potting substrate regularly.
Over time, potting soils and other growing mediums tend to break down and become depleted of nutrients. They can also become hydrophobic, so the water just runs around rather than through it.
Most plants can be repotted in the spring or summer by removing the plant from its pot, knocking away the soil, and cutting off any dead or damaged roots.
Place the plant back in the same pot or in a container just one size up. Fill in around the roots with fresh potting soil and water well.
There is generally no need to prune these plants unless you want to change the shape or remove dead, diseased, deformed, or dying branches. That’s right, even the edible fig doesn’t need complicated pruning as most stone fruit species do.
There’s no need to remove aerial roots. They support the plant’s health, and they’re a good thing. You can tuck them into a moss pole if you’re using one, or just let them be.
Species with large leaves should be wiped regularly to remove any dust. An accumulation of dust can reduce photosynthesis and impact the health of the plant.
Ficus Species to Select
As I’ve mentioned, there are over 800 Ficus species, but only a dozen or so that we commonly grow as houseplants or ornamental garden specimens.
Banana Leaf
Sometimes called long-leaf figs, banana leaf figs (F. maclellandii) have long, drooping, leathery leaves.
Indoors, they grow to about six feet tall, but they can reach closer to 10 feet in the right conditions.
In their native China, India, and Southeast Asia, they reach up to 40 feet tall and produce pairs of round fruits.
Like many other plants in this genus, they send out large aerial roots that anchor them into the ground.
There are beautiful cultivars with variegated foliage or with compact growth habits that lend themselves to indoor life.
‘Alii,’ the most common cultivar, is often sold with braided trunks.
It has a dense growth habit and tops out at about six feet tall indoors. Outdoors, it can grow in Zones 9 to 11.
Climbing or trailing ficus (F. radicans syn. F. sagittata) is native to southeast Asia, where it uses its roots to climb up trees and other structures.
The heart- or arrow-shaped leaves are glossy, dark green, and slightly wrinkled.
It’s often confused with creeping ficus (F. pumila), and while they’re similar, they are different plants. The leaves of F. radicans are lanceolate compared to the cordate leaves of F. pumila.
Climbing figs can grow up to 30 feet long in the wild, but they generally stay much shorter in the home.
Most people opt to grow them in hanging baskets, but they’d be lovely growing up a moss pole, as well. If you live in Zones 10 to 12, you can grow them in a shady spot outdoors.
Common
Common figs (F. carica) must grow outdoors in Zones 8 to 10 or in a greenhouse if you want them to produce fruits.
You can also enjoy them indoors as houseplants. The dwarf cultivars work well indoors and will even produce fruit if you have a sunny spot in a south-facing window.
With or without the fruits, the large, lobed leaves with a cordate base add flair to the home.
For indoor fruits or just a manageable outdoor tree, ‘Petite Negra’ and ‘Fignomenal’ are both phenomenal options.
Native to China, Japan, and Vietnam, creeping fig (F. pumila) has naturalized across parts of North America where temperatures reliably remain above freezing, though it can be cultivated in Zones 8 to 11.
It climbs up trees, rocks, and other structures to about 12 feet in length, but stays much more contained indoors.
There are several notable cultivars of this species, like the petite ‘Minima,’ which has tiny half-inch leaves.
Fiddle-Leaf Fig
The Jurrasic-looking leaves of fiddle-leaf fig (F. lyrata) have earned it a place in all the most stylish homes and hotels. Outside, they make a dramatic statement reaching 50 feet tall or more in Zones 10 to 12.
Indoors, they’re much more petite, though no less dramatic. They typically top out at about 15 feet unless you have high ceilings for them to stretch up into.
There are also dwarf cultivars that remain naturally nice and small, so you aren’t having to chop off their tops as they reach the ceiling.
Cute little ‘Bambino’ only grows to about five feet tall with correspondingly smaller leaves than the species plant.
The first time I ever saw a Formosan creeping fig (F. vaccinioides), it had been trained up a frame to create a topiary.
I was intrigued by the glossy oval leaves and vining growth habit. When I found out it was in the Ficus genus, I was thrilled because I’ve had such good luck growing so many of these plants.
It even grows teeny tiny fruits! It stands apart from F. pumila because it has slightly larger leaves but otherwise looks similar.
Whether you train it up a pole or a frame or just let it trail down the sides of the pot, it’s a looker. Or grow it outdoors if you’re in Zones 9 to 11.
Ginseng
Indigenous to Southeast Asia and wildly popular in homes across the globe is the beautiful ginseng fig (F. microcarpa).
It’s extremely common as a bonsai because it can be grown indoors year-round, unlike many other common bonsai species.
You’ll often see them with disproportionately large or braided trunks, making them a fun architectural element.
Native across Southeast Asia, long-leaf or narrow-leaf fig (F. binnendijkii) climbs nearly 100 feet tall up nearby trees and eventually strangles them.
It needs warm climates to thrive and can only be grown outdoors in Zones 10 to 11. Indoors, it’s usually trained as a small tree under ten feet tall that resembles a weeping willow.
Don’t confuse it with the other long-leaved ficus species, F. maclellandii.
Banana leaf ficus has prominent basal veins, but they are similar otherwise.
Rubber Plant
F. elastica can grow really large, up to nearly 200 feet tall, in its native south and Southeast Asia. It’s probably best known as a dramatic houseplant that can reach up to ten feet tall.
The leaves are what make this species stand out. They are large, succulent, and glossy, growing up to a foot long and four inches wide.
They can be either solid green with a burgundy underside, or variegated in a combination of burgundy, pink, yellow, cream, or white.
If you guessed that F. triangularis has triangular leaves, you nailed it.
The succulent leaves grow as inverted triangles with soft, curved edges, earning it the nickname sweetheart tree.
This species is native to South Africa, where it grows about 15 feet tall in cultivation. Indoors, it can grow up to eight feet tall but usually stays about half that.
F. triangularis prefers warmer temperatures than many others on this list and if you intend to grow it outdoors, you’ll need to live in Zones 12 or 13.
You can find both solid and variegated versions, as with ‘Variegata,’ which is available at Fast Growing Trees in one- or three-gallon pots.
Weeping
A weeping fig (F. benjamina) is the perfect choice if you want to bring the look of a landscaping tree to your interior.
It has that classic tree shape with twisting ovate leaves in a glossy green hue, or you can find it with creamy variegation, as well.
Outdoors, these trees climb up other plants and send down aerial roots that make it look like it has multiple trunks.
They can reach over 50 feet tall in their native Asian and Australian home. In the US, they grow in Zones 9 to 12.
As indoor plants, you will find them available as braided multiple stems or as single stem specimens. They will typically grow up to about 12 feet tall.
All are prone to root rot, which is often caused by Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium oxysporum. These pathogens thrive where there is a lot of moisture, so it’s important to avoid overwatering.
Root rot will cause the leaves to turn yellow or brown and fall from the plant.
If you notice this happening, the best thing to do is to remove the plant from its container and examine the roots. If you see rot or mushy, black roots, trim all the symptomatic roots away.
Then, treat the roots with a biofungicide like Mycostop.
This product is made using sphagnum peat moss which contains the beneficial bacterium Streptomyces Strain K61.
I use this product anytime my plants are struggling with root rot and have always had good results.
Bring home five or 25 grams from Arbico Organics and follow the manufacturer’s directions for application.
Best Uses for Ficus Species
With so many different growth habits, shapes, sizes, leaf variations, and fruit options, there are a lot of ways to enjoy the plants in the Ficus genus.
Many species lend themselves to bonsai and houseplant life. You can grow them as trailing plants, trained up moss poles or topiary frames, or as free-standing indoor trees.
Outdoors, they can be ground covers, trained climb up supports, or grown as shrubs or trees.
Some make excellent shade tree options, others are perfect hedges. Some species can even be trained into living bridges and furniture – Seriously!
In northeastern India, the Khasi people train rubber figs into living bridges.
Quick Reference Growing Guide
Plant Type:
Woody vines, shrubs, and trees
Foliage Color:
Green, yellow, white, variegated
Native to:
Africa, Asia, Mediterranean, Oceania, South America
Tolerance:
Some drought
Hardiness (USDA Zone):
6-12, depending on species
Maintenance:
Low to moderate
Bloom Time/Season:
Fruit in spring and summer
Soil Type:
Loose, rich
Exposure:
Full shade to full sun, depending on species
Soil pH:
6.0-8.0, depending on species
Time to Maturity:
Varies by species
Soil Drainage:
Well-draining
Spacing:
Varies by species
Attracts:
Ficus wasps (outdoors)
Planting Depth:
Same depth as growing container
Uses:
Bonsai, trailing, climbing, houseplants, shrubs, ground cover, landscape trees
There’s Lots to Love About the Fabulous Ficus Genus
The Ficus genus comprises some of the most beloved houseplants as well as the trees that grow our coveted fig fruits. They have stunning leaves, fascinating trunks, and unusual flowers. There’s a lot to love about these plants.
Which Ficus species are you interested in? How do you plan to grow it? Share your plans in the comments section below.
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Bruce the Bad writes to ask why gardening in the Florida panhandle just isn’t working out:
Help!
Retired pre-pandemic in the Florida mountains. Northern Walton County, elevation 300+ ft. Zone 8ish. Pine and cedar are the old established trees, some small hardwood and lots of yaupon holly, wild grapes, poison ivy.
Have been unable to establish a productive garden/food forest on our 5A hobby farm/homestead.
Found your book this year and have started containerized (gardens) in 5,10 and 20 gal fabric grow bag. With a small greenhouse and 400Sq tilled garden plot. Compost with chicken, goat, horse. Have been raking up and burning pine needles to reduce fire risk.
Lemon trees died, mulberry and plum trees look sickly. 6 inch tall Fig trees still in pots in the greenhouse to plant this spring.
3 of the 5 acres are goat pens another acre is county road right away. Half of the remaining acre is full shade under larger old pines.
House, carport, pool, chicken house, greenhouse and garden make up the rest.
What am I doing wrong?
Let’s see if we can help.
The Location
“Retired pre-pandemic in the Florida mountains. “
Ah-ha, a transplant to one of the most difficult Florida biomes for gardeners – the miserable soil of pine lands, far enough from the ocean to experience temperatures down in the teens, yet deep enough south to suffer temperatures over 100 in Summer.
