Ornamental Gardens

Learn how to cultivate beautiful ornamental gardens and how to troubleshoot common pests, diseases, and growing problems!

A rock garden with lavender and pink blooming groundcover, yellow foliage, and various green plants, featuring indestructible rock garden plants.

Ornamental Gardens

17 Indestructible Plants for Your Rock Garden

Rock gardens offer dynamic solutions to challenging sites, and balanced plantings bring layers of visual appeal. The rockery calls for specimens with specific attributes to achieve the aesthetic and underlying ecosystem functions. Gardening expert Katherine Rowe outlines indestructible plants (or nearly so) for the rock garden for seasons of minimal maintenance and resource needs.

A young cherry tree with ripe bright red fruits and green foliage is completely covered with green netting to protect fruit trees from birds.

Trees

How to Protect Your Fruit Trees From Birds

If you made it all the way through the years it took to grow fruit only to have birds devour your harvest, you’re not alone. Experienced gardener Sarah Jay has the low down on ways to protect your fruit trees and shrubs from birds.

Striking bicolor striped rose with deep red and creamy white swirled petals, surrounded by glossy green foliage.

Shrubs

13 Showstopping Striped Roses For Your Summer Garden

Solid colored roses are stunning, but have you ever seen a striped rose? These striped and splashy beauties are everything we want in our gardens this summer! Join gardening expert Melissa Strauss to take a look at some of the most colorful and beautiful striped stunners around.

Close up of a rock garden with various low growing flowering plants featuring white, pink, purple and blue flowers growing among the rocks in bright sunshine, preventing common mistakes.

Ornamental Gardens

9 Rock Garden Mistakes to Avoid This Year

Rock gardens mimic natural landscapes, creating wild scenes that add charm to home yards. They’re perfect for sunny, open sites with ample drainage and airflow. Consider these nine mistakes during the planning, designing, and managing of your rock garden, and you’ll avoid heartaches during the growing season.

A close-up shot of a composition of various flowers, showcasing low-maintenance native plants

Ornamental Gardens

17 Low-Maintenance Native Plants to Grow This Season

Native plants, in general, are some of the most low-maintenance plants you can grow in your garden. Uniquely adapted to your region, they require minimal care and are beneficial for native wildlife. Join pollinator enthusiast Melissa Strauss to discuss some wonderful species you can add to your landscape this season.

Small, crisp light green leafy rosettes with central veins, among dark soil and delicate rounded leaves, ideal for plants never grow rock garden.

Ornamental Gardens

7 Plants You Should Never Grow in a Rock Garden

As temperatures rise and heatwaves grow more common, drought-tolerant spaces, such as rock gardens, are becoming increasingly important. They use natural-style designs to encourage resilient and hardy plants. Although these gardens are alluring, not all plants thrive in them. Consider leaving these seven plants at the store instead of growing them in your rock garden.

Close-up of flowering primrose plants with vivid pink and soft yellow blooms on upright stems above rosettes of oval, slightly wrinkled bright green leaves in a shady rock garden.

Ornamental Gardens

17 Plants Ideal for Rock Gardens in the Shade

Rock gardens are a dynamic study in contrasts, with cold surfaces softened by surrounding plants. The heightened visual interest and creative approach to challenging sites offers multiple rewards, from all-season appeal to waterwise techniques. Shade rock gardens make the plant selection all the more important. Gardening expert Katherine Rowe outlines options for shady situations to thrive with a rocky base.

The Rainbow Pride garden features rows of flowering plants in blue, purple, red, orange, yellow and white.

Ornamental Gardens

7 Rainbow Garden Design Ideas: What to Plant for Pride

June is the month for LGBTQ+ Pride! No matter how you identify or who you love, Pride is a month to celebrate your life, your lovers, and your resilience in the face of challenges. Show the world you’re not afraid to be who you are with these seven rainbow designs, from gay gardener Jerad Bryant.

Mini pumpkins dangling from vine

Ornamental Gardens

9 Mini-Pumpkin Varieties You Should Plant Now for Fall

By planting miniature pumpkins in spring and early summer, we can enjoy the long-maturing treats by fall. Both ornamental and edible, the captivating squashes delight to no end as diminutive versions of the classic seasonal favorites. In a range of colors and shapes, the perfectly proportioned minis bring big joy in a small form.