Virtues: Heliotrope, or cherry pie plant, has very fragrant summer flowers and clean, textural green foliage. Heliotrope is a fine annual plant for butterfly gardens, window boxes, pots, the fragrant garden and more.

Question: I’ve read some opinions on different blogs stating that annuals aren’t a great choice because the methods of producing them aren’t always ecologically friendly and because they take a lot of water and fertilizer …

Virtues: Red Pearl lingonberry is a close relative of blueberry bushes (all are in the genus Vaccinium). It works well as a groundcover and produces edible red berries. Even without a distinct fruit or vegetable …

In this video Tricia from Peaceful Valley talks about direct seeding and how to protect plants from frost.

Here’s a very easy way to make a climbing rose appear more lush and cover an arbor or trellis better.

Virtues: We love dwarf Korean lilac (Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’) for its compact, rounded shape and resistance to powdery mildew, two characteristics that set it apart from other lilacs. Dwarf Korean lilac fits small gardens, tight …

My instructor at the New York Botanical Garden gave us a tip on growing the sturdiest tomato plants indoors, before transplanting them outdoors. This gives plants a head start on the growing season and a …

Question: What can you tell me about growing a cutting garden?

Virtues: Barren strawberry (Waldsteinia ternata) is a perennial flowering groundcover. It is an easy-to-grow plant with nice foliage and yellow flowers that appear in spring. As the common name barren strawberry suggests, the plant looks …

What is a low-maintenance plant, plus a list of low-maintenance perennial plants.

We love pot marigold (Calendula officinalis) for its bright flowers, tolerance of cool temperatures and ease of care.