This is a rough area for gardening. Florida’s highest point, Britton Hill, is located in Walton County, measuring in at an altitude sickness inducing height of 345′ above sea level.
That height also doesn’t help with the climate, as it’s more extreme in winter.
There are some really nice places to garden in Florida, like the fertile area south of Okeechobee where the climate is almost totally tropical, and Ft. Myers, near the ocean, where mangoes and moringa and pineapple can be grown without protection. Or the Redlands area, south of Miami, where you can grow all the bounty of the tropical Caribbean.
Yet Walton County is not like that. It’s too cold, and too hot. This means your temperate species suffer in the summer, and more tropical species are killed in the winter.
The Soil
Pine and cedar are the old established trees, some small hardwood and lots of yaupon holly, wild grapes, poison ivy.
Alas, these species love terrible, acid soil. If you have pine, cedar and yaupon holly, it indicates that your soil is less-than-suitable for most agriculture. It doesn’t mean it can’t be done, it just means that everything is uphill.
On the upside, blueberries should grow well – especially rabbiteye types.
YouTuber Florida Bullfrog does only small patches of gardening at his poor, acid soil farm in North Florida. Instead, he focuses on raising chickens, turkeys and guineafowl for abundant eggs and meat. Since you already have goats, you might get the idea. Animals are easier to raise in these conditions than gardens. Tough breeds of chickens, ducks, cows, pigs, sheep and yes, goats, can make sense. Fence some animals in, let them forage through the scrub, then get eggs or meat or milk or all of the above.
As for gardening, it’s not actually impossible – it’s just hard. We spent two years gardening in similar conditions in Lower Alabama. We had some luck with burying biochar and with deep mulching, and managed to start getting some decent yields. However, our yields went way up when we moved to a place with better soil.
That said, the primary issue with your pineland soil is that it needs lime. Lots of lime. Probably more than you think. I’ve seen lovely green pastures established on what was terrible pine soil, thanks to good liming. Use pulverized limestone, like the cattle farmers use, and in a year or less, you’ll start to see results.
And compost everything! That soil needs organic matter as well. Ours was less than 2%, and that’s terrible for plants trying to get nutrients from the soil.
Other Considerations
Found your book this year and have started containerized (gardens) in 5,10 and 20 gal fabric grow bag. With a small greenhouse and 400Sq tilled garden plot. Compost with chicken, goat, horse. Have been raking up and burning pine needles to reduce fire risk.
Container gardens are fine, but you have lots of land. I recommend you learn how to garden right in the ground. Are there any gardeners in your area? I would try to meet them, and see what they’re doing! Or watch some of our old videos from The Sandpit of Death, where we lived from 2020 – 2022. This is the full playlist.
Also, compost from animal manures can completely wreck your gardens, as North Florida farms are riddled with Grazon and other long-term herbicides.
Be very careful, unless you’re growing your own animal feed. I don’t take manure from anyone else, either, unless he is not buying in hay off-site and raising his animals on ground never sprayed with long-term herbicides.
As for the pine needles, that makes sense; however, you might consider using them to mulch some blueberries instead.
Tree Problems
Lemon trees died, mulberry and plum trees look sickly. 6 inch tall Fig trees still in pots in the greenhouse to plant this spring.
Though the Meyer lemon is moderately cold-hardy, the freezes in your area will kill them every few years if they’re not well-protected. They’re good into the 20s, but you’ll hit the teens sometimes, like what happened this last winter in December.
The mulberry and the plums probably need some lime and a lot of mulch around their bases. That helps a lot.
Figs like to be fed with ashes and also appreciate deep mulch.
Final Thoughts
What am I doing wrong?
It’s probably a combination of soil and climate more than you, though if your manure is contaminated with herbicides, that can also cause a lot of damage and stop your trees and gardens cold.
My advice:
Build the soil and garden in the ground, as you can see us do with our Grocery Row Gardening videos. We added lime, biochar, ashes, alfalfa and “clean” cow manure, as well as planted lots of cover crops – particularly black-eyed peas, winter rye and clover – to improve the ground. We also made swamp water to feed the plants.
Once the soil is a little better, plant plants that thrive in Florida. Sweet potatoes, turnips, true yams, okra, Seminole pumpkins, black-eyed peas, Everglades tomatoes and yard-long beans. That will give you plenty of food.
That’s most of it.
Just build your soil – and don’t be afraid of foliar feeding – and then base your gardens around plants that will thrive in your climate.
If we did it, you can do it. You’ve not even that far away from us.
Creativity is integral to your child’s overall development. While some children are innately creative, this valuable skill can be nurtured and honed over time.
Here are six essential tips to help boost your child’s creativity.
Know your child’s passions
While exposing your child to various activities can be beneficial, your little one will most likely excel at something they’re genuinely passionate about.
Discuss their interests with them, and observe the things they gravitate towards. Try not to force your own passions on your kids and give them the freedom to choose the activities they want to pursue.
If your child constantly changes their mind about their hobbies, remember to be patient and continue to support them.
Create a safe environment
Children can easily get discouraged, especially when criticised. If your child is afraid to make mistakes for fear of being reprimanded or labelled, they will be less creative and may not want to leave their comfort zones.
To enhance your child’s creativity, you must create a safe and supportive environment where they can pursue their ideas and develop their skills without judgement.
Use positive reinforcement
Parents often reward their children when they do well. While praising and giving your child incentives for a job well done can help motivate them, it can cause them to focus on the results rather than the process itself.
Using positive reinforcement can help cultivate creativity in your child. When giving praise, concentrate on their efforts and not on the skills per se.
Reduce screen time
In this highly digital era, most children nowadays are technology-savvy. If you want your child to be more creative, you might want to lessen their screen time usage, as excessive use can hinder their imagination and creative thinking. Instead of leaving them to their own devices during leisure time, provide your child with stimulating activities they can do at home.
Give them various tools such as crayons, paints, colouring books, and other art and craft supplies. If you have a preschooler, you can give them worksheets that help strengthen their maths skills, such as addition color by number worksheets.
Go outdoors
Nature can help fuel your child’s creativity, reduce stress, and boost mental and emotional health. Spend time outdoors often and let your little one explore their surroundings.
Don’t make it complicated
Boosting your child’s creativity doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. You don’t need to invest in fancy art materials or enrol them in costly classes.
Keep everything simple, and look for resources that won’t compromise your household finances. Most of the time, all your child needs is encouragement and unconditional support from you to keep them motivated.
December is an interesting month for most. It’s filled with fun things like parties and holidays, but the fun is inevitably accompanied by a whole lot of chores and stress. Wouldn’t it be great to get outside and do some stress-relieving gardening? Sigh.
Good news: You can garden in December! What you can plant will vary with your location, but there’s still plenty that can be done.
1. You can plant vegetables.
Above: Garlic growing in snow. Photograph by Marie Viljoen, from Gardening 101: Garlic.
Cold-hardy vegetables can be planted in beds where the winters aren’t too harsh and the soil is not frozen and still workable. They include root vegetables such as carrots and turnips. In the brassica family, you can plant cabbages, kale, and cauliflower. You can even plant garlic. Know that the low temperatures and limited sun will slow the growth rate. How much depends on your microclimate and if you have access to hoop houses or floating row covers, both of which provide protection. If your beds are out in the open, exposed to the elements, your vegetables will grow far slower than they would in a sheltered spot—such as up against the foundation of your home, protected from wind and in full sun. At night, the foundation releases the sun’s stored energy, keeping the bed from freezing.
Above: If you choose to winter sow using milk jugs, be sure to fill each with at least three inches of soil. Photograph by SK via Flickr.
If your soil is already frozen, you have two options. Grow your vegetables in a cold frame, or winter sow by using milk jugs (or other repurposed plastic containers) to create a miniature greenhouse for the seeds. You can sow nearly everything this way—and you end up getting larger seedlings when it’s time to transplant. (For more information on winter sowing using milk jugs, read this.)
You can plant many different flowers by way of winter sowing. This is particularly good for those plants needing cold stratification. These include natives such as echinacea, goldenrod, and milkweed, and more showy plants like artichokes and hollyhocks.
But you’re not limited to seeds. You can plant bare-root roses, daylilies, and peonies. Did you forget about that box of daffodil bulbs in the mudroom? Plant them. So long as the soil is not frozen, you can plant. The same goes for tulips, snowdrops, and one of the main harbingers of spring, crocuses. If you see pansies in your local garden center, pick some up. They are remarkably hardy for a delicate looking flower and will bloom in the snow. Remember to protect the newly planted plants by mulching them. Mulch helps regulate soil temperature and reduces the amount of frost heaving.
3. You can plant trees.
Above: For best results, soil temperature should be 60°F or warmer when planting an evergreen tree. Photograph by Justine Hand, from DIY: Plant Your Christmas Tree in the Garden.
There is a magic number for planting trees in the winter. If your soil temperature is 50°F or higher, you are good to plant deciduous trees. For evergreens, 60°F is the minimum. Below the minimums, you run the risk of the tree dying. Trees are a huge investment. It’s best to give them the greatest chance of survival with a simple meat thermometer for less than $10. (Just remember to clearly label it “for soil use only.”)
With planting any plant, it’s important to match the right plant to the right place. In winter, the right plants are ones that are cold hardy, and the right place requires that you know what zone you’re in and if you have a microclimate you can take advantage of.
We’re back in Calabasas, California, today, looking at the garden Kathy Sandel created. She is a retired landscape designer, and this is the garden she created for herself at the home where she lived for more than 20 years. She moved away from this garden a few years ago, so these photos are a chance to look back and remember a beautiful and much-loved garden space.
Two great roses are blooming together: the climbing rose ‘Sally Holmes’ growing with a David Austin rose in front.
This view of the same pairing shows more of ‘Sally Holmes’. The individual flowers of this variety are small and have only five petals, but they bloom in big clusters that certainly add up to more than the sum of their parts.
The rose ‘Angel Face’ was trained to climb up a wall. This highly fragrant variety has unusual lavender blooms.
The white-blooming Geralton waxflower (Chamelaucium uncinatum, Zones 9–11) is a native of Australia. Like many Australian plants, it adapts well to live in California.
