Tag: 5 Favorites

Deer-Resistant Evergreen Shrubs: 5 Favorites to Plant

As if gardening weren’t challenging enough, sometimes deer take up residence in your garden and decide to host a dinner party. There is nothing worse than planting a bunch of pricey new plants, only to have them nibbled down to the ground. To help you avoid this costly occurrence and disappointment, I’m sharing a handful of my favorite deer-resistant shrubs that I have tested out over the years in various gardens.

Word of caution: Every garden is different, every deer is different, and every season is different with varying degrees of available alternate food sources—so what may be unsavory to deer in one garden may be irresistible in another. Also, when plants are young, and the leaves and stems are tender, there is a higher chance that the plant will get snacked on; as the plant matures, it becomes less desirable. If this early munching happens, a deer-repellent spray can work if applied routinely and after any rain.

1. Coleonema pulchrum

Above: Photograph by Hans Hillewaert via Wikimedia.

The plant is fondly called pink breath of heaven because crushing the needle-like leaves releases a pleasant scent. That same scent is what helps ward off deer. This low-maintenance shrub grows best in sunny spots and, depending on the variety, produces either dainty magenta, white, or pink flowers. ‘Sunset Gold’ offers bright golden foliage contrasting with pink flowers. It has moderate water needs and is hardy in USDA Zones 8-11.

1. Westringia fruiticosa

Above: Photograph by Marie Viljoen, from Under the Radar: A Five-Star Garden in Cape Town.

These evergreen, easy-to-care-for shrubs come in various sizes, from low to tall, and make excellent informal or formal screens, low or high hedges, and ground covers. Because Westringia is in the mint family, the leaves aren’t appealing to deer. Most bloom profusely from late winter to early summer with petite flowers ranging in color from white to light lavender, putting them also in the bee- and small butterfly-friendly category. A sunny to mostly sunny spot and summer irrigation are appreciated. Hardy in USDA Zones 9-11.

3. Leucadendron

Above: Leucadendron ‘Safari Sunset’. Photograph by Jean-Michel Moullec via Flickr.

Showing off vibrant color, some even in the winter, Leucadendrons are my go-to if I want structure, more visiting pollinators, year-round interest, and amazing sculptural cut flowers. Fast-growing, drought-tolerant, and low-maintenance, these shrubs can hover around three feet, though some tower to eight or more feet. Plant in a sunny spot for best growth and color. Pro tip: Avoid high phosphorous fertilizers as this can be extremely damaging. Hardy in USDA Zones 9-11.

4. Grevillea

Above: Photograph by Lady Amberelle via Flickr.

Looking for a fast-growing shrub that pumps out curious spidery flowers that deer leave alone? Grevillea is your gal. Coming in a wide range of heights and shapes and colors, there is a Grevillea for every sunny garden. Need a low ground cover? Try Grevillea lanigera. Need a tall informal screen? Go for Grevillea ‘Red Hooks’. Oh, and these low-maintenance shrubs are also true hummingbird magnets. When planting, make sure your soil has sharp drainage. Hardy in USDA Zones 9-11.

5. Pieris japonica

Above: Photograph of Pieris japonica ‘Temple Bells’ is by James Gaither via Flickr.

This easy shrub not only offers year-round beauty and charming dangling flowers, but also the assurance that deer will leave it alone. Plant slow-growing Pieris in a shady to partly shady spot in a mixed border, woodland, or Asian-inspired garden; smaller varieties can be used in containers. Depending on the variety, it can grow anywhere from one foot tall to 12 feet tall, and two to eight feet wide. The flowers (coming in white, pink, and dark pink) are adored by bees and hummingbirds, and avoided by deer, who view them as toxic. Hardy in USDA Zones 5-8.

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February 6, 2026
Our Favorite Terracotta Rhubarb Forcers

Who wouldn’t want a rhubarb forcer? Not only do these terracotta cloches encourage tender shoots to grow in early spring, the clay domes also look fabulously sculptural in a garden bed.

If you are the sort of gardener who likes to raise asparagus and chicory as well (and really, who among us does not?), forcing jars will also coax those edibles toward success.

