With new flowers bursting every day, butterflies emerging, and migratory birds arriving, May is the time to frolic amidst the springtide. Caught in the rush of scents and colors, it’s easy to forget the important tasks that will set your garden up for success. Here is...
By the time we need a landscape makeover, the scale of the task at hand can seem overwhelming. It’s no secret that a brand new landscape plan is a major investment, and while the