Columbines (Aquilegia hybrids, Zones 3–9) with purple oxalis (Oxalis triangularis ‘Purpurea’ Zones 7–10) growing at the base of roses
White heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens ‘Alba’, Zones 9–11 or as an annual) with clusters of very fragrant blooms
Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus, Zones 8–10) in the foreground, with countless beautiful roses behind
Steps up to the garden, with succulents and other plants growing amid and cascading down the rocks
The front walkway features begonias (Begonia hybrids, Zones 9–11) and star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides, Zones 8–11).
The trees are dressed for a dinner party.
It is easy to see why Kathy loved this garden so much!
Have a garden you’d like to share?
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
Indoor plant lovers will appreciate the quality of our houseplants and accessories. They’ll also love our guarantee. If they aren’t happy with their gift, we’ll gladly exchange it for something more suitable.
Houseplant Mister: Help them maintain the ideal humidity for their indoor plants with a reusable, non-aerosol mister that creates the perfect, superfine mist (even when upside-down).
Cache Pots: The best way to accessorize your houseplants, cache pots also make it easy to water them correctly. We recommend planting your houseplant into a plastic container with drainage holes and placing that container into the decorative cache pot. To water, simply remove the plastic pot from the cache pot, water it in the sink, let drain, and place it back inside!
Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi): These unique trailing houseplants are native to the tropical rainforests of Brazil. The perfect holiday gift, they bloom with stunning, colorful flowers from late November through February.
Few plants generate more revulsion in the garden than junipers. The mere suggestion of planting one often musters a similar reaction to that of saying a dirty word. Maybe we’ve grown weary of their use as evergreen blobs in foundation plantings. Perhaps the thought of meticulously shearing them into the perfect shape sounds daunting (see pruning tips). It could be an early memory of an itchy rash from an up-close encounter with a juniper’s prickly branches. Or it could be boredom with the sea of creeping blue rug junipers (Juniperus horizontalis ‘Wiltonii’, Zones 3–9) planted in every big-box-store parking lot. Although junipers are a midcentury-modern garden staple, generations of gardeners have since decided they have had enough of these controversial conifers. While it’s easy to dismiss them for their deeply ingrained negative traits, junipers have many merits that make them worth reconsideration.
They’re durable and an invaluable resource for wildlife
In an ever-changing world with an unpredictable future, people now more than ever are concerned with the role plants play in the ecology of their gardens. With over a dozen species native to North America, junipers can be a natural, superhero plant pick. Many charismatic backyard birds love and even depend on junipers. Their berries (fleshy cones) are a favorite for warblers, cardinals, eastern bluebirds, and many others. Not only are the berries tasty, but they are also important winter food sources when most other plants are dormant. These evergreens provide shelter from bitter cold and strong winds, while the bristly foliage is a perfect place for a fortified nest. If you are looking to increase bird activity and habitat in the garden, junipers are a top choice. See Berry-Producing Plants for the Birds
Junipers are hosts to dozens of insect species, including various caterpillars, true bugs, and beetles. Such insects form the base of the garden food chain, attracting beneficial predatory insects as well as supporting insectivorous birds, frogs, and small mammals. While these insects do consume the juniper’s foliage and sap, few of them cause any real aesthetic damage or inflict harm on the plant.
| JUNIPER FACTS |
What makes junipers so special?
Many of the detractors of junipers lose sight of their many good and ecologically important qualities. Yes, they are prickly and require gloves to handle in some cases. But this adaptation is for good reasons. Wet springs, drought, and harsh winters that threaten other woody plants don’t bother junipers. They are hardy plants that make it through most climate conditions with only a little help. Below are some of the traits that make junipers as a group so incredible.
▸ Exceptional hardiness and adaptability: Many of the juniper varieties available today come from species found in the most extreme climates all over the world. Juniper native ranges often extend from hot and dry desert steppes all the way to frigid mountain forests. These conifers can be found native in all U.S. states except Hawaii, from the Arctic Circle to the Gulf of Mexico. Some species can thrive in the cracks of a cliff face (pictured), while others survive despite being covered in snow for several months of the year. Some even persist on fewer than a dozen inches of rain a year. The common juniper (J. communis) is believed to be the most widely distributed tree in the world. This gives junipers incredible adaptability to nearly all garden conditions, from drought and heat to cold and snow.
▸ Unmatched pest resistance: Juniper leaves, often categorized as scales or needles, can be sharp and prickly, which makes them naturally deer and rabbit resistant. On top of that, aromatic resin and oils in the foliage make them extremely bitter and unpalatable.
▸ Importance as a wildlife safety net: The attributes that make junipers so unappealing to deer and rabbits make them the perfect place for birds and small mammals to find protection from predators. Their spiny texture deters intruders and egg thieves while offering a place for birds and small mammals to seek nighttime and winter shelter. The branch tips themselves are flexible and soft—perfect for weaving into nests. While the berries are not particularly dense with nutrients, their abundance and persistence in winter make them a crucial wildlife food source once other fruits and nuts have been depleted. Cedar waxwings (pictured) are so fond of the berries of eastern red cedar (J. virginiana) that they were even named for that tree.
Benefits of growing junipers
Like many garden plants, they appreciate a little water during dry periods just to keep them from stressing out. However, extensive root systems make them more resistant to drought.
Strong wind doesn’t generally cause damage to junipers.
They are naturally deer resistant due to their prickly demeanor.
Because they are native to much of the continent, there are varieties that can handle hot, humid summers, and ones that tolerate cold, dry winters.
Junipers also have very few disease problems compared to other conifers that are plagued by fungal infections.
With all of these marvelous benefits, it’s hard to believe that junipers are still the black sheep of the conifer world. With extensive selection efforts over the years, these plants are now available in many shapes, sizes, and colors. Not all junipers are blue rug; there’s a world beyond that ubiquitous cultivar waiting to be discovered.
Creeping and Shrubby Juniper Forms
Creeping or shrubby habits offer great placement versatility
Berries on ‘Grey Owl’ eastern red cedar is a medium-size juniper with lots of siting options
‘Grey Owl’ eastern red cedar
Name: Juniperus virginiana ‘Grey Owl’
Zones: 4–9
Size: 2 to 3 feet tall and 5 to 6 feet wide
Conditions: Full sun; tolerant of a wide range of well-drained soil types
Native range: Hybrid
Junipers are well known for their erosion-control properties. Varieties that hug the ground are invaluable in keeping slopes stable and slowing down potential runoff. But shrubby junipers can also be utilized as low hedges or placed to soften the edges of stone walls. Chances are there’s a beautiful option that will fit any practical or aesthetic need you may have.
The silvery-gray foliage on the arching branches of ‘Grey Owl’ eastern red cedar (seen above) gives it a charming growth habit. Great as a tall ground cover or short hedge, specimen plant, or planted in groups, this soft-textured evergreen adds pewter tones and coolness to the garden. Other qualities include drought resistance, minimal pruning needs, and few pest or disease problems.
‘Limeglow’ creeping juniper adds contrast to dark backdrops
name: J. horizontalis ‘Limeglow’
Zones: 3–9
Size: 2 feet tall and 4 feet wide
Conditions: Full sun; tolerant of a wide range of well-drained soil types
Native range: Alaska, Canada, northern United States
‘Limeglow’ creeping juniper is an apt name for this electric-hued conifer. Feathery foliage and a spreading habit make it a great native selection for a sunny border, in front of a deep green hedge, or against a dark wall or fence. With no serious pest or disease issues, this plant is drought tolerant once established and is resistant to scorch in hot sun.
The golden color of ‘Sunsplash’ shore juniper won’t burn out
name: J. conferta ‘Sunsplash’
Zones: 5–9
Size: 15 inches tall and 5 or more feet wide
Conditions: Full sun; well-drained soil
Native range: Japan, Sakhalin Island
A brightly variegated form of shore juniper from the Far East, ‘Sunsplash’ sports golden patches of foliage among dark green branches. This creeping juniper is not matting; rather, it forms many long, spreading branches that hug the ground. This habit makes it a great candidate for rock gardens, wall plantings, and containers. The gold does not fade or burn as it does with many other yellow-hued conifers. If you want a low-maintenance plant, this is a perfect choice.
‘Pancake’ creeping juniper carpets the ground with tufts of powder blue
name: J. horizontalis ‘Pancake’
Zones: 3–9
Size: 2 to 4 inches tall and 3 to 4 feet wide
Conditions: Full sun; well-drained soil
Native range: Alaska, Canada, northern United States
‘Pancake’ is not your average blue creeping juniper. Tightly hugging the ground, this native plant often reaches no taller than 2 inches, forming a carpet of powdery blue foliage. ‘Pancake’ is great for rock gardens, along pathways, or in wall plantings where it can tolerate dry conditions and high heat while elegantly draping over hardscape.
‘Andorra Compact’ juniper has incredible winter color
name: J. ‘Andorra Compacta’
Zones: 3–9
Size: 12 to 18 inches tall and 4 to 5 feet wide
Conditions: Full sun; well-drained soil
Native range: Hybrid
Winter color of ‘Andorra Compact’ juniper
Rich purple winter color contrasts with bright blue tips to make ‘Andorra Compacta’ a superior nativar and a must-have ground-cover juniper. Slowly spreading over time, this conifer looks its best when gracefully cascading over a wall or container. It’s a great choice for erosion control or in a sunny spot where it can be seen from a window in winter. This is a highly drought-tolerant variety and is also extremely disease and pest resistant.
Upright Juniper Forms
Upright forms serve as valuable focal points and screening
‘Skyrocket’ Rocky Mountain juniper thrives in all kinds of soil
Name: J. scopulorum ‘Skyrocket’
Zones: 4–9
Size: 15 to 20 feet tall and 3 feet wide
Conditions: Full sun; well-drained soil
Native range: Rocky Mountains
Whether pyramidal in shape or sporting a distinctive weeping habit, junipers that grow more tall than wide add invaluable character to the landscape. Their silhouette often determines the best placement.
Named for its tight and upright form, ‘Skyrocket’ Rocky Mountain juniper is a fast-growing plant sporting silvery blue-green foliage year-round. This native tree requires very little care in the form of pruning or watering after establishment. ‘Skyrocket’ has few if any disease or pest problems and is surprisingly drought tolerant. Plant it wherever you want height, or use it as a screening option that won’t take up much ground area. One word of warning: While this variety tolerates a range of soil types, it resents wet feet.