You may wonder after you look at all the lovely rhubarb forcers pictured below why the terracotta jars are a commonplace accessory in England but practically non-existent in the United States. We too are dismayed by the shortage stateside—perhaps local garden suppliers will take note of our 10 favorites. [N.B.: Since this story was first published a decade ago, there’s been progress in the US market, with four stateside retailers now making our updated list!]

The UK’s renaissance in rhubarb forcers can be traced to a chance encounter between the Duke of Edinburgh and potter John Huggins at a recent Chelsea Flower Show, reports the Telegraph. After the Duke “casually asked if he made rhubarb forcers,” Ruardean Garden Pottery designer Huggins became so intrigued that he started buying up vintage forcers to study their shapes and “once he started making them, people just couldn’t get enough.”

Featured photograph above courtesy of Crocus.

Above: A Victorian-style Clay Cloche Rhubarb Forcer handmade on a potter’s wheel has a 38-centimeter base and is £109.99 from Gardens4Less.

Above: This English Terracotta Forcer, a collaboration between Gardenheir and the North Cotswolds-based Whichford Pottery, is available in two sizes (19 and 27 inches tall) and are $348 and $598 respectively. Each comes with a 10-year frost-proof guarantee.

Above: The Terracotta Rhubarb Forcer is made from Turkish clay and available in two sizes, 50 and 60 centimeters tall; £139.99 and £159.99 at Crocus. (The Royal Horticultural Society also carries them.)

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February 3, 2026
8 Favorites: Houseplants for the Bath – Gardenista

The best room in the house for your plants is…the bath. Houseplants perform well with natural light and shower mist; as an added bonus, they also purify the air and bring a touch of green indoors.

Staghorn Fern

Above: Staghorn ferns like moist climates and generally require a lot of maneuvering to keep them properly watered. Instead of fussing over yours, give it a permanent home in a shower. Photograph by Katie Newburn for Gardenista.

Air Plant

Above: Tillandsias need only the occasional water bath to stay alive. Keeping them next to a bathroom sink makes giving them a quick dip easy to remember and might discourage the accumulation of too much else. Photograph by Katie Newburn for Gardenista.

Waffle Plant

Above: A Waffle Plant (Hemigraphis alternata ‘Exotica’) is a creeper with crinkly, puckered leaves. Keep it out of direct sunlight. Photograph by Mimi Giboin for Gardenista.

Ant Plant

Above: Photograph by Alexa Hotz.

With its moisture and steam, a bathroom reminds the Dischidia pectinoides of its home in the rain forest. An Ant Plant is so lavatory-loving that it is content to bloom there for years and years, spicing up your loo with tiny red buds. Every time you take a shower, don’t forget you’re also feeding your Dischidia pectinoides its lunch.

Angel Vine

Above: Angel Vine (Muehlenbeckia) hails from a humid climate and to keep it from drying out in indoor air, place near an open window or doorway that opens onto fresh air. Photograph by Mimi Giboin for Gardenista.

Orchid

Above: Keep your Phalaenopsis Orchid in its plastic nursery pot and set that pot into a decorative planter (as above). This makes it easy to water the orchid—just set the plastic pot in the sink when it’s time—and gives you the option to display it in an urn or vase that has no drainage holes. Photograph by Mimi Giboin for Gardenista.

Lace Fern

Above: To create a tropical oasis in this Japanese-style bath, designer Simon Astridge added potted ferns and other moisture-loving plants. Pictured is the lace fern. See Bathroom of the Week: A Japanese-Style Bath in London, Greenery Included for other plants in this bathroom. Photograph by Nicholas Worley.

Chinese Money Plant

Above: Pilea peperomioides thrives with minimal care. The succulent likes bright indirect sunlight and a little bit of humidity. Let soil dry between waterings. Photograph by French and Tye, courtesy of Bradley Van Der Straeten, from Steal This Look: A Sunshine Bath in a London Townhouse.

For more houseplant help, see:

N.B.: This post has been updated with new photos and links; it was first published August 2014.

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December 11, 2025
Woven Willow Playhouses for Indoors and Out

Willow Pod

Above: The Willow Pod by Willow with Roots is available by commission.

