Gardens and Gardeners

Protecting the Garden

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The damage caused to plants by playing children and pets can be heartbreaking. Here's how to protect them.

Sue's List

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

“Mainly, to make my northern relatives jealous,” my friend Sue replied with a grin when asked what had prompted her to compile her list of the 60 species blooming in her garden on March 13, 2007. “They’ve got snow, and we’ve got things blooming!”...

Growing Food for the Hungry

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

At the Rhinelander Area Food Pantry and Community Garden, in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, volunteers grow food for low-income and unemployed neighbors and teach the community about gardening. This is an interview with one volunteer.

Yes, Virginia, It�s Time to Think About Holiday Gifts

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Pam Baggett's tips for saving now on presents you'll give later.

Ketzel Levine

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Some time ago, I went public with my ambivalence about roses. I admitted that this humbling genus pushed all my buttons about conformity, tradition, and settling down (and I’ll bet you thought roses were just high-maintenance plants). Since then, I’ve moved again -another short-term rental -but a rose now climbs over the garden gate celebrating a future other than mine...

A Review Of Smith & Hawken's Going-Out-Of-Business Sale

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Meh.

Gardening on the Cheap: Hardy Plants for Containers

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

To stretch your gardening dollar, fill empty summer containers with hardy plants instead of flowering annuals. Pam Baggett explains how.

Tough Plants Directory

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

These plants stand up to trampling by children, pets and other garden perils.

Gardening on the Cheap: Mid-Summer Rescue Remedy

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Gaps in the summer garden? Pam Baggett tells how to fill them without emptying your wallet.

Revenge of the Daffodils

Tue, 05 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I hate bulb foliage so much that I think I hate bulbs. Does that make you want to see me in a dunk booth full of RoundUp or what?

Clematis �The President� is a given�

Sat, 17 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The inauguration is a few days away and the news stations are already buzzing about all things inaugural. I heard there’s only 5,000 Port-A-Potties for up to 2 million people...

The Case Against Tillers

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Peter Garnham reflects on his sad realization that it's time to retire his rototiller from duty in the garden.

Field Trip! Chicago Botanic Garden

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I swung by the Chicago Botanic Garden on Sunday. I have to say, they are doing some WILD stuff with mums!

Gardening on the Cheap: Homegrown Seeds

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Instead of buying seeds next spring, harvest your own this summer and fall. Pam Baggett tells how.

About Plant Names

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Are you mystified by botanical Latin? Here’s how the universal system of naming plants works.

Chickens in the Garden

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Chickens in the garden do both good and bad. Here are tips for letting them roam free while keeping the garden neat.

The Sacred And The Propane

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Kis my Aster sells out to "the man" and can't wait to do it again!

Cooler containers?

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Cheap and easy to find, I decided I was going to use vintage coolers and thermoses as containers at my front door this year. Want to see?

Kids and Gardening are a Perfect Match

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

One of the most gratifying things was seeing how excited my 8-year-old son was about helping out in the garden and I'm really looking forward to having him out there with me again in the Spring.

Ten Questions for Pamela Price of Red, White and Grew

Sat, 29 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Another "interview" today- This time of someone you probably already know and if you don't... You're on some sort of naughty list.

Bargain Alert: Blue Rays For $3!

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The punchline lies within...

A Vintage Cartoon For You: Junior Raindrop

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I'm also thinking about using that name for a ska band I'm forming...

Growing Vegetables as Houseplants

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Amid all the chaos in The House Plant Expert, I zeroed in on FOOD PLANTS . . . I suppose this page caught my eye because of all the buzz lately about more people getting into vegetable gardening. Or was it because I’d just been to the grocery store?

Kiss My Aster's Sage Words Of Wisdom

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It's funny, just look at it. I mean it.

The Victory Garden Revival: Getting Started in Your Own Backyard

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The notion of reviving the old Victory Garden concept has been gaining traction online and in the mainstream media. Here’s why it’s a good idea, and how to get started in your own backyard.

Gardening on the Cheap: Scavenged Containers

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Follow these ideas from garden writer Pam Baggett to create lovely container plantings for your garden without spending a lot of money on pots and planters.

Kiss My Aster's Gardening Tips For Busy Ladies: The Finale

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The third one is a little harder that the first two. Get over it. I mean it.