‘Canaertii’ eastern red cedar may be the most drought-tolerant option
name: J. virginiana ‘Canaertii’
Zones: 3–9
Size: 20 to 30 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide
Conditions: Full sun; adaptable to most well-drained soil types
Native range: Eastern United States
A fast-growing juniper that displays distinct character over time, ‘Canaertii’ eastern red cedar is a perfect focal-point plant or screen, or it can be aligned on an axis with your home for scale. It has an overall pyramidal habit, with open and angular branches. Its cobalt blue berries are a bird favorite, and it has no serious pest or disease issues. Extremely drought tolerant, ‘Canaertii’ is a unique native selection that is sure to add interest to almost any garden.
Weeping temple juniper is a piece of living art in the landscape
name: J. rigida ‘Pendula’
Zones: 5–8
Size: 20 to 30 feet tall and 10 to 12 feet wide
Conditions: Full sun; moist, well-drained soil
Native range: Northern China, Mongolia, Korea, Japan, southeastern Russia
Growing into an architectural medium-size tree, weeping temple juniper has a strong central leader with elegantly upward arching branches that are covered with delicate evergreen foliage. An exceptional specimen plant or unique collector’s tree, it is drought tolerant and has no serious disease problems. As a bonus, the needles turn bronze in winter only to return to a lush green in summer.
‘Blue Arrow’ Rocky Mountain juniper is a space-conscious beauty
name: J. scopulorum ‘Blue Arrow’
Zones: 4–9
Size: 12 to 15 feet tall and 2 feet wide
Conditions: Full sun; well-drained soil
Native range: Rocky Mountains
Aqua-blue foliage beautifully complements the powdery silvery-blue berries of ‘Blue Arrow’ Rocky Mountain juniper. Those berries are much loved by birds and other wildlife. Requiring minimal care, this upright, extremely narrow native tree should be watered well when young, but it becomes drought tolerant at maturity. I think it looks stunning when used as a space-saving hedge, but it is equally eye-catching as a specimen plant.
‘Gold Cone’ common juniper prefers cooler climes
name: J. communis ‘Gold Cone’
Zones: 2–7
Size: 3 to 5 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide
Conditions: Full sun; light, well-drained soil
Native range: Northern North America
The new growth that emerges in spring from ‘Gold Cone’ common juniper is an unbelievably bright yellow that ages to shades of blue-green in summer. If you’re looking for a smaller, native selection of juniper, this is the perfect choice. Ideal for foundation plantings, rock gardens, or in containers, this evergreen is drought tolerant once established and, like most junipers, has few pest or disease issues. Pruning is largely unnecessary with this petite variety. Preferring cooler climates, ‘Gold Cone’ is best grown in Zone 7 or lower. Avoid heavy or wet soil if you want it to have a long life.
Like many conifers, junipers very rarely need to be pruned. You may, however, opt to trim them for looks or to make space where they may have overgrown their boundary. Although by no means a thorough tutorial on how to prune a juniper, the following are a few basics to keep in mind before grabbing the pruners.
1. The best time to prune junipers is just before a flush of new growth in late spring or early summer.
2. Unlike some conifers, these evergreen trees will not form new buds on old wood. So if you cut back to the brown, aged stems, the tree won’t grow back.
3. By making some discerning cuts, you can clean out crowded areas and give breathing room to the surrounding plants.
4. Prune back any dead wood. Follow dead branches back to their origination point, then cut and remove them.
5. Use heading cuts (trimming back to a branch’s “head,” or terminal growth; or back to a bud, a stub, or a smaller branch) to enhance the tree’s shape. This trimming often produces new growth below the cut.
David McKinney is the curator of collections and grounds at the Iowa Arboretum and Gardens, where he manages 40 acres of arboretum and 120 acres of native woodland/prairie.
Sources
The following mail-order retailers offer many of the plants featured in this article:
You know that old saying that “friends don’t let friends grow annuals”? I now ignore that sentiment. Some of the best plants in my garden are annuals, and they are more than worth the effort of growing them every year. Annuals add bold color to my containers and beds, fill in spaces beautifully, and bloom for longer than any coneflower (Echinaceaspp. and cvs., Zones 3–9) or phlox (Phlox spp. and cvs., Zones 3–9), so they bridge the flowering gaps between my perennials’ bloom times. But over the last few years as I’ve strolled the ever-more-homogenized aisles of the garden centers in my area, I’ve found myself bored silly, and in sticker shock. I always buy a few standard sweet potato vines (Ipomoea batatas cvs., annual), calibrachoas (Calibrachoacvs., annual), and coleus (Plectranthus scutellarioides cvs., Zones 10–11), of course, but if I want something a little different, I grow it from seed.
Use Annuals Outside the Garden
Annuals do more than just look good in the garden—they also make excellent cut flowers for floral arrangements. When you think of a cutting garden, you might just envision flowers, but foliage makes a perfect filler, sometimes as a backdrop for those flashy flowers and at other times as a main attraction. Here are some bonuses to growing annuals with fancy foliage.
Growing annuals from seed neither difficult nor expensive. (See tips for growing annuals from seed here). Lots of annuals prefer to be sown directly into garden beds after the last spring frost, but even those that like to be sown indoors a little earlier are not a hassle. In general, annuals germinate faster and more readily than perennials, and they grow quickly without a lot of fuss. The following are the annuals I slip in to jazz things up a bit, to add some happy surprises and contrast. Whether unusual cultivars of an already-beloved variety or something completely different, they’re all destined to become your new annual favorites.
‘Cardinal’ Thai basil serves up visually yummy flowers in addition to edible leaves
Name: Ocimum basilicum ‘Cardinal’
Size: 2 feet tall and wide
Conditions: Full sun to light shade; moist, rich, well-drained soil
Native Range: Africa, Asia
I first fell in love with this plant at the Shelburne Museum in Vermont when I stumbled upon it in the display gardens. Who cares that it’s basil? The flowers are the main attraction. This lush large-leaved Thai basil variety is grown mostly for the wine-red, 2- to 3-inch-wide, tightly packed flower heads that appear among its bright green leaves. They’re spectacular in the garden and as cut flowers. But ‘Cardinal’ is not just ornamental; its leaves are also aromatic and delicious, enjoyed best just before the plant blooms. More dense and upright than other basils, ‘Cardinal’ also stays neat and tidy for longer. Use it in a mixed border, as an edible ornamental accent to your vegetable garden, or in large mixed containers for some extra spice.
▸ Sowing: To get the fullest plants the fastest, start basil seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before transplanting seedlings out into the garden after all threat of frost has passed. They should germinate in 5 to 10 days and grow quite quickly. Transplant to 18 inches apart in the garden.
Love-in-a-puff vine forms wonderfully decorative balloon-like seedpods
Name: Cardiospermum halicacabum* see invasive alert below
Size: 10 feet tall and 1 foot wide
Conditions: Full sun; moist, well-drained soil
Native Range: Mexico
Love-in-a-puff vine is the cutest, most romantic little plant. The fine, medium-green foliage scrambles delicately up any nearby trellis or string. Its tiny white flowers mature into pale green, 1-inch balloon-like lanterns (top) that gradually dry to the color of straw and contain two to three black spherical seeds, each emblazoned with an ecru heart (above right). Get it? Subtle, yes, but charming as all get out. This understated vine can easily get lost in a lush garden, so I grow it in a container with a tripod. In Zones 8–10 it can rampantly reseed, so steer clear of growing it in those regions.
▸ Sowing: Direct-sow after the threat of frost has passed, or sow indoors 8 to 10 weeks earlier. Seeds usually germinate in 7 to 20 days. Nicking the seeds with a file or nail clipper and/or soaking them in water for 24 hours before sowing speeds things along. Transplant or thin seedlings to about 6 inches apart.
‘Midnight Candy’ night phlox produces starry white blooms with an intoxicating scent
Name: Zaluzianskya capensis ‘Midnight Candy’
Size: 12 inches tall and wide
Conditions: Full sun; moist, well-drained soil
Native Range: Southern Africa
Night phlox is what dreams are made of. As the sun goes down, tiny burgundy buds begin to open until they reveal masses of starry white blooms that glow in the moonlight. But it’s their fragrance that really rules the night. Sweet and intoxicating, it floats on the breeze, making one think of honey and freshly baked vanilla cake. The scent intensifies with the darkness until, near midnight, you’ll be swooning. I like to sow the tiny seeds of this little annual directly into a low, wide ceramic pot, in scant clusters 3 to 4 inches apart. I keep the pot in the shade until the seeds germinate and get established, then move it to my patio table so that I can enjoy the blooms and their heavenly scent as I sit with friends and family on warm summer evenings.
▸ Sowing: Sow night phlox indoors 3 to 4 weeks before transplanting outdoors, or direct-sow in the garden after the last spring frost date. Seeds germinate within 7 to 10 days and transplant easily. Plant or thin seedlings to 12 inches apart in the ground, closer in pots.
‘Harlequin’ French marigold prevents a summer lull with pinwheels of color
Name: Tagetes patula ‘Harlequin’
Size: 2 to 3 feet tall and wide
Conditions: Full sun; fertile, well-drained soil
Native Range: Mexico
If you think of marigolds only as bedding plants in six-packs with ridiculously bright, beefy blooms, you have to try this one to see what marigolds used to be—and still can be. A gorgeous hot-colored bed filler, this 19th-century heirloom is an unusually tall and airy, bushy marigold. It sports fine, aromatic foliage and vivid, dainty, 1-inch gold-and-maroon-striped pinwheel flowers interspersed with solid maroon and solid gold flowers. At up to 3 feet tall, it combines with other plants gorgeously. Its long stems make it great for bouquets too. ‘Harlequin’ starts to really hit its stride at the height of summer’s heat, when other flowers tend to wilt. Add it to your sunniest, hottest beds for fresh summer greenery and a dash of beguiling hot colors.