Willow with Roots is a mother-daughter team in Worcestershire who grow their own willow, hold weaving workshops, and sell their wares—think lamp shades, baskets, and trays—via an online shop. They also do bespoke work, like the otherworldly Willow Pod, above.

Dreaming Spires Playhouse

Above: Needham’s largest construction, The Dreaming Spires Willow Playhouse ($3,285) is scaled to accommodate parents as well as kids: it’s 8 feet wide, 3 feet deep, and 6 feet tall. She also makes Onion-shaped Dens that start at $767).

Judith Needham of Surrey, England, is another willow weaver who makes her own designs (including baskets), and came up with her first playhouse for her own daughter. Needham’s willow comes from growers in Somerset, England: “It’s grown specifically for basket making; the method of cultivation, rather than the variety, is what makes the material suitable for weaving. The technique is called coppicing—each plant is cut right down to the ground during harvest in the spring leaving just a stump. New growth quickly springs from the trunk. These stems are long, thin, unbranching, and very pliable. Some plants are left to grow for two or three years to yield ten-f00t-long stems, which is what I need for playhouses, but most are cut annually making it the ultimate sustainable crop.”

For twig playhouses that are left outdoors, Needham recommends applying an annual coat of linseed oil, and says with this protective finish, they should last for six to eight years. Most of her customers are in the UK, but to date, she’s also shipped playhouses to the States.

Hocus Pocus

Above: Chapel Hill, NC-based environmental artist Patrick Dougherty roams the country creating elaborate, site-specific woven sapling installations.

One of his specialities is play constructions, most of which he builds on the grounds of museums, art centers, and colleges, but on occasion, Dougherty accepts private commissions. One such is Hocus Pocus, shown here, a willow structure at Bittersweet Farms in Ennice. NC. Photograph by Robyn Dreyer. Go to Stickwork to see more and learn about his process.

For more fanciful children’s play structures, see:

N.B.: This post was first published July 2017. It’s been updated with new products, photos, prices, and links.

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September 2, 2025
The Best Beginner-Friendly Medicinal Plants to Grow for Tisanes and Teas

Truthfully, I drink no less than five cups of tea a day. I rotate between different blends, depending on the season and my health needs. So when I learned that my favorite organic tea company, Traditional Medicinals, was just a short 20-minute drive from my house, I knew I needed to visit their demonstration garden to learn how to grow herbs for making my own teas. I have no intention to stop buying tea; I simply want to be more experimental and self-sufficient—and have a little farm-to-cup experience of my own.

I asked Abbey Ramirez, head gardener at Traditional Medicinals (which, by the way, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year), about the best herbs to grow in the home garden. Her response:”I picked eight herbs with feasibility, seasonality, safety, and frequency of use in mind. These herbs are all beginner-friendly to grow, generally safe to use, can be cultivated in containers or in the ground, and are relatively easy to dry and store for later use.” Sounds perfect to me. Please keep reading to learn more.

NOTE: Although these herbs are generally known to be safe, always doublecheck the safety of consuming any plants if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or have any medical conditions.

Calendula (Calendula officinalis)

Above: Photograph by Dwight Sipler via Flickr.

“Calendula is tougher than it looks!” says Abbey. “It grows in a variety of soils but will fare best in soil with good drainage and does better with a weekly deep watering rather than frequent light water.” It prefers full sun but tolerates part sun, requiring at least five hours a day. And even though this plant grows in zones 3-11, it is considered an annual in zones 3-8 and behaves as a semi-evergreen perennial in zones 9-11. If you’re lucky, your calendula could bloom year-round. Bonus: Bees adore it.

Good for: digestive issues such as heartburn and peptic ulcers
Plant part used: flowers
Tea: fresh or dry
How: 1-2 tbsp or 2-4 flowers in 1 cup of hot water for 10-15 minutes
Food: fresh (petals only) or dry
How: Use in salads, soups, cooked greens, baked goods, or as a garnish (best uncooked for nutritional value).

Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis)

Above: Photograph by Gertjan van Noord via Flickr.