A Golden Climate

Tue, 01 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Near frost-free San Diego, a couple shares their tropical dream

From The People That Brought You "Lucky Bamboo"...

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Get a load of this wack-a-doo product!

The Worms Crawl In, The Worms Crawl Out...

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

My worm bin is actually a pretty scary place right now.

The Refugees

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

There are all these ugly plants in my basement, hiding from winter...

A Million Points Of Light

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I have a plan. It involves zip ties. No surprises there, all my plans involve zip ties.

Step One (We Can Have Lots Of Fun!)

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I am finally getting stuff done in my new yard! Come and see what my first move was...

Conspiracy Theory

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

A beautiful garden is a collaborative effort between its maker and its plants, neither more important than the other. The gardener envisions the garden, but the plants realize it. And in so doing they frequently create effects the gardener never anticipated...

Read This Funny/Weird Thing Someone Else Wrote

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I love that I didn't write this and I just get to read it. I'm lazy like that.

A GARDENING LIFE: Polly Hill

Tue, 01 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The fable of great gardeners is that they swallow a nasturtium seed during their first exploration of the backyard and are instantly and forever transformed into hortaholics. In Polly Hill's case, the seed took far longer to germinate.

Professor, what's another word for pirate treasure?

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Well I think it's booty, booty, booty... That's what it is!

Wouldn't This Make A Great Halloween Container?

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Or, if you're like me, an every day planter?

Reducing Lawn Areas to Reduce Water Use

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Look for alternative vegetation to plant and lose the lawn. An excerpt from Your Eco-friendly Yard (2009, Krause Publications).

Variations on a Green Theme

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

When garden designer Suzanna Porter is working on a design in her Berkeley, California, office, she doesn't have to travel far for ideas and inspiration. A simple 90-degree turn from her drawing table reveals her own garden...

Call of the Wild

Mon, 18 Oct 2004 00:00:00 GMT

After seven Job-like years of gardening, a group of tried-and-true plants remained steadfast through deluge, drought, wind, hail, record-breaking heat, and subzero winters. These became signature plants of the garden—I planted more, eager for dependable beauty. . . .

Kiss My Aster's Gardening Tips For Busy Ladies: Part Deux

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The busy lady's guide to doing a fall clean up. Sure can be a lot of work....

Stop What You�re Doing And Watch This Movie

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

"A Man Named Pearl." I mean it. At least read about it if you're not going to watch it immediately!

Award for Garden Excellence

Wed, 18 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

The Award for Garden Excellence, given yearly by the American Public Gardens Association (APGA) and sponsored by Horticulture, honors the public garden that best exemplifies the highest standards of horticultural practices and that has shown a commitment to supporting and demonstrating the best gardening techniques. The APGA and Horticulture are proud to honor the Chicago Botanic Garden, in Glencoe, Illinois, as the winner of the 2006 award. . . .

The Wedding- Part 1 of 3

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A few months back I blogged about doing the centerpieces for an upcoming wedding. Well, the time has come.

A Poem for a Woman Named Rose

Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A poem contemplating the expectations carried in a name.

Have you ever seen a more glamorous way to protect a blueberry bush from birds?

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The blueberries will be ripe soon and I want to be sure I get a few this year- and I want to do it with style, of course! (You know you want to see these photos! So click through!)

Dark Foliaged Plants, You Make The Rockin' World Go Round

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

My inner punk rock girl just can't quit dark foliaged plants. I made a collage of some of my faves, want to see?

The Much Begged For Wedding Chair Hanger Tutorial

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

You asked for it! Here's a step-by-step guide to making these cool, affordable and green wedding chair hangers...

If You Want Something Done, Ask A Busy Person

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I’m designing the floral arrangements for a wedding in June. Yes, I’m not a florist and I don't even play one on TV.

Work In Progress: The Secret Garden

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I have a lot to show you so I made a video. It's just a work in progress so don't judge me...yet! Are you ready?

The Wedding- Part 3, The Conclusion

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

So, the wedding was last night and I made it to the church on time. Sort of.

Poll: Which is more enjoyable?

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Is it more fun to say than it is beautiful to look at? I can't decide.

What I Learned in the Garden

Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

As a child, what little I knew of my father, I learned from his garden . . .

A GARDENING LIFE: Neil Diboll

Tue, 01 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

A prairie ecologist and nurseryman, Neil Diboll has worked ceaselessly to raise awareness about prairie plants and ecosystems and to further the cause of prairie restoration.