▸ Sowing: Marigolds can be started either indoors or outdoors, depending on your preference. The seeds germinate quickly, usually within 3 to 5 days. Starting them indoors gives them a head start, but direct-sown seedlings will quickly catch up. Indoors, sow seeds 4 weeks before the last spring frost date. Outdoors, direct-sow about 1/4-inch deep after the last frost date. Thin or transplant to about 12 inches apart.
‘Mahogany Splendor’ hibiscus is a killer foliage plant in mixed borders and containers
Name: Hibiscus acetosella ‘Mahogany Splendor’
Size: 8 feet tall and 5 feet wide
Conditions: Full sun; moist, rich, well-drained soil
Native Range: Africa
If there were ever a plant that was the absolute biggest bang for your buck when growing from seed, it would have to be ‘Mahogany Splendor’ hibiscus. In one season it shoots up to 6 or even 8 feet tall. Grown not for its flowers but for its spectacular foliage, ‘Mahogany Splendor’ has maple-like leaves that are a dark burgundy-red-purple, which, surprisingly, goes with everything. This mass of dramatic foliage creates stunning contrast in borders and is a superstar in large-scale container plantings, where it sings when combined with colorful, sun-loving coleus and a multitude of vivid flowers. In a container, stems might need to be trimmed once in a while to keep its size in check, but those trimmings are a wonderful filler in large-scale bouquets. Once you grow this all-purpose stunner (a perennial in Zones 9–11), you’ll never go another season without it.
▸ Sowing: For the biggest, happiest plants, start seeds indoors under lights, at least 6 to 8 weeks before transplanting them out after the last frost. Sow the seeds in small pots or individual cell packs. They will germinate within 3 to 5 days and grow rapidly. As they grow, transplant them into larger pots, and fertilize at half strength weekly. Once the seedlings are about 6 inches tall, pinch back the tips of the growing stems to encourage branching for fuller plants later. By the time they’re ready for planting out into the garden, they may be in 6-inch pots and be quite large.
‘Frosted Explosion’ switchgrass shines with striking texture in beds and bouquets
Name: Panicum elegans ‘Frosted Explosion’
Size: 24 to 36 inches tall and 18 inches wide
Conditions: Full sun; moist, well-drained soil
Native Range: United States
‘Frosted Explosion’ looks like fireworks in the garden. In late summer its mounds of medium green blades are topped with sturdy stalks of long-lasting, sturdy, buff- to pink-tipped blooms that resemble fiber-optic sparklers. It adds wonderfully fine, airy texture and long-lasting excitement to garden beds, but it’s an absolute dream in bouquets. Incredibly easy to grow, this ornamental grass is very productive and dries well too. Hand a few flowering stems to the kids for a safe alternative to dancing with real sparklers on a hot summer night.
▸ Sowing: This switchgrass can be direct-sown after all threat of frost has passed, but for bigger plants, start seeds indoors in small pots 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost. Either way, sow seeds in small clusters, pressing them into the soil and covering them only lightly. They should germinate in 7 to 10 days. Transplant to 18 inches apart.
‘Purple Emperor’ nasturtium is a twist on the norm with its deep wine-red flowers
Name: Tropaeolum majus ‘Purple Emperor’, syn. T. majus ‘Summer Gown’
Size: 18 to 24 inches tall and wide
Conditions: Full sun; lean, well-drained soil
Native Range: Central and South America
In a sea of orange, yellow, red, peach, and salmon nasturtium blooms, ‘Purple Emperor’ is truly unique. Its delicate flowers open a deep wine-red (inset) and then age, in the most beautiful of ways, to rose, then to warm purple, and finally to pale lilac. It’s a fascinating transformation, one you’ll watch closely day after day and week after week. While many nasturtiums are compact and dense, creating a solid block of foliage and flowers, ‘Purple Emperor’ grows a little more loosely, so it mingles well with other annuals and perennials. As with all nasturtiums, every part of ‘Purple Emperor’ is edible. Hold off on fertilizing these plants, as they flower most profusely in lean soil. In rich soil you’ll get lush foliage but few flowers.
▸ Sowing: While nasturtiums can be started early indoors, they are happier from the start when direct-sown after the last spring frost date. Sow the jumbo, wrinkled seeds 1 inch deep, and keep the soil uniformly moist until the seedlings emerge, up to 10 days later. Thin the seedlings to 8 to 12 inches apart.
SunFill™ Purple sunflower is ornamental from bud to bloom
Name: Helianthus annuus ‘SunFill Purple’
Size: 6 feet tall and 11/2 feet wide
Conditions: Full sun; moist, well-drained soil
Native Range: North America
SunFill™ Purple sunflower has created quite the buzz with floral arrangers. Gorgeous early on, it flaunts a full, spiky ruff of large, dusky purple–tipped, gray-green tepals around a deep, dark center (right). It’s that look for which this sunflower is becoming -famous, but the later not-often-photographed stages of the flower are also fascinating. This is when its lemon-yellow petal tips begin to peek out before emerging as short, tubular golden petals surrounding a mahogany center (left). It’s said that Mormons scattered sunflower seeds along their journey to Utah so that others could follow their sunny path months later.
▸ Sowing: Direct-sow sunflowers every 3 weeks after the last spring frost date for continual blooms throughout summer. Seeds usually germinate within 10 days, even sooner in warmer weather, if the soil is kept evenly moist. Thin seedlings to about 1 foot apart.
Michelle Gervais is the horticulturist, editor, photographer, and resident seed-sowing fanatic at John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds in Bantam, Connecticut. She is also the author of Design-Your-Garden Toolkit: Visualize the Perfect Plant Combinations for Your Yard.
Sources
• John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds, Bantam, CT; 860-567-6086; kitchengardenseeds.com
While growing plants from seed is less expensive, it does require extra steps when compared to growing plants or starts from your local garden center.
1. Buy seeds from a reputable source. Seeds are living things, and for their health and longevity they need to be stored properly. Seeds on a rack in a big-box store, while perhaps stamped with a date (right) for the current year, are unlikely to have been stored at an appropriate temperature and humidity level. Buying from a reputable garden center or directly from a respected online seed seller ensures that your seeds have been stored properly, which means better germination rates. If you’re not sowing your seeds right away, keep them in a cool, dark place in the meantime.
2. Start with a good-quality seed-starting medium. If you wouldn’t wrap your newborn baby in a dirty blanket, don’t wrap those newborn seedlings in dirty soil. They’re tender and vulnerable to any bacteria or fungi that might lurk in the potting soil you have left over from last year or, heaven forbid, in soil from outdoors, which doesn’t have the proper drainage qualities for indoor seed starting. Invest in fresh, sterile seed-starting mix each year.
3. Don’t skimp on the light (or the dark). A sunny windowsill rarely supplies enough light to grow healthy, garden-ready seedlings. The seedlings will stretch and lean toward the light, getting leggy, floppy, and hard to handle. If you’re starting seeds indoors, invest in grow lights, even if they’re just basic shop lights from a local home store. Some heat- and light-loving seedlings prefer to have light 24 hours a day, but most seedlings prefer a light/dark cycle. Sixteen hours of light followed by 8 hours of darkness is standard—which can be achieved by using a simple sanity-saving plug-in timer for your lights.
4. Begin fertilizing early. Have you ever successfully started seeds only to have them stall, never getting any taller than an inch or two? That’s because once a seedling has its first set of true leaves, it has used up all the on-board energy the seed provided and needs to be fed for further growth, since most seed-starting mixes don’t contain fertilizer. Use a half-strength (at most), well-balanced liquid fertilizer once a week until transplanting time.
5. Repot seedlings as they grow. As your seedlings begin to outgrow their cells or individual pots, transplant them into larger containers well before moving them outside. You will be amazed at the difference this makes in the size and health of the seedlings you will eventually transplant into the garden.
Young seedlings require some extra TLC. Begin fertilizing your new plants after the cotyledon stage, when the next set of leaves (aka first true leaves) appear.
6. Gradually ease the transition. If your seedlings go directly from your climate-controlled home to wild temperature changes and blazing sun, they will go into shock (stop growing, get sunburned, and possibly perish). When it’s about time to transplant them, start taking them outdoors for a few hours a day, slowly increasing daily exposure. First, place them in shade and gradually move them into brighter light. After about a week, when they’re spending most of the day in the sun, they’re ready to go into the ground. For best results, plant them in the early morning or on a mild, cloudy day. Gently water them to settle their roots into the soil, and keep the soil consistently moist for the first two weeks.
Bromeliads have marvelous leaves. Even if they never bloomed, these unique plants are eye-catching just for their foliage, which often comes in stripy, spotted, and variegated patterns.
But bloom they do, and it only makes them all the more stunning.
Bromeliads encompass a striking range of species. Pineapples (Ananas comosus) and air plants (Tillandsia spp.), two very different species, are both in the Bromeliaceae family.
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But one thing that almost all bromeliads have in common is that they have the same unusual habit of blooming and then dying.
We aren’t just going to toss our plants into the nearest trash after they flower, though. For one, they might live another year or two before they die completely.
On top of that, bromeliads put out offshoots that can be propagated and nurtured as new specimens. It’s an ongoing cycle that can keep you in bromeliads.
As such, the key is to figure out how to care for bromeliads as and after they flower. Coming up, this is what we’ll discuss:
Don’t confuse the colorful bracts on the plant with the actual flowers.
Actually, it doesn’t matter if you confuse them, since they go hand-in-hand and appear at the same time. But if you’re curious about the structures, let’s discuss.
Bromeliad flowers tend to be small and appear in clusters at the end of the flower stem. This is known as an inflorescence, and it is enclosed by colorful leaf-like bracts.
It’s the bracts that people often mistake for being the flowers. The floral stems can be up to 15 feet long or under an inch tall, depending on the species.
Each actual flower has three petals and three sepals. They appear in groups, but they’re still not nearly as noticeable as the bracts.
Now let’s talk about how the the lifecycle works.
Do Bromeliads Only Flower Once?
The short answer is “yes,” most bromeliads flower one time, and then the parent plant dies.
The exceptions are species in the Dyckias and Hechtias genera, and some Tillsandia species, including Spanish moss (T. usneoides). These species can bloom repeatedly.
But just because the plant will start to fade after the flowers emerge, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it should be tossed out.
Even though the parent plant dies back, it will put out what are called “pups” or offshoots.