“Marshmallow has a soothing and lofty presence in the garden,” says Abbey. It needs moisture-retaining soil but also good drainage to avoid root rot. “If planted in full sun, this plant needs more water, but if it is in partial shade, one could get away with less water (this depends on your soil’s drainage and water retention).” Marshmallow grows as a deciduous woody perennial in zones 3-9, and Abbey recommends pruning back two-thirds every winter after it reaches maturity.

Good for: throat, respiratory, and digestive troubles
Plant part used: roots, leaves, and flowers
Tea: fresh or dry (roots only)
How: 1-2 tbsp ground or chopped in 1 cup of hot water for 10-15 minutes (or same ratio in room temperature water overnight)
Food: fresh or dry
How: Use flowers in salads, baked goods, or garnish; use leaves in soups or sautéed with other greens.

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)

Above: Photograph by Kier Holmes, taken at Traditional Medicinals.

Says Abbey: “Chamomile is a joyful and bee-friendly addition to a medicinal garden.” Though it craves full sun, this plant needs well-draining soil with decent water retention and consistent light drinks of water. Chamomile grows in zones 4-11 and can continuously bloom from April to August. Abbey adds, “This plant is strictly an annual, but I have found it is a prolific re-seeder and will likely propagate itself year to year if left alone to drop its seeds and complete its full lifecycle.”

Good for: sleep, relaxation, and digestion
Plant part used: flowers
Tea: fresh (stronger, more bitter) or dry (traditional, lighter, and more floral)
How: 1-2 tbsp or 6-12 flowers in 1 cup of hot water for 10-15 minutes
Food: Fresh or dry
How: Use fresh as garnish only, as the flowers are quite bitter; ground dry flowers into powder for baked goods.

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

Above: Photograph by Kier Holmes, taken at Traditional Medicinals.

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October 25, 2024
Best Heated Outdoor Chairs and Sofas: 5 Favorites

Entering autumnal phase but not yet willing to phase out your outdoor space? One option is heated outdoor lounge chairs and sofas, as an alternative to overhead heaters. For colder months, cold mornings, or transient weather, add a wool blanket or fire pit and the concentrated heat doubles. Here are our 5 finds. For more […]

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September 18, 2024
Fall Flowers: Our Favorite Perennials and Annuals for Adding Color in the Autumn Garden

While I try to live in the moment as much as possible, it’s harder to be mindful when it c0mes to garden design. After all, planning ahead for the next season is often the key to a beautiful four-season garden. As summer chugs along, I’m already thinking about what flowers will be blooming in the months ahead and what will be supportive to our pollinator friends.

Here are some favorite late bloomers I’m considering for my and my clients’ gardens this fall:

Chrysanthemum

Above: Photograph by Ashley Noelle Edwards, courtesy of Gabriela Salazar, from Garden Visit: ‘Love and Care’ in Florist Gabriela Salazar’s Flower Garden.

I know what you’re thinking: those supermarket flowers? But take a closer look at the more unique varieties that have hit the market. I totally swoon over the spider, quilled, and pom pom ones, and you might, too. These long-lasting cut flowers boasts autumnal colors and are superbly sturdy, making them a great addition to a cut flower garden. Also, because they contain pyrethrum, a natural insect repellent, consider planting some on the edges of a vegetable bed to ward off nibbly invaders. Hardy in USDA Zones 3-9. Best planted in full sun and soil that drains well. (See Gardening 101: Chrysanthemums.)

Aster

Above: Photograph by Britt Willoughby Dyer, from Gardening 101: Aster.

Come late summer, when many flowers start fading, asters are here for the bees, butterflies, and other pollinator pals. Depending on the variety, some asters grow to around a foot tall, while others tower to 6-plus feet; they can range in color from purple to blue and white. Plant in a partly sunny to full sun spot with soil that drains well. Potentially deer-resistant as well. I’m fond of Aster chilensis as it is a vigorous California native perennial with pale lilac flowers and is a great butterfly nectar plant. Hardy in USDA Zones 3-8.