Fanfare For The Common Plant

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A "humble" video homage to a plant I adore.... Macleaya cordata

Winter Frustrations: A Whiter Shade of Pale

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Frustrated, I need to get out in the garden and winter’s only half over. Chores that are torturous in summer now sound as appetizing as a sun-warmed heirloom tomato the size of my fist.

Field Notes: Texas

Sat, 18 Aug 2001 00:00:00 GMT

THAT ARMAGEDDON COMES TO TEXAS, not just at the end of the millennium, but every August, endows gardens here with much of their uniqueness. . . .

Kiss My Aster's Gardening Tips For Busy Ladies

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Part 1 of a trio of time saving tips for you busy/lazy ladies, overachievers not welcome.

The Vintage Patio Furniture Lover's Holy Grail

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

For the last 5 years or maybe longer, I have had an eBay search set up where every time a vintage porch glider comes up for sale in my area for less than $250, I get an email about it. I have gotten approximately 12 emails over the years, mostly for some sort of hang gliding Smurf. So, I never got a glider.

It's like, how much more black could this be?

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Nigel Tufnel: It's like, how much more black could this be? and the answer is none. None more black.
Me: I totally disagree

Putting the "mental" in environmental

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Gas lawn mowers are bad news for the environment, so to keep our lawn a little more "green" we try to skip a week. Or 3....

Oh, How The Mitey Have Fallen

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I've been watching this slow, painful decline and fighting it organically- and loosing.

May The 4th Be With You

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It's cold and rainy and there's not a lot of gardening to do. So I'm phoning it in with this ace-in-the-hole...

Indiana Thomsen and the Cabbage Worms of Doom

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Cabbage worms drive me to the brink. This year, I'm pushing back. Want to see how?

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch....

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here are a few photos from KissMyAsterLand. Wish you were here!

Keep It Simple, Sugar!

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I bought a bag of lumpy sugar. So what's a girl to do? Make simple syrups out of everything in sight!

Giving Up The Goods

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Wanna see my garden?

Fig Leaves Are Shaped Like an Open Hand

Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A poem inspired by a father who grew fig trees.

Plant names I can�t say out loud without snickering

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here’s proof that botanical mischief always prevails!

I'd call that a bargain. The best I ever had.

Sun, 17 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

As gardeners we get divisions of plants from friends, wait for sales at our favorite haunts and hover at sites like Craigslist and Freecycle to try and luck into great deals, but this goes above and way, way beyond.

Subtly Fragranced? My Aster...

Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I saw this beautiful white Tree Peony blooming at a nursery the other day, so naturally I went in for a sniff...

Gardeners in the Deep South

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Gardeners in the Deep South face some challenges unique to their region. Well known are the discomforts of outdoor work in the heat of summer, and the persistence of weed and insect pests due to the long growing season. Another problem is the extreme vigor of climbers and vines...

Guest Post: Texas In July

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I'm so excited to have Annie from The Transplantable Rose as a guest blogger today! And she's got a world premiere video for us!

Delphinium: LASER BEAMS!

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I was walking around my yard this morning, checking out what's happened since yesterday, when I caught something out of the corner of my eye. LASER BEAMS!

Princess Pupule Had Plenty Papayas

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Princess Poopooly has plenty papayas

And she loves to give them away

Now all of the neighbors they say

Oh me-a, oh my-a

You really should try-a

Little piece of the Princess Poopooly's papaya

Zaza zaza zaza zaza zay

Gardener's Guilt

Tue, 01 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I feel untimely most of the time, and as a result I tend to believe that the real art of gardening is timeliness, and that I won't be a true gardener until the necessary rhythms of each of the plants I grow is ingrained in my bones.

Genetically Engineered Food

Tue, 01 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The genetic engineering of food came upon us very suddenly in 1996; nowadays, about two-thirds of the processed food in U.S. supermarkets contains some genetically engineered ingredient. Many seed sellers and gardeners are becoming concerned about the possible encroachment of genetic engineering on home gardens.

Namesake Roses

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A cook recalls how one famous chef led her from stove to garden and back

Nursery School: Secrets-The Pitch Out Pile

Wed, 27 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This is the one where I talk about dumpster diving...