These small plantlets will eventually mature into adult specimens, so you’ll have another bromeliad (or five!) to grow and enjoy.
Why Does This Happen?
Most bromeliads are what is known as monocarpic.
Plants like cherry trees, lavender, roses, and other perennials are polycarpic, which means they produce blossoms and seeds annually for many years before dying.
Monocarpic plants produce seeds one time, and then they die.
However, it’s important not to confuse monocarpic plants with annuals. Annuals complete their lifecycle in one year.
Monocarpic plants can live for years before they flower and set seed, but when they do, the parent plant will die. It might happen rapidly, or it might take a few years, but die, they will.
In the case of most terrestrial bromeliads, the plants can live for decades before they bloom.
When they start to produce flowers, the plants move their resources to the flowering parts, taking the energy away from the roots and foliage. This shift will eventually result in the plant’s death, which typically happens within a year or two of flowering.
Care During and After Flowering
To care for a flowering specimen, just keep on nurturing it as you have been in terms of water and light. There’s no need to change things up at this point.
Once the blooms fade and die, they will turn brown, dry, and go to seed. Unless you want to collect the seeds, you can cut off the flower parts.
It won’t hurt to leave the spent flowers on the plant, but it’ll look ugly. You can leave the colorful bracts on for as long as you want.
Now, your job is to care for the plants to support them as they develop their pups, assuming that you want to keep the offsets. If not, let it do its thing and treat it as you usually do.
The pups will develop into new specimens on their own, but you won’t have any control over where the pups root and mature.
To support the plants if you want to propagate the pups, provide the regular amount of water and the appropriate light exposure.
That means bright, indirect light, and water when the surface of the substrate feels dry.
When it comes to feeding, provide food just once after the blooms fade. Use a mild, balanced fertilizer to give the specimen a boost of nutrients to support the offsets.
Raising Pups
I bet you didn’t think you’d be raising a litter of pups when you brought home your bromeliad, right?
If you don’t want to say “goodbye” to your bromeliad, you can propagate the offsets it produces.
Once they’ve reached about half the size of the parent, you can remove the pups and pot them up in their own containers. They will rapidly develop their own root systems, and soon enough, you’ll have full-sized specimens to enjoy.
If you can, don’t remove the pups until they are about half the size of the parent. That might mean you have to wait until the plant is nearly dead before you can remove the pups.
When the pups are large enough, you can gently cut them away and place them in their own pots.
If the pups aren’t able to obtain a large enough size before the parent dies, don’t worry.
You can still remove them and pot them up, but they’ll be quite vulnerable for a while, needing a bit of extra TLC.
Learn about the details about how to propagate bromeliads in our guide. (coming soon!)
Keep the Fun Going
Yes, it’s unfortunate that these plants can’t flower repeatedly, but we have to work with what we’ve got.
Just because its life is over doesn’t mean that the fun can’t continue. Pot up those pups and enjoy them.
Fill us in on what kind of bromeliad you’re raising in the comments section below. Has yours flowered? Are you planning to separate the pups?
I’ve written about our daikon radish landrace experiment here and here.
We’re harvesting the F1 generation now, and I will be leaving some exceptional specimens to serve as the basis for the next generation.
The color mix between the pure red of the Red King radishes with the pure white of the Japanese daikons has been interesting.
Instead of getting a uniformly pink radish, we’ve gotten many with coloration like purple-top turnips.
Here’s one growing next to a fully red daikon:
And here’s a white in the same bed:
And a red one:
The majority have been pink and white, however – and usually cylindrical and rounded off, not carrot-like, as some of the original daikons were.
The roots stay good up to a large size, and we’ve also been eating some of the greens and feeding others to the chickens. The greens are really lush and crisp right now. Here’s a shot of the bed from this morning:
The daikons are all to the right. To the left is a mix of other brassicas.
The flavor is good, and not too sharp. The original Red King II may be better, but hey… we grew these without buying seed. And we do use a lot of them.
Thus far, we’ve harvested 77lbs of daikons in 2023 and there are probably another 30-40lbs left to go.
Would you like to maximise your cantaloupe harvest? This list of good companion plants for cantaloupe will help you give your plants the best chance of thriving and fruiting.
The best companion plants for cantaloupe melons
This article covers 21 great cantaloupe companion plants, as well as 9 plants you should avoid planting nearby.
What is companion planting?
Companion planting is growing specific varieties of plants side by side. The idea is one type of plant provides benefits for the other plant, and vice versa, creating a symbiotic relationship. Companion planting is sometimes referred to as companion gardening.
There a lots of great reasons to embrace companion planting in your garden:
Pest control: some garden plants can repel pests, or attract pests and harmful insects away from other plants.
Help with pollination: some plants will attract beneficial pollinating insects that another plant needs in order to flower or fruit.
Disease prevention: some plants have anti-fungal or antibacterial properties.
More sustainable gardening: companion planting can allow you to reduce or even eliminate the need for chemical products such as pesticides. As well as making your garden more sustainable, it will also be a more wildlife-friendly garden.
Growth support: some plants enrich the soil with nutrients needed by other plants.
Companion planting works best when you pair plants that enjoy the same growing conditions.
Just as some plants are good for each other, some plants are bad for each other when you grow them together. It’s important to know what these plants are, so you can avoid them.
Do cantaloupe melons benefit from companion planting?
Absolutely. Companion planting cantaloupe plants can help you to control common pests, provide nutrients, and attract those all-important pollinators.
Canatloupe vines can also provide benefits for other plants. These include ground cover which will protect other plant roots and limit soil erosion
20 fantastic cantaloupe companion plants
Here are our top compatible companion plants for cantaloupe to help you achieve a bumper harvest.
Edible companion plants for cantaloupe
Pole Beans
Climbing pole beans such as runner beans make great companion plants for cantaloupe. These members of the legume family add nitrogen – an essential nutrient for plant growth – to the soil when they die back and the roots rot. Plants that do this are often referred to as nitrogen fixers’.
Canaloupes are hungry plants, so growing beans in your patch before you plant cantaloupes will help to keep those nutrient levels up and reduce the need for supplementary plant food. Just make sure you leave the roots in the soil.
Growing your climbing beans on plant supports will reduce competition for ground space.
Bush beans
As with pole beans, bush bean plants such as French beans are also great for enriching the soil with nitrogen and supporting cantaloupe growth.
Carrots
Because carrots are root vegetables, they do a good job of breaking up the soil before you plant cantaloupe seeds or seedlings. A more open soil structure makes it easier for seeds and young plants to get established. The timing works well with these two companion plants as the carrots can be ready for harvest by the time you want to get going with the cantaloupes.
Garlic
The strong scent of garlic plants is a deterrent for lots of insect pests, so it makes a great cantaloupe companion plant. Growing garlic doesn’t take up much room either, so you can easily incorporate it amongst other plants.
Onions
Onions work in the same way as garlic as a companion plant for edible crops. Make sure you leave enough space when you plant them so that the foliage doesn’t crowd out your cantaloupes.
Chives
Like garlic and onions, chives are members of the allium family and their fragrance will deter common garden pests.
Mint
Another pungent plant, mint will effectively repel ants, aphids and flea beetles. It’s a very vigorous plant, so you need to keep it under control. The easiest way to do this is to grow it in a container.
Basil
The strong scent of basil can act as a pest deterrent. These shallow-rooted plants won’t compete with your melon plants either.
Oregano
Oregano will act as a pest deterrent and tempt pollinators and insect predators into your melon patch.
Coriander
Also known as cilantro, coriander is a good cantaloupe companion plant when it comes to beneficial insects. This aromatic herb will also deter pests such as aphids and spider mites.
Coriander plants will be happiest when growing in a cool, partially shady location, so you do need to consider this when pairing them with sun and heat-loving cantaloupe plants. You may need to plant your coriander in a nearby shady spot, or grow it in pots.
Tansy
Tansy (or Tanacetum vulgare) boasts scented foliage and lots of bright yellow flowers. Those flowers are a beacon for pollinators. It’s a big plant, so you will need to keep it under control.
Dill
Ladybirds are fans of dill, so you want some of this in close proximity to your cantaloupes. Draw them in and they will take care of pesky aphids for you.
Radishes
Lacewings and ladybirds are radish fans, as are aphids. Grow them near cantaloupe to provide a natural diversion away from your crops.
Collard greens
Like radishes, collard greens are an aphid trap crop.
Lettuce
Lettuce is a good companion plant for the early stages of cantaloupe growing. It will provide ground cover and protect young plants while also limiting weeds. When your cantaloupe plants need more space you will need to harvest your lettuce to create some room for your warm-season crop.
Spinach
Spinach offers the same benefits as lettuce when you grow it as a cantaloupe companion plant. As with lettuce, you should harvest it when the other plants need the space.
Ornamental companion plants for cantaloupe
Monarda (Bee balm)
Monardas have stunning blooms and an upright habit. They won’t compete for a lot of space, and will attract pollinators and pest predators.
Nasturtium
Aphids adore nasturtiums, so they’re well worth planting amongst your cantaloupes. They will earn their space in more ways than one; as well as attracting predatory insects, the flowers and seeds are edible, and the blooms are really pretty.
Borage is another companion plant that enriches the soil when it rots down. The plants will add potassium, which is key for the production of flowers and fruit.
Borage will also attract pollinating insects and predators, so it can help with pest control and pollination too. Plus it’s a lovely looking plant.
Marigolds
Marigolds are one of the most well-used companion plants for edible crops. They will repel aphids and even mosquitoes, while also rewarding you with lovely bold colour.
A quick checklist for cantaloupe melon companion plants
When choosing your companion plants for cantaloupe, go for varieties that like to grow in conditions that match the needs of cantaloupe. These are:
Full sun
Well-drained soil
Fertile soil
Temperatures above 21°C / 70°F
Regular watering
The worst cantaloupe companion plants
So you know what works well as a cantaloupe companion plant, but what should you not plant next to cantaloupe?
What not to plant with cantaloupe
Avoid growing all of these plants alongside cantaloupe – they can cause trouble!
Cucurbitaceae plants
Cantaloupe is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family. As such, it’s vulnerable to some of the same pests as other members of this family, including aphids, squash bugs, spider mites, whiteflies and cucumber beetles. Growing other Cucurbitaceae varieties alongside cantaloupe vines runs the risk of introducing those pests to your cantaloupe crop.