Black-Eyed Susan

Above: Photograph by Edwina von Gal, from ‘Stop Putting Your Garden into Shapewear’: 12 Tips for Nature-Based Gardening

A fall favorite, Rudbeckia hirta is also beloved by pollinators and looks fantastic when planted with ornamental grasses for a meadow effect. Growing from 1 to 3 feet, they make great cut flowers and thrive in a sunny spot. Make sure to deadhead the flowers to promote blooming, and then at the end of the season leave the seed heads for the birds to snack on. Favorite hybrids include ‘Prairie Sun’, ‘Sonora’ and ‘Autumn Colors’. Hardy in USDA Zones 3-9. See also Gardening 101: Black-Eyed Susans.)

Anise Hyssop

Above: Photograph by Britt Willoughby Dyer for Jinny Blom’s What Makes a Garden. (See our review of the book here.)

Contrary to what might be assumed, anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) plant is not anise but is instead in the mint family and the leaves exude a spicy scent similar to licorice. Adored by pollinators and detested by deer, this perennial produces long lasting purplish blooms that can be used in flower arrangements. The vertical habit pairs well with cascading ornamental grasses and other fall-blooming favorites. A sunny spot is best. USDA Zones 4-8.(See also Gardening 101: Hyssop.)

Japanese Anemone

Above: Photograph by Britt Willoughby Dyer for Gardenista, from Gardening 101: Japanese Anemones.

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August 21, 2024
White Flowers: Our Favorite White Blooms to Bring a Garden to Life, Especially at Night

One of the realities of enjoying a garden is that there’s not always a lot of time to do so. We work, we commute, we parent, we scroll. By the time we step outside it might be late, so it is with twilight in mind that we bring you the brightness of our 14 favorite white flowers. They are all perennials, and they are all North American. Many of these blooms are pollinator-friendly, and each is easy to care for, so long it’s in the right spot. From petite ephemerals that will appeal to your inner wood sprite, to big-statement drama plants, our list will set you on the path to a soothing evening escape. You might even sneak out to enjoy them in daylight.

Photography by Marie Viljoen.

1. Foam flower, Tiarella cordifolia

Above: Foam flower

The frothy exuberance of aptly named foam flower begins early in spring, the flowers floating above maple-shaped leaves. The blooms last for about two pleasing weeks. This woodland native grows well in full spring sun if it receives some summer shade (under deciduous trees, for example). It naturalizes easily, by sending out questing runners in late spring and summer. Foam flower makes a very low maintenance ground cover and is an effective green mulch, protecting the soil beneath. It is hardy from USDA growing zones 3-9.

2. Canada mayflower, Maianthemum canadense

Above: Tiny Canada mayflower

In shady gardens, diminutive Canada mayflower (or false lily of the valley) will naturalize to form a lush, low green carpet that produces a shower of snowy blossoms in mid-spring. It needs consistent moisture to become established, but will then spread and naturalize via rhizomes. By fall the flowers will have formed red fruits that are attractive to birds. Canada mayflower is hardy from zones 3-6.

3. Starflower, Lysimachia borealis

Above: Starflower growing among Canada mayflower.

Another small jewel for light shade and woodland-friendly gardens is starflower, whose identifying whorl of leaves frames the exquisite bloom, or blooms. This is a good companion plant for Canada mayflower, as it is summer-dormant, and fades from view as nights begin to grow longer after the summer solstice. Starflower is hardy from zones 3-7.

4. False Solomon’s seal, Maianthemum racemosum

Above: False Solomons seal

Unlike its tiny Canada mayflower, false Solomon’s seal grows to about three feet tall, and its plumes of fluffy white flowers can be elegantly dramatic if planted in swathes in dappled shade. It has a very wide native range in North America, and blooms in mid-spring. It, too, will produce attractive, non-toxic red berries in fall that are appealing to migratory and resident birds. False solomon’s seal is hardy from zones 3-8.

5. Doll’s eyes, Actaea pachypoda

Above: The perfumed flowers of doll’s eyes.