Spreading the Joy

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Joy Creek Nursery is all about people, plants, and a strong sense of place. Knowledgeable and friendly nursery employees welcome customers with a map of the site, a current catalog, a clipboard, and an exhortation to have fun exploring the six acres of gardens, trial beds, and retail offerings...

Have You Ever? (A Fun Don't To Do!)

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Have you ever been at a party, outside on someone's patio, and the overwhelming need to deadhead the hosts' containers becomes too strong to fight?

Gardening on the Cheap: Stretch Those Annuals

Wed, 20 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Find out how to make pricey flowering annual plants work harder for you. You can fill those empty spaces without going back to the nursery for more plants.

Gardening on the Cheap: Plant Shopping on a Budget

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:40:28 GMT

Garden centers can be dangerous places for the budget-conscious gardener in springtime. Who can resist all those beautiful flowering plants? Here’s how to shop for plants without breaking the bank.

Heat Wave!

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It had been unseasonably chilly for a long, long time. Then BOOM!

At Last....

Sun, 24 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

At last, my Lupines have come along...

KMA Glossary: Powdery Mildew

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I have a simple and effective way of explaining powdery mildew to non-gardeners that you might find amusing. Keep in mind that I only said "might"...

Tips for Visiting a Daffodil Show

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I’ll always remember my first time walking into a daffodil show. As the door opened, cool air laden with the smell of daffodils rushed to greet me...

The Wedding- Part 2 of 3

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Ok, Stage 1, the planting, is done. Now for Stage 2, the aluminum sleeves and Stage 3, the mysterious chair hangers....

Star Wars Garden Craft Week: A New Hope

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Part I in a trilogy, so hold on to your Tauntauns...

I'm a staunch composter

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I'm a staunch composter. S-T-A-U-N-C-H. There's nothing better, I'm telling you. We don't put it at the curb, no matter what.

My Favorite Misplaced Vintage Garden Collectible

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I have been known to snatch up excellent vintage seed packets for pennies, then put them in a "safe" place until I can get around to framing them.... Then I never see them again.

10 Questions For Paul Riddell of Texas Triffid Ranch

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I think you should know Paul at Texas Triffid Ranch. I'm glad I do. And I usually hate everybody.

Slim Pickings: Fresh Cuts for September 21st

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Not so much to choose from for cutting this time of year, but even less so when you don't have a garden. Obviously.

Well-Behaved Bamboo

Mon, 18 Jul 2005 00:00:00 GMT

"The borindas are coming on as a big deal," says Jackie Heinricher, proprietor of the wholesale bamboo nursery Boo-Shoot Gardens. If you can picture a 35- to 45-foot-tall, noninvasive timber bamboo with powder blue canes, you'll have an idea why Borinda boliana will storm the market when it is released in 2006. . . .

Get A Load Of These Succulent Pillows...

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I found something succulent and handmade that would look awesome on my vintage, leaf green, garage-sale-found sofa.

Recipe for Fabulousness:May Fresh Cuts

Fri, 08 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

On the "Vintage" Kiss My Aster I documented my weekend bouquets and listed the ingredients so I'm going to do it here too....

How I Made Vintage Compost Bins Today (for less than $14)

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Well, I guess I should say that as compost bins, they are new to me. But the materials are vintage. Come and look!

Nectar of the Gods (just don�t drink it)

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I try and not get soap boxy about anything. There is no fun in listening to someone tell you what to do. But seriously, you should have worms.

Slime Is On My Side

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Ok, so if snail slime is good for your wrinkles.... I'll take wrinkles, please.

Photo Finish

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

It is fascinating when an artist—a painter, a sculptor, or a photographer—turns to garden making, and translates his or her well-honed principles of composition to exterior design and planting. Clive Nichols is one of the best known garden photographers, with images featured in countless books, magazines, and calendars around the world. His own garden blends his mastery of composition with the plant knowledge he has collected through his work...

Plants Are People, Too

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Ken Druse, author of Planthropology, declares that "plants get no respect", but that recognizing them as individual beings brings them to life...and proves it!

Star Wars Garden Craft Week: The Empire Strikes Back

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Part II: Wipe the Forest Moon of Endor Off Your Feet... I made a a Darth Vader doormat in colors that match my house.

The American Rose Society

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The American Rose Society is an educational nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to the cultivation and enjoyment of the rose. Learn more about their services and activities.