There is also a likelihood that the plants will compete for light, space and nutrients.
The following Cucurbitaceae plant family members should be grown well away from cantaloupe:
Squash & pumpkin
Courgettes (zucchini)
Cucumbers
Watermelons
Potatoes
Aphids are fans of potato plants, and potatoes will also compete for water, light and nutrients, so you should aim to keep them away from cantaloupes.
Crops that are heavy feeders
Any crop that has high nutrient requirements should be avoided as a cantaloupe companion plant, because cantaloupes are also heavy feeders. These include:
Cabbage
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Aubergine
Healthy cantaloupes need lots of water, so you should also avoid growing them alongside plants that like dry conditions.
And that’s all you need to know about companion planting cantaloupe melons. Use this guide to select your plant neighbours and you’ll give your cantaloupes a great chance of thriving.
More gardening tips
For more gardening tips and advice, take a look at these articles:
Each December, a few of my dear friends from the neighbourhood get together and make our Christmas wreaths together. That time means more to me than any gift I could get from them. Today I want to share some of the best DIY Christmas wreath ideas I’ve made over the years for you to craft with your loved ones this holiday season.
My favourite thing about the holidays is celebrating traditions with friends and family. When those holiday traditions also include fresh air, plants, crafting, and Prosecco, it becomes a party that I look forward to all year. The annual Christmas wreath-making day is one of the best of the year!
It all started in 2009 when one of my neighbours (a gardener by trade) invited me and some of the women from the block over for “bubbly” and wreath-making. We laughed and chatted and crafted up these enormous wreaths from all the clippings she had collected from winter clean up in her clients’ gardens. The afternoon quickly became an annual event of bonding and garden therapy.
Since 2009 was also the year that I started blogging, I have a photo journal of my wreaths of Christmas past, and today I’m sharing them with you. Soon, you’ll have your very own outdoor real Christmas wreath to call your own!
In this post, we will cover:
17 DIY Christmas Wreath Ideas
Not all real Christmas wreaths are the same! There are many different ways to style a wreath, for indoors and outdoors, and for various styles. Here are a few of mine to spark some inspiration.
1. Pacific Rainforest Christmas Wreath
This wreath celebrates at least 13 different plant varieties that were cut from within a 1 km radius of my home. I used cedar, pine, blue spruce, heather, English ivy, holly, Nandina, Sarcococca, and more to add a ton of texture and colour to the wreath.
This seems to be my go-to style, as you will see, it’s pretty similar to the wreaths from a few of the previous years. You will also notice that I have become a better wreath maker over the years, as this one has a dense and even form with a clear hole in the middle. Both of these characteristics help to make the wreath look intentional and refined. I made sure to have a few sprigs popping out here and there so it still has that homegrown/homemade look that I love.
2. Giant Pink Hydrangea Wreath
One year, I decided to “Go Big or Go Home” with an enormous wreath that rivals those at a 5-star hotel with an opulent entryway.
That being said, I don’t live in a 5-star hotel, and my entryway is pretty average-sized. I hung the wreath (it held!) but it was pretty hard to get past it to get in the house. See how that looked here. The holly snagged everyone that came to visit, oy!
This DIY Christmas wreath can be displayed indoors and last forever. I went for a rustic, neutral wreath made entirely from pinecones. Bleached pinecones, to be exact.
I love how the soft, weathered look of the pinecones pairs with the natural ribbon that I used to attach it to the wall. The whole thing came together to look cozy and festive while remaining simple and clean.
I’m lucky to live by so many magnolia trees. They have the most gorgeous copper brown undersides that contrast with the dark green, shiny leaves.
For this wreath, I used Magnolia Grandiflora leaves and was sure to show off both sides. This created a beautiful contrast that the eye just can’t ignore. I also added incense cedar for fragrance and a little bit of texture variety.
The best part is that this wreath will last for months, taking you through most of fall and winter.
The year I made this wreath, it was unusually cold and snowy. For 7 weeks, it hovered around freezing, so there was a thick layer of ice on the roads and sidewalks. I got Yaktraxs ice cleats to put on my shoes so I could still get around outdoors and enjoy the snow!
I love that when there’s snow on the ground, it makes everything green stand out all the more. This wreath was inspired by all of the gorgeous, varied green hues of the winter season. Snippets of bright green cedar, blue-green spruce, and everything in between come together to celebrate the season.
When I made this DIY Christmas wreath, I couldn’t quite decide on a theme, so I decided to make it with a little bit of everything, and boy am I glad I did! It turned out beautifully, didn’t it?
It contained a lot of traditional holiday elements like holly and pinecones, but the hydrangea flowers added an unexpected yet equally festive vibe.
Here’s a modern Christmas wreath idea to last you beyond the holiday season, I love this aromatherapy wreath. I think it would look gorgeous any time of the year.
In this design, I used incense cedar and eucalyptus to create not only a gorgeous look, but one that is scented and full of therapeutic benefits. It can be hung inside or out, providing a light scent to everyone passing by.
After I started adding hydrangeas to my wreath, I thought, why not make a whole wreath out of just hydrangea blooms?
Every year, I make an effort to dry my hydrangea flowers because I adore their weathered yet vibrant vintage colouring. As long as you handle the wreath with care, the dried flowers will last for as long as you like them. You could use this wreath year after year, inside or out.
Don’t be scared to do all but one kind of foliage. I went for a traditional holly and laurel wreath. Holly really is such a stunning plant, and it grows like crazy here in the Pacific Northwest, so it seemed like a good idea to showcase it in all its glory.
10. Evergreen Wreath
One of the cool things about evergreens is that they’re not all green. They come in lots of different colours and varied textures, making them look great all pulled together in one wreath.
Lots of colour in this wreath comes from the red foliage of new Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica) growth and holly berries (of course).
If you don’t have a ton of evergreen garden clippings, perhaps you have a prolific herb garden! I can’t even begin to tell you how amazing a wreath like this smells inside the home.
You can use it as an outdoor Christmas wreath, but I think it looks just as good indoors any time of the year. The herbs will dry on the wreath and look beautiful, but also allow you to harvest and use the herbs whenever you’re cooking.
12. Red and Green Outdoor Christmas Wreath
Using glossy green leaves like laurel, holly, English ivy, and magnolia made for a long-lasting real Christmas wreath that won’t drop so many needles. I love the ivy flowers just before they are about to form berries.
Ripping out big handfuls will also prevent this invasive plant from spreading, and it does make a long-lasting wreath green. This year, I also went “crazy” and added a burlap bow to the wreath (I think I was probably just filling in a bare spot, but don’t tell anyone that!).
If working with fresh greens doesn’t tickle your fancy, or you’re looking for something long-lasting for the indoors, try this snowball wreath.
It’s a creative spin on the wreath, using a plain grapevine wreath as the frame for a simple winter wonderland inside. Inside, you can decorate with anything you like, such as tiny fake trees, dollhouse items, fairy garden pieces, and other small decorative objects.
14. Blue Hydrangea and Hawthorne Berries
I made this wreath for the first Christmas in my new home. I moved from the street my wreath-making sisters live on to a house 7 blocks away.
It was sad to leave my close friends, but it’s not like I went that far. Even so, it did change things. There have been fewer impromptu drop-bys and garden visits since then.
It’s adorned with hawthorn berries harvested from the tree in front of my old house. The blue hydrangea blooms, Aucuba, and Skimmia came from that street as well.
15. Oval Christmas Wreath
In an effort to make a wreath from scratch, I made my own wreath form from grapevines. I wanted a bit of a different shape, so I made an oval. Many of the greens I’ve used each year can be seen, but you may also notice some Sedum Autumn Joy flowers.
Some years, they look quite good at wreath-making time. It depends on how much rain we get in the fall. The red garage door of my old house was painted to match the Japanese maple I planted in front of the garage.
Let’s take things mini. These mini wreaths are made with real cedar clippings. The best part is you really don’t need much, taking a single bough to make an entire wreath.
I used these wreaths as ornaments and to decorate my presents with. They’re small, versatile, and easy to make.
17. The Wreath That Started It All
My very first homemade wreath! As you can see, it was made up of snippets of all sorts of greenery, which looked festive on the red front door.
I included a teeny bit of red here and there with some holly berries, but you can see that this year, I was feeling pretty green. It’s a bit messier and has some curly willow twigs added for interest. I love the wreath that started it all, and I hope that you do, too.
Basics of Wreathmaking + FAQs
How to make a Christmas wreath
Once you make your own Christmas wreath, you won’t ever go back to buying them during the mad holiday rush. Gather the foliage for your wreath by foraging through your neighbourhood or the woods or purchasing greens from a store or online. Look for a contrast of shapes, colours, and sizes.
Next, find a form for the base of your wreath. You can make your own (like this grapevine wreath or purchase one.
Start bunching your greens. Use one sturdy stem as a base and add a couple of other small branches to it. Wrap the base of the bunch in wire or twine and secure it to your wreath.
Repeat this process until you’ve gone all the way around the wreath. Overlap each bunch over the one before it to make it appear lush and full.
Snip off any branches you dislike and add final touches, such as additional decorations. Hang from a wreath hanger. For more detailed instructions, check out this post with step-by-step instructions and a video tutorial.
How do you add things to a real Christmas wreath?
After you have your wreath made of bunched greens, you can go ahead and add in some extra decorative pieces if you wish. Items can either be wrapped in, poked in, or glued in if necessary. Some great additions include: – Pinecones – Lights (battery operated) – Feathers (natural or coloured) – Sparkly elements (such as ornaments) – Living plants (air plants are a great one) – Gourds (good for a Thanksgiving theme) – Dried berries – Dried flowers – Ribbon or bow
What do you need for a DIY Christmas wreath?
The first item you’ll need for your wreath is the base. I like to use grapevine wreaths or wire wreath forms, depending on the type of wreath I’m creating.
For greens, holly, cotoneaster, pine, cedar, yew, pieris, laurel, fir, boxwood, camellia, magnolia, and cypress will all last long on your wreath. You can also add herbs such as lavender, rosemary, and sage.
