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Norman Winter/Norman Winter/TNS

On Gardening: Double your garden pleasure with two new Superbells

Gardening / Gardening News /

Two new Superbells calibrachoas are hitting the garden centers this year and will forever change your mind on the incorporation of double flowers in your designs. That’s right: Superbells Double Vintage Coral and Double Smitten Pink will win your hearts.

Yours truly had a mental block on double calibrachoas until a few years ago when I had ...Read more

The Greener View: Great Backyard Bird Count

Gardening / Jeff Rugg /

In just a few weeks, winter will be over. Most birds will be happy it is over, too. The typical sparrow or cardinal that comes to a backyard feeder weighs about as much as a quarter. They spend virtually every waking moment looking for food (just like teenagers) and may consume 15% of their body weight on a cold winter's night trying to stay ...Read more

Norman Winter/Norman Winter/TNS

On Gardening: Become the maestro of your garden with agastache

Gardening / Gardening News /

Agastache, also known as anise hyssop and hummingbird mints, needs to be at the top of your list as we rocket toward planting season. Your trusty friend The Garden Guy is here to give you the long and the short (or to be more specific, the short and tall) of these ever-so-important pollinator plants. You will soon become the "maestro" of your ...Read more

The Greener View: American Garden Rose Selections 2025 Winners

Gardening / Jeff Rugg /

The American Garden Rose Selections judges have announced the newest roses to be selected in their testing program. This year, there are an unprecedented nine new winners.

The All-America Rose Selections program ran from 1940 until 2013. The AGRS program began in 2016. If you are looking in a garden catalog and see that a rose was the winner of...Read more

Norman Winter/TNS/TNS

On Gardening: Serendipity ornamental onion is a must-have for perennial or pollinator garden

Gardening / Gardening News /

During my years as executive director of the Columbus Botanical Garden in Georgia, I fell madly in love with the garlic chives in our herb garden. I’m not an herbalist or a culinary artist in the kitchen, but I am a butterfly lover and had just completed a stint as executive director of the National Butterfly Center in Mission, Texas.

Who ...Read more

The Greener View: Crinums

Gardening / Jeff Rugg /

My birthday is coming up, and I was asked what my favorite plant is.

My favorite plants have to meet a few important criteria. They must come back on their own, because I can be a lazy gardener. Insects and diseases must be rare, so there will be no need to spray. I like plants that can grow in the water along the shoreline of my water garden, ...Read more

Norman Winter/Norman Winter/TNS

On Gardening: Solenia Apricot begonia is a dream come true

Gardening / Gardening News /

Years ago I had the opportunity to visit gardens in Victoria, Vancouver, and scenic towns like Leavenworth, Washington, and was mesmerized by their hanging baskets and mixed containers. If you’ve been there, you probably have had the same dreams as The Garden Guy. And the past two years have opened my eyes to new possibilities, thanks to the ...Read more

The Greener View: Green Thumb Awards

Gardening / Jeff Rugg /

For the past two weeks, I have been writing about the All-America Selections winners. The AAS program trials the plants at test gardens all over the country, and judges rate the plants all during the growing season. The Green Thumb Awards program winners have been announced, so let us talk about them today.

Winners of the 2025 Green Thumb ...Read more

Meg McLaughlin/The San Diego Union-Tribune/TNS

Across generations, these community gardens offer refuge, passion and 'wonderful friendships'

Gardening / Gardening News /

SAN DIEGO -- When Kelicia Pitts moved here from New Jersey in 2021, she figured it wouldn’t be too hard to find work and housing. Give me two months, she thought to herself, as she rented an Airbnb in Del Cerro.

But finding a job that could pay San Diego’s high rents was easier said than done, and after bouncing around, she soon found ...Read more

Norman Winter/Norman Winter/TNS

On Gardening: North Pole takes honors in 2025

Gardening / Gardening News /

Now that Christmas and New Years is over it is time to have a little talk about the North Pole. No, I am not referring to the home place of St. Nick, but North Pole arborvitae, Proven Winners Landscape Shrub of the Year for 2025.