Remembering Christopher Lloyd

Tue, 01 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Among the plants and ideas he championed in Horticulture were a number that have since become staples of the gardening scene: cannas and dahlias, hot colors, see-through plants (like Verbena bonariensis), bold foliage, and of course, the mixed border, the everything-goes style that he epitomized.

Dirt Under My Nails (And Prizes!)

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Remember the scene in Gone With the Wind where Scarlett goes to visit Rhett in jail and he takes her hands in his and then figures out that she’s been working the fields by the state of her hands?

Flashes of Color

Fri, 18 Apr 2003 00:00:00 GMT

I have seen the future of siberian irises, and it's in Carlisle, Massachusetts. . . .

Nursery School: The Webinar

Tue, 26 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I can shop for plants like it's nobody's business. And I can teach you how or at least crack you up trying...

So, I've got this ivy....

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

So, I've got a LITLLE bit of ivy...

The Life of Riley

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Although the Big Apple prides itself in all avenues of the offbeat, Michael Riley is quite possibly one of a kind. He tends ferns, begonias, and orchids in his apartment on the Upper West Side, but you'll find few potted plants there. Michael's collection scales two cork bark-covered walls, floor to ceiling, a living wallpaper for this urban gardener...

Transplant Shock

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

To summer visitors, the Adirondack Mountains of northeast New York offer warm, pleasant scenes at every turn. Rustic lakeside camps, where log cabins nestle amid colorful flower beds and boast overflowing window boxes, suggest living (and gardening) here would be so easy. But year-round residents like Pamela Dore, a landscape designer in the small town of Au Sable Forks (near Lake Placid), know this setting's challenges...

A West Texas Oasis

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

In case you've never been there, Texas is big. From San Antonio, where the last vestiges of the South drop off, it is still five hundred miles west to El Paso and six hundred miles north to the top of the panhandle...

A Town Transformed

Fri, 18 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Gardens are not just about plants; they are about the people who create them. Gardens need a personality and a vision to be successful. These things are especially crucial for public gardens—without them, they are only background landscape. . . .

The Garden Fairies Improve Lives through Volunteer Garden Projects

Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

For more than 10 years, a Florida-based group called the Garden Fairies has helped neighbors through community gardening projects. Read about them, see photos and get inspired.

The Gardener Next Door: Anne Nagro

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

An interview with Anne Nagro, a Master Gardener, school-garden volunteer and the author of Our Generous Garden (Dancing Rhinoceros Press, 2008).

Don Shadow

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Shadow is known around the world as one of the most connected of plantsmen and as the most active acquirer of unusual plants. The letters strewn across his desk come from across town and around the globe. People write with pictures of possible introductions.“Send cuttings, send seed,” he responds. They write for advice on what to do with a new plant that’s been discovered in some remote swamp or hollow. “Send cuttings, send seed,” he responds. They write looking for the rarest of the rare and the oddest of the odd. “I’ve got cuttings, I’ve got seed,” he responds...

A Dirty Confession

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I rent. I bet you didn't see that coming...

Asking for it

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I’m thinking about unleashing my Variegated Butterbur… (insert trumpets of doom here)

J-P Malocsay, Working Gardener

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Lively gardens are full of stories, and J-P Malocsay has managed for years to delightfully blur the lines between gardening and storytelling. Malocsay describes his life until age 42 as that of a perennial student, “one who loved university life not wisely but too well.”...

Dutch Designer

Tue, 01 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Dutchman Piet Oudolf is very much part of a movement, a tendency in garden and landscape design that seeks to bring the wild and the natural back into the human habitat.

Do You Winter-Over Plants?

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

If you live in a cold-winter area, do you bring your tender plants indoors for the winter?

Cycad, We Have A Problem

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Turn your back for a second and you have mealy bug so bad you could harvest them and make wool from them.

Adventurous Addictions: A Collector's Garden

Mon, 18 Jun 2001 00:00:00 GMT

It is only upon close inspection of the broad, curving borders embracing the house and front and rear lawns that one appreciates what a vast assortment of plants they contain and realizes that, however tastefully subdued the surroundings, this is, nevertheless, the domain of an adventurous — make that obsessive — plant addict . . .

Hooray For March

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It's March and if things don't start happening I'm going to make them happen.

Reinvention is for gardeners�and Madonna, of course

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It's the first of the year and we're all thinking of ways to reinvent ourselves in little, or maybe big, ways. I wonder what Madonna is up to today....