Close your eyes and breathe. The sweet, citrus-blossom scent of doll’s eyes is reason enough to plant this shade-loving perennial. Its tall slender stems are topped with perfumed puffs of flowers in mid-spring. By fall, they have morphed into ghoulish white berries that resemble a horror-flick’s idea of a botanical Halloween. They are eye-catching and as toxic as they look. Doll’s eyes are hardy from zones 3-8.

6. Bunchberry, Chamaepericlymenum canadense (formerly Cornus canadensis)

Above: The bright white bracts of bunchberries resemble broad petals.

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June 17, 2024
Best Australian Flowers to Plant in the US: Here Are Our Favorites to Try

While I have never visited Australia (yet), I use plants from there so often in my garden designs in the Bay Area that I almost feel like I have. But of course, my knowledge is only so deep, given I’ve never stepped a foot inside the country, so for this story, I reached out to […]

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May 29, 2024
Best Blue Flowers to Grow in the Garden: My Favorite Blue Perennials and Annuals

Recently, one of my clients asked if I would add some blue flowers to her garden. Her young daughter had learned that dogs are color-blind and can see only blues and yellows, and now she wanted to make sure their garden had blue flowers in it so that their dog would be able to enjoy them. Naturally my heart swelled and my list of blue flowers grew. I bolted to the nursery and picked up some favorites.

Because of this project, I learned to truly appreciate how blues add a cooling and calming splash of color. I also learned, after reading the book, How the Rose Got its Thorns and Other Botanical Stories, by Andrew Ormerod, that few plants produce anthocyanins, the pigments responsible for the blue hue, which is why blue flowers are relatively rare in nature. “They are most commonly found in environmentally impoverished habitats where pollinators are scarce—with its short wavelength, the color blue stands out and attracts bee pollinators,” he writes.

Here are eight of my favorite blue flowers (and possibly dog and bee favorites, too).

1. Lobelia, Lobelia erinus ‘Magadi Compact Dark Blue’

Above: Photograph by Kier Holmes.

Sometimes you need a fast-growing annual to add to pots, containers, and window boxes that are in a sunny spot. This lobelia is so good at filling planting gaps with color. With a trailing habit, it’s slightly upright, slightly relaxed, and produces vibrant blue flowers in the spring through summer if deadheaded. In mild climates this annual can reseed—in a good way. Hardy in USDA Zones 8-11. I like to plant mine from six-packs or from seed.

2. Siberian bugloss, Brunnera macrophylla

Above: Photograph by Patrick Standish via Flickr.

What makes this perennial extra cute are the heart-shaped leaves and the tiny baby-blue flowers that arrive in the spring and continue through the summer. Add this deer-resistant, easy-to-grow ground cover to a partly shaded cottage or woodland garden and pair it with hellebores, bleeding hearts, and ferns. Grows to 1 to 2 feet high and as wide. Hardy in USDA Zones 3-9.

3. Baby blue eyes, Nemophila menziesii

Above: Photograph by Joe Decruyenaere via Flickr.

Native to California, this darling annual gifts you with bright blue dainty flowers in the spring. Easy to sow from seed, it is commonly added to wildflower seed mixes. Pro tip: Sow your seeds in a partly sunny spot and provide them with ample water. I sowed my seeds in the fall for my spring bloom, but I live in a warm-winter areas. In cold-winter areas, sow your seeds in the spring. The flower grows to a petite 10 inches high and in a container, will tumble playfully over the edges. You can purchase seeds through Larner Seeds.

4. Pincushion flower, Scabiosa Caucasica ‘Fama Deep Blue’

Above: Photograph by Kier Holmes.

I grow this flower in my garden and and am rewarded with mega large ruffled blue blooms—4 inches across! I swear, these flowers are constantly buzzing with bees and butterflies from spring to fall. It also makes an excellent long-lasting cut flower, and the more I cut, the more blooms I get. Grows to 2 feet tall and wide and likes full sun and well-draining soil. Perfect when added to pots or edging a perennial bed or cutting garden. Hardy in USDA Zones 4-9.

5. Germander sage, Salvia chamaedryoides

Above: Photograph by Seán A. O’Hara via Flickr.