While indeed it may correctly be classified as a shrub, many of you may think of it as a tree. North Pole arborvitae...Read more

The Greener View: All-America Selections Vegetable Winners for 2025

Gardening / Jeff Rugg /

Last week, we looked at the flowers that won the 2025 All-America Selections awards, and this week, we look at the five new vegetable winners.

The AAS testing program is an independent nonprofit organization that tests new plants. They have about 80 test gardens from Alaska and Canada to California and Florida. They also have almost 200 display...Read more

Handout/Norman Winter/TNS

On Gardening: Blushing Bride receives rare honor

Gardening / Gardening News /

The blushing bride and her eye-catching straps put on quite the show last year. It’s so true, and I can imagine editors everywhere having palpitations as The Garden Guy goes rogue with seductive humor. Now that I have your attention, I am talking about Heart to Heart, Blushing Bride, Proven Winners "Caladium of the Year" for 2025. It is a ...Read more

The Greener View: 2025 All-America Selections Winners

Gardening / Jeff Rugg /

One way I know a plant could work well in my garden is that I look for the red, white and blue logo of All-America Selections on seed packets, on bedding plant tags or in catalogs. Even AAS winners from several years ago are more likely to prove successful than nonwinners.

The AAS testing program is an independent nonprofit organization that ...Read more

Handout/Norman Winter/TNS

On Gardening: Wedgwood Pink a most anticipated new flower

Gardening / Gardening News /

Every gardener across the country is looking forward to the new plant introductions making their debut in 2025. One of the most eagerly awaited is a new angelonia or summer snapdragon by the name of Angelface Wedgwood Pink. This bicolored pink and white selection is one we have anticipated for years. You see, sometime ago Angelface Wedgwood Blue...Read more

The Greener View: Use Your Resolutions To Help Others

Gardening / Jeff Rugg /

Well, we made it through last night's parties, and we have a whole year ahead of us. How are we going to use it to our full advantage? Most people at least think about New Year's Resolutions, even if they don't follow through with them for very long. How did you do with last year's resolutions? Resolutions that involve or help other people are ...Read more

The Greener View: Gift Basket Plants

Gardening / Jeff Rugg /

People like to give plants as gifts for birthdays, when a baby is born or for funerals. Very often an entire basket of plants is given. Did you get a basket of plants for Christmas?

Usually, all of the plants in the basket are houseplants that need the same amount of sunlight, the same temperatures and the same amount of water in the soil. They...Read more

Norman Winter/Norman Winter/TNS

On Gardening: Mocha Mousse Color of the Year for home and garden

Gardening / Gardening News /

This time of the year, I always look forward to the announcement of the Pantone Color of the Year. Last year it was Peach Fuzz and the year before it was Viva Magenta. I’ve always liked to try to join in and pick out flowers, to show that we are part of the team, a Pantone Partner if you will. Drum roll please: For 2025 the Pantone Color of ...Read more

Norman Winter/Norman Winter/TNS

On Gardening: Art & Sol mangave coming this spring

Gardening / Gardening News /

Six-months ago I wrote a column introducing you to the Art & Sol collection of mangaves, which was having a soft release with a full debut occurring in 2025. If you are not familiar with mangave, it is a cross between the agave and a plant called the manfreda, both native to the Southwest.

The taxonomic hierarchy has recently determined that ...Read more

The Greener View: Last-Minute Gardener Gifts

Gardening / Jeff Rugg /

We are down to the last week of shopping for Christmas presents. I have a few last-minute gift ideas that you can still get by shopping locally.

Create a basic gardener's gift package and add more items as you find them. Start with a pair of gardening gloves, as gardeners are always looking for a dry and clean pair. A useful tool is a small ...Read more

Norman Winter/Norman Winter/TNS

On Gardening: Berry Box perfect Christmas plant for porch

Gardening / Gardening News /

A few years ago, I wrote a column on the keys to the winter landscape being Bones, Berries and Bark. The bones of course are evergreen plants, berries are like nature’s winter baubles, and bark is typically associated with trees that create a "look at me" moment by virtue of their wood. So, when I had the opportunity to try some Berry Box ...Read more

 

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