Coppicing: The Act of Holding One�s Breath for a Month

Sun, 03 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

After one cut and a month of wondering, Kiss My Aster can finally exhale

I Did It To Myself

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I have fruit flies. I’ve got them bad, and that ain’t good...

The Idylls of Innisfree

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

It came within a heartbeat of being just another English garden. Walter and Marion Beck were well on their way to putting in something very traditional, European, and floral when they began work on their Millbrook, New York, property in the 1930s. Then the land spoke to them.

The Green Line

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

What do you think about the city of Chicago adding mobile garden cars on to the L? Interesting idea, isn't it?

Permission to Garden

Wed, 01 Oct 2003 00:00:00 GMT

After I've been outdoors only a few minutes, I swear I can hear the wail of the computer calling me back to the keyboard. We don't give ourselves permission to garden; in fact, in today's world, we don't even give ourselves permission to be quiet.

Green Drinks: what are they and where can I get one?

Sat, 10 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Did you know there is a monthly meeting of environmentally concerned people in your very own neighborhood? Me neither.

Spring is coming, Target told me so

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The garden stuff is on display at Target... Ahhh....

Cistus Nursery

Tue, 01 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

For most of us, moving entails packing up our clothes, hoisting our furniture, transporting it all to a new location, and setting up housekeeping. When obsessed plantsmen Sean Hogan and the late Parker Sanderson relocated to Portland, Oregon, in April 1995, their 5,000 precious plants took up far more space in the moving van than all their other possessions...

Why I Have A Rocky Relationship With Lasagna

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

You're just going to have to follow me on this one. Remember how Garfield loved lasagna? Well, I'm just the opposite.

The New German Style

Fri, 18 Oct 2002 00:00:00 GMT

PICTURE THIS: Orange 'Fire King' lilies standing between mounds of Euphorbia griffithii 'Fireglow' and scattered tufts of cream-plumed dropwort (Filipendula vulgaris 'Multiplex'), all set in a low silver and violet-blue wash of catmint, stachys, and sages, and speared by the fat rockets of apricot foxtail lilies (Eremerus Ruiter hybrids). . . .

Wicked Game

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

What happens when you mix gardening with a board game?

Reunited And It Feels So Good

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I'm gardening again. Garden tasks in my immediate future and also 5 minutes ago include....

The Home Grove

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

My credo is, "if you find a seed, plant it." This goes for common plants as well as plants not usually found in the home. You don't need an outside space to have a garden-a sunny window in your house will do...

This Public Service Message: Bagworms

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I'm not an entomologist or even an etymologist (but I might be an Entenmannsologist) but I can tell you what you need to know about this devastating grossness.

The Secret to Being a Great Gardener

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Oh, you’re not getting off that easy. You’ll have to click to read the rest…

Hey! Where's The Flood?

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A couple weeks ago, on an especially nasty night, I went to give a little presentation to the local Master Gardeners. And then my basement flooded...

Wall Pockets & Swizzle Sticks

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I had an empty area near my front door that was just begging for some attention. So after a quick informal poll on Twitter, the envelope, please.

I Miss You Project Runway

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Project Runway isn’t related to gardening at all, but as Tim Gunn suggests, I can make it work...

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Kiss My Aster has entered a relocation program.

A Completely Biased Book Review

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I wish I could tool around in the Horticulture Dibblemobile giving vegetable-growing advice to anyone that needs it. But since the Dibblemobile is in the shop, this is the next best thing

A Partially Formed Analogy About Chemical Herbicides

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

When I get one of my crazy blog post ideas, I usually sit on it until it becomes a fully formed thought. But not today. Today it's how Charlie going to Candy Mountain is like you using chemical herbicides. Follow me to Candy Mountain...

Common Poisonous Plants

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Plants are responsible for only a small proportion of accidents around the home, and these are rarely serious. However, it is prudent to be aware of commonly grown poisonous garden plants. Here is a list.

Blogger's Block

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Man, this time of year blows. The days are longer and sunny, but it’s still too cold and wet to do anything outside. There’s nothing I really want to blog about and I don’t even have the attention span to make something up. Which is rare.