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April 30, 2024
Best Garden Podcasts: What to Listen to for the Plant-Obsessed

Here at Gardenista, we love a good podcast, but niche-topic shows are often hard to find. With no designated categories for “home” or “design”—let alone “gardening”—on the major podcast platforms, it can be tricky to discover garden voices. So, we searched the streaming platforms and queried our community to find out what plant-obsessed podcasts we should be listening to. Below you’ll find eight garden podcasts that either the Gardenista team loves or are recommended by trusted friends and colleagues. But this is by no means a definitive list: As new shows launch (and we hope they will!) and as we discover others, we’ll plan to add them to our faves. Leave a comment below if we left out your favorite garden podcast.

A Way to Garden

Above: Margaret Roach was one of the judges in Gardenista’s Considered Design Awards in 2014. Photograph by Erica Berger.

Perhaps the original garden podcast, Margaret Roach’s “A Way to Garden With Margaret Roach” is a 25-minute public-radio program that airs weekly on Connecticut’s Robin Hood Radio and as a podcast on all the major platforms. Each week Margaret hosts a garden expert to discuss a seasonally-relevant topic. Over the 14 years it has been on the air, the show has won three silver medals from the Garden Writers Association of America.

Cultivating Place

Another public radio co-production (this one with North State Public radio), garden writer Jennifer Jewell’s “Cultivating Place” is less concerned with the daily activities of the garden, but rather “how and why we garden—what we mean when we garden.” Jennifer goes deep with her guests in every episode, and always leaves us with new ideas to consider. (For a review of her latest book, see Required Reading: ‘What We Sow’ by Jennifer Jewell.)

The Garden Futurist

Jewell recommends this podcast from the Pacific Horticulture Society about “innovative thinkers contributing to a climate-resilient future through the power of gardens.” Jewell says, “I like how hard this podcast leans, with heart, into the academic “hard” sciences.” The podcast focusses on how gardens and gardeners can bfoster climate resilience and become leaders in the effort to slow climate change.

Growing Greener

Above: The last time we rounded up our favorite podcasts was in 2017. Photograph by Mimi Giboin for Gardenista, from The Best Garden Podcasts of 2017.

This show aims to show home gardeners how they can make their yards and gardens healthier and more sustainable. Produced in collaboration with the Berkshire Botanic Garden, the “Growing Greener” host Tom Christopher, a garden designer and writer, interviews gardening experts who are also leaders in working in harmony with nature.

The Native Plant Podcast

Growing Greener’s Christopher confessed that he is not much of a podcast listener himself, but he does enjoy episodes of “The Native Plant Podcast,” a multi-host effort that publishes episodes sporadically. The hosts, who originally connected at the Cullowhee Native Plant Conference, liken themselves to a “garage band,” but Christopher says the relaxed, conversational tone is exactly what he likes about the show. The Native Plant Podvast had some of the leading native plant experts on the show, so there’s lots in the archive between new posts.

Talking Gardens

The podcast from Gardens Illustrated magazine asks its guests, “If you could create your dream garden from pieces of all of your favorite places, and if you could grow any plants in the world, what would you choose?” Despite the predictable format, garden designer Susan Nock told us that “it elicits super varying answers, and the host follows the guest’s lead and has really lovely conversations about their work and ideas.” Because this show is idea-based, it’s a fun listen for gardeners in different growing areas–not just the U.K.

Let’s Argue About Plants

Another podcast from a magazine, “Let’s Argue About Plants” is hosted by editors Danielle Sherry and Carol Collins of Fine Gardening. Plant nerds, this one’s for you: Sherry and Collins talk exclusively about plants and host horticultural pros, who “offer their wisdom and opinions about what you might want to grow in your garden.”

Inside Hilton’s Head

Above: Hilton Carter with his beloved plants. Photograph taken from film by Toby Amies, from ‘Great Gardens’ on Nowness: Inside the Minds of the Most Influential Gardeners.

A promising newcomer, this podcast is hosted by author and houseplant expert Hilton Carter and his colleague Mollie Lee. After dabbling in podcasts in 2020, Carter has leaned into the medium with this new, weekly show. In addition to the conversations between Carter and Lee, they plan to sprinkle in guest features with plant community personalities, designers, and creatives, in general.