To attach your greens to the form, opt for twine (natural) or wire (good for beginners). You may also want to buy a wreath hanger if you plan on hanging it on a door.
How can I make an eco-friendly Christmas wreath?
The more organic materials you use, the better! You can make your own grapevine (or other woods such as willow) wreath as a base and use twine rather than wire for wrapping your greenery around.
Avoid the use of floral foam as it is not compostable. Alternatively, you can use a sturdy wire frame you reuse every Christmas. You can fill wire frames with straw or moss as a base.
Of course, fill the wreath with as many fresh or dried greens as possible and avoid the use of any plastics or non-natural materials that can’t be composted. Ideally, you should be able to chuck the whole wreath in the compost bin at the end of the season if you want to!
Where can you hang a Christmas wreath?
Most often, you’ll find wreaths hanging on a front or back door. You will want to make a wreath the right size for your door length and width. You can also hang them on doors inside, but remember that wreaths don’t last as long inside as they do in the cool air outside.
Other popular places outside include over top of windows and on garden gates. Inside, you can place it over the fireplace mantle, on kitchen cabinets, in the entranceway, or lay it flat as a table centrepiece with candles or other decor in the center.
Which of these DIY Christmas wreath ideas was your favourite? Let me know in the comments!
When I moved to Michigan 13 years ago, I was excited by the endless plant possibilities afforded by my new Zone 6 location. Compared to the secluded 5-acre garden I had left behind in southern Minnesota, however, my newly purchased corner lot surrounded by houses and neighbors felt like a fishbowl.
Conditions: Full sun to full shade; sandy, fast-draining soil heavily amended with organic matter
To make the property feel more private, I encircled the house with sizable foundation plantings and laid out deep beds around the property’s perimeter, leaving a wide grass path in between. Filled with a carefully chosen mix of plants displaying a striking variety of heights and textures, these borders enclose the house without making it seem cut off from the rest of the neighborhood. Trees and shrubs are spaced to allow some views from the street into the garden, which feels much friendlier than a fence or hedge.
Deep beds screen views from the street, striking a balance between openness and privacy
In the border separating the garden from the street, weeping Alaskan cedars (Xanthocyparis nootkatensis ‘Pendula’ and ‘Green Arrow’, Zones 4–7) are planted close enough together to mature into a colony that has become a neighborhood landmark (p. 68, top). Nearby, a staggered row of ‘Degroot’s Spire’ arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Degroot’s Spire’, Zones 3–8) is planted with openings between the trees that serve as subtle windows from the street into the interior of the garden (p. 64). Flowing around these evergreens are a host of smaller and more fastigiate conifers and a wide assortment of shrubs, perennials, and small trees. Together these dense plantings create a layered effect, with waves of color emerging throughout the growing season.
Make the most of every inch of space. This small suburban lot feels comfortably enclosed yet connected to the surrounding neighborhood. See-through perimeter beds give passersby glimpses into the lush plantings that surround the house.
Massing intensifies the impact of sensational foliage and flowers. Much planning has gone into the placement and distribution of color. Sweeps of key hues such as orange, blue, and chartreuse tie compelling vignettes together from every viewing angle.
Many of the plants from the outer beds are incorporated into the foundation plantings, and this continuity helps to draw the eye through the overall design, tying it all together. I have also created a few rock gardens set apart from the perimeter beds where smaller, slower-growing perennials that would be quickly overtaken by more aggressive plants are grouped to showcase their best effects.
| THE PLAN |
Striking a balance
Plants fill this corner lot, where swathes of turf have been replaced with bountiful mixed beds.
A. Streetside screening bed
B. Foundation plantings
C. Rock garden
D. Dwarf conifer bed
E. Partially shaded south border
Color is a unifying element that lends cohesiveness to borders
Keeping the color palette narrow in specific locations makes the overall design feel focused and intentional. For example, the south border that extends the length of the property is the only part of the garden where I use pink flowers, toning their cheery tints down with lush greens and a profusion of deep burgundy foliage.
An open sunny strip along the driveway showcases an artful assemblage of dwarf conifers. Mangaves (Mangave cvs., Zones 8–11) and other sun-loving plants add textural accompaniment without stealing the spotlight from their diverse sculptural forms.
I like to play hues from opposite sides of the color wheel against each other, and color schemes often vary by season. Spring bulbs bring the first wave of color, followed by yellow peonies (Paeonia spp. and cvs., Zones 3–8) and iris (Iris spp. and cvs., Zones 3–10) in shades of blue to near black.
After the midspring color wave finishes, orienpet lilies planted in clusters among the conifers offer some fresh hues. Because of their vertical aspect they take little room, but they add so much color, impact, and fragrance. I grow many cultivars, and ‘Conca d’Or’ and ‘Pizzazz’ are my favorites.
Complementary hues sizzle at the height of summer. Masses of hardy agapanthus and red-hot pokers bloom at the same time, anchoring an eye-catching color theme that lasts for several peak-season weeks.
When the lilies finish in mid-July, the baton is handed off to the agapanthus (Agapanthus spp. and cvs., Zones 6–11) and red-hot pokers (Kniphofia spp. and cvs., Zones 6–9). The contrast of the blue and orange is stunning, and the performance goes on for many weeks (bottom photo p. 66).
By early autumn the interest once again turns to foliage, with flushes of burgundy and brilliant gold. That’s when the Japanese maples (Acer palmatum cvs., Zones 5–8) that have anchored the plantings come alive with vibrant fall colors that bring the season to a close in a blaze of glory.
Layers of texture look good in every season
As this garden has matured, I have found myself becoming more of an editor than a designer. Because the lot is small, I enjoy each plant more; however, I also have a lower tolerance for plants that underperform and am more likely to change them out.
Layering allows me to explore the diversity of plants I love in the limited space that I have.
Layering allows me to explore the diversity of plants I love in the limited space that I have. Bulbs come and go through the seasons, popping up and through the tapestry of ground covers and perennials. Because the plant material is dense and there is very little open ground, few weeds germinate. As a result, I do not spend much time weeding.
Pink flowers sparkle against brilliant foliage. While there is plenty of chartreuse and burgundy in the rest of the garden, rosy pinks have been confined to the south border.
I like the exuberant appearance of plants such as eucalyptus wild indigo, catmint (Nepeta spp. and cvs., Zones 3–8), and prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis, Zones 3–9) arching out of the beds, which softens the edges of the concrete driveway and sidewalk.
Repetition need not be boring. Billowy mounds of eucalyptus wild indigo and catmint flow together to form soothing, wavelike patterns that enhance the effect of more-fleeting floral displays.
The conifers provide continuity and cohesiveness with their similarities in color, habit, and texture, and they are invaluable for screening and winter interest. I keep them discreetly trimmed so that they remain in scale and do not take too much space from the landscape. I encourage vines to sprawl through large perennials and shrubs, creating a naturalistic look rather than a contrived, artificial effect on trellises.
Every day is a learning experience, and I enjoy the lessons my garden has taught me.
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| PLANT PICKS |
Five midsummer favorites
It would be nearly impossible for any plant lover to choose just one favorite. Here are a few of the standouts that look good at the peak of the growing season.
Donditions: Partial to full shade; average to moist, well-drained soil
Native range: Hybrid
I know a thing or two about hostas, having introduced approximately 100 varieties. This introduction from fellow hybridizer Olga Petryszyn is one of my favorites. Heavily corrugated leaves are edged in cool blue with flashy gold centers. It is a standout that looks especially good when combined with blue-leaved hostas.
2. ‘Green Arrow’ Alaskan weeping cedar (Xanthocyparis nootkatensis ‘Green Arrow’)
Zones: 4–7
Size: 18 to 30 feet tall and 2 to 5 feet wide
Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist to average, well-drained soil
Native range: Coastal regions of northwestern North America
‘Green Arrow’ Alaskan weeping cedar has a distinctly linear, upright form and reliable, grass-green winter color—characteristics that set it apart from ‘Pendula’ Alaskan weeping cedar. Although impressive when planted as a single specimen, it is even more spectacular in groups.
Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist, fertile, well-drained soil
Native range: Hybrid
This fragrant beauty may produce up to a dozen flowers on each strong, upright stem. In windy areas, it may need staking. It is very hardy and reliable, with cheerful blooms that glow against a column of deep green foliage over a long period in midsummer.
Size: 36 to 40 inches tall and 28 to 30 inches wide
Conditions: Full sun; moist to average, well-drained soil
Native range: Hybrid of species from southern Africa
I have been hybridizing agapanthus for 10 years, and this one is a standout. It is extremely floriferous, bringing a hard-to-find shade of blue to the garden from midsummer through early autumn. Reliably hardy to Zone 6, ‘Galaxy Blue’ does particularly well in regions with consistently heavy snowfall.
5. Eucalyptus wild indigo (Baptisia perfoliata)
Zones: 4–9
Size: 3 feet tall and wide
Conditions: Full sun; moist to dry, well-drained soil
Native range: Southeastern United States
This unique-looking species of wild indigo has rounded leaves punctured by wiry stems. Its small yellow flowers appear at leaf axils starting in mid to late summer and continue for several weeks. The distinctive texture of eucalyptus wild indigo combines beautifully with other perennials.
Hans Hansen is the director of new plant development at Walters Gardens in Zeeland, Michigan.
This view of the same pairing shows more of ‘Sally Holmes’. The individual flowers of this variety are small and have only five petals, but they bloom in big clusters that certainly add up to more than the sum of their parts.
The rose ‘Angel Face’ was trained to climb up a wall. This highly fragrant variety has unusual lavender blooms.
The white-blooming Geralton waxflower (Chamelaucium uncinatum, Zones 9–11) is a native of Australia. Like many Australian plants, it adapts well to live in California.
Columbines (Aquilegia hybrids, Zones 3–9) with purple oxalis (Oxalis triangularis ‘Purpurea’ Zones 7–10) growing at the base of roses
White heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens ‘Alba’, Zones 9–11 or as an annual) with clusters of very fragrant blooms
Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus, Zones 8–10) in the foreground, with countless beautiful roses behind
Steps up to the garden, with succulents and other plants growing amid and cascading down the rocks
The front walkway features begonias (Begonia hybrids, Zones 9–11) and star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides, Zones 8–11).
The trees are dressed for a dinner party.