Building A Bulb Collection

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

My husband and I are the curators of a little bulb museum, on our very typical 60-by-120-foot lot in an older neighborhood in Kansas City, Missouri. We live on McGee Street, and we call our museum the Hortus Bulborum McGeeinsis, a name inspired by the Hortus Bulborum in Holland , a living museum of rare bulbs...

As The Asters Bloom

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

On the last episode of As The Asters Bloom...

Weekend Warriors

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here are some photos from this weekend’s activities. One of the activities was shopping at a 3-acre junk shop; you know you want to look.

I saw the news today, oh boy.

Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

So I saw this thing on the news where a bunch of cops tasered a plush animal because they thought is was a real, not stuffed, panther...

Renee Shepherd

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

It was soccer that got Renee Shepherd into the seed business. In the mid-1980s, while she was completing a PhD (in the history of consciousness) at University of California, Santa Cruz, she mowed a pasture alongside her house to make a soccer field...

Kiss My Aster Digest (April)

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The combination of a 48-hour headache and a holiday weekend has rather flattened ol’ Kiss My Aster out. But here’s what’s in the works…

Natural Value

Tue, 01 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The scene is an herb and wild garden planted in a dry stone terrace that hugs two sides of our house. It measures about 1,600 square feet—less than a twentieth of an acre. Before we made this garden, the area was a lawn—a brown lawn, for this hot, south-facing terrace lies on sterile soil that in some places barely covers the granite ledge below. And in most seasons, there were no birds.

Why My Nicotiana sylvestris could use a hankie

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I just went out to measure the Nicotiana sylvestris and give it a sniff....

A Jedi Gardener

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Call me cocky, but I’ve earned the title. How did I become a Gardening Jedi? Let me tell you. In a galaxy far away....

KMA Landscaping Basics #404 & a PSA

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

If you are going to plant boxwood near the sidewalk, street curb or driveway, think about adding some sort of protective fencing around the poor things...

Star Wars Garden Craft Week Part III: Return of the Jedi

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Oh, yeah—I’ve done it now. I’ve made a Death Star gazing ball. No one stole my plans to do it and hid them in R2D2, so here it is...

Are you sick of hearing about Twitter?

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Me, too. But that’s not going to stop me

We want... A SHRUBBERY! A nice one. One that's not too expensive

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I can’t believe there is no Knights That Say “Ni” Begonias or Canna ‘Spam’ or Spanish Inquisition Tulips. There’s a hole in the market, people!

Kiss My Aster Buys Plants To Benefit STDs

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

(STDs stands for Save the Dunes)

Mama said knock you out!

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I know 'Knockout' Roses are the best thing next to sliced bread and all but- I'd like to put THIS rose in the ring with 'Knockout'!

I Got Dills- They're Multiplyin'....

Fri, 29 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

And I'm losin' control....

Rubber Sole

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I’ve been rain-boot centric for the last week or so, regardless of the lack of rain here. Have you been, too?

A Grassroots Movement

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

What can you do, realistically, to make a difference? What do you already do to use your mad gardening skills to help others?

Kiss My Aster Digest

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here are some nuggets of Kiss My Aster goodness; so tasty they don’t need sauce...

Etsy Finds

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Check out these Etsy finds, I promise these aren't yer neighbor's garden goose....

I Dare You To Use This Handy Tip

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I use my leftover hair-dying gloves to accomplish the grossest of tasks...

BLT Season Is Now Open!

Sat, 15 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The first tomatoes are beginning to ripen, you know what that means? BLT season!

Getting Started with Beekeeping

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Have you considered adding a beehive to your garden? Bees will pollinate your plants and provide you with sweet honey. Beekeeping isn’t a labor-intensive activity, or an expensive one either.

Ballsy

Sun, 02 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I can't get enough bowling balls in my garden. I currently have 7 and I need more.

Carolus just super-poked you!

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Did you know Carolus Linnaeus has his own Facebook group?

Ta Da!

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I pick a theme, every time we move, for decorating our homes and gardens so that everything is cohesive. And the themes are always very weird.

R.I.P. Sweet Potato Vine 2009

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A day that will live forever in our hearts and minds, the day Sweet Potato Vine 2009 started to bite the dust...

A front row seat

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I missed my chair. For six summers I sat in that Adirondack chair beneath the front yard’s silver maple to take notes on my garden, my notebook supported by its wide, flat arm. Hummingbirds whizzed past my head on a beeline to the Malvaviscus, while swallowtails danced among the phloxes and dangled from the ballooning joe-pye weed...

Friendship Garden

Tue, 01 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

It's easier to talk when you are pruning grapes. It's not like perching on the edge of a chair in a living room with your hands clutched together trying to find something to look at besides into the other person's eyes.

Still Life with Vintage Purse

Sun, 16 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I had to set my bag down while I was waiting for a ride, I liked the look of it, so...

When Stripey Plants Go Bland

Wed, 13 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Ever buy some fancy variegated plant only to have it revert back to green? Me, too.

Smell That!

Sun, 09 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Cheap? Common? Pedestrian? Whatever! Smell that!

Plants I Can't Do Without: Cardoon

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I couldn't do it without Cardoon and here's why...

A Visit to the Cincinnati Flower Show

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Horticulture managing editor Patty Craft reports on the Cincinnati Flower Show, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

Dog Days of August

Sun, 16 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Most dogs are smart enough to seek the shade when it gets this hot. My dog seeks the empty spot of my garden that drives me crazy.

A Gardener's Goals for 2009

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

We’ve come up with a gardener’s list of things to do in 2009 . . .

Don't Stalk Me, Bro

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

So, it feels a little funny to just let it all hang out like this, but here's the deal. I love this house and I SEE the potential. And I think you, as a gardener, will too.

Same As It Ever Was

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I do try, day after day, to write posts unlike other garden bloggers. I try not to talk about the weather, show pictures of blooms that look exactly like the blooms in your garden or talk about cats too much but spring is here and the need to flaunt my baby plants, just like every one else is doing, overtakes me...

Want the good news or the bad news?

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The good news is that I found some really cute new rain boots, the bad news is, with each step- they make a wee farting noise.

Did You Miss Me?

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I went missing there for a while. Did you miss me?

New Additions To The Family!

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It's a boy! And another boy! Come and look!

What happens in , stays in _...

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

So, this is all hush-hush but....

Good Sister, Bad Sister

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Why is it that you can buy 2 plants, plant them next to each other, treat them the same and then one of them up and dies on you while the other one flourishes?

Call of the Wild

Wed, 18 Aug 2004 00:00:00 GMT

In our July/August 2004 issue, contributing editor Lauren Springer describes the challenges she faced when gardening in the foothills west of Fort Collins, Colorado, and lists the plants she came to find success with. Here, we bring you Springer's expanded plant lists — those listed in the magazine, as well as a number of additional choices. . . .

Garden Walk Or Parade Of Tartans

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I found out recently that the garden walk I’ve been aiming to be on for a year is on the same sacred day as the Highland Games and I don’t know what to do.

Take A Chance On Me

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Ok, why wouldn’t this experiment work?

Tonight We're Gonna Party Like It's 1799!

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It's my birthday and I've got to go and get my party on. But I want to leave you with this real life conversation I had with my awesome husband, Dan...

Dangerous Garden Craft Day - Part 1

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I felt I needed to shake it up a little. I was feeling a little too safe today so I decided to tackle a craft that has been on my list for a long time. I’m going to attempt to make sea glass mulch...

Thrift Store Finds: $1.75

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Usually a little tighter of wallet, I splurged a whole $1.75 on this...

KMA Weekend Update

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

When I woke up this morning, I was all, "WTF? How did it get to be October already?"

Now That's What I Call A Birthday Gift!

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I really enjoy giving and receiving really inexpensive and thoughtful gifts. If it came out of a dumpster or alley, all the better.

Collaborative Gardening with Project EverGreen

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Horticulture magazine and Project EverGreen collaborate to install a garden.

Help! Something is eating my Monarda!

Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Something is eating my Monarda 'Marshall's Delight' and I looked for clues but couldn't find any...

Naked and Vulnerable

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here are 20 random picks from my plant and seed list for 2009. I feel very vulnerable telling you this. Sharing this list makes me feel naked and exposed. Ewwwww.

Pruning Privet in the rain

Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

“Pruning Privet in the Rain” is the name of my upcoming solo album…(not really!)

Winter Olympics

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This is by far the worst winter I can remember, even for Chicago standards. I gave up on anything coming back in my garden in December when we had a really nasty ice storm. Yet when the 3 feet of snow melted last week, I was amazed at what I saw.

J'adore This Plant

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Helictotrichon sempervirens was always my favorite grass until I met Leymus arenarius…I’m fickle like that