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February 13, 2024
Favorite Peach Fuzz Colored Plants to Add to the Garden

Last month, Pantone picked Peach Fuzz as its 2024 Color of the Year. The shade is warm, fuzzy, and like a gentle hug or a cozy sweater. And I’m a fan of any hue that’s close to pink or orange. In case you’re looking to embrace this color in your landscape, here are my five favorite peachy-keen plants to consider adding to the garden this year.

1. Geum ‘ Apricot Pearl’

Above: At left, the Geum ‘Apricot Pearl’, available at DutchGrown for $9.80 for 1 bare root. At right, the Peony ‘Coral Charm’ (photograph via TulipStore).
Fantastically ruffled blossoms in shades of pale peach poise themselves above semi-evergreen/evergreen foliage. Growing to just under two feet tall, this perennial will bloom late spring to summer in a sunny to partially sunny spot. They’re perfect for containers, as sweet edging for garden beds, or in a cutting garden. Potentially deer-resistant and most certainly pollinator-attracting. (For more on geums, see Gardening 101: Geums). A larger (growing to three feet) alternative is the oldie but goody peony ‘Coral Charm’ that won the 1986 Gold Medal of the American Peony Society and sports frilly peachy bowl-shaped blooms.

2. Grevillea ‘Peaches and Cream’

Above: Photograph of Grevillea ‘Peaches and Cream’ via Bloomables.

As if grevilleas weren’t already some of my favorite shrubs because they’re evergreen, drought-resistant, pollinator-friendly, and deer-resistant, then came along this sweetie. ‘Peaches and Cream’ has a low-maintenance mounding habit that is desirable and displays curiously curved flowers that age to shades of peachy hues. Worshiped by hummingbirds, this dense shrub grows to four to six feet high and just as wide and likes a sunny spot in well-draining soil. Hardy in USDA Zones 9-11.

3. Rosa ‘Peach Drift’

Above: Photograph of Rosa ‘Peach Drift’ via Star Roses and Plants.

If I’m going to plant a rose, it better be tough, disease-resistant, and long-blooming. ‘Peach Drift’ checks all those boxes, and now it’s on trend as well with its soft peachy-pink spring flowers that keep blooming through the end of summer. Perfect for small gardens, along walkways, and gently tumbling down slopes. Maturing to one to two feet high and two to three feet wide, this deciduous ground cover rose will accept full sun or part sun and regular drinks of water. Hardy in USDA Zones 4-11. An alternative to this rose with a more upright habit is the always-popular hybrid tea rose ‘Just Joey’, named “World’s Favorite Rose” in 1994.

4. Abelia Hybrid ‘Peach’

Above: Photograph of Abelia ‘Suntastic Peach‘ via Sunset Plant Collection.

This new and improved abelia from Sunset comes at the right time for the gardener wanting to riff a bit on the Pantone color trend. This low-water hybrid plays like a jazz song and offers vibrant multicolors with extra warm apricot tones. I use abelias all the time in my garden designs because they’re easy to maintain, deer-resistant, and colorful; plus this new hybrid stays effortlessly compact. Tiny white blossoms are an added bonus for hungry hummingbirds. This abelia grows to two to three feet tall and three to five feet wide, and will like full sun or partly sunny spot in hot climates. It’s a great candidate for containers, low border/hedge, or evergreen structure in a low-water garden. Hardy in USDA Zones 6-10.

5. Dahlia ‘Apricot Desire’

Above: Dahlia ‘Apricot Desire’ is $26.29 for 2 bulbs at Eden Brothers.

I am a huge dahlia devotee and am especially fond of this waterlily-like hybrid that has long stems that gift apricot peachy flowers perfect for cutting and adding to floral arrangements. Plant this tuber in the spring in a sunny spot, and you’ll be rewarded from June to the first frost with delicate peachy blossoms. Perfect for borders or added to containers, it grows quickly to three to four feet high. Hardy in USDA Zones 8-11. Another peach perfect dahlia is the Giant Ball Dahlia ‘Sweet Suzanne’.

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January 3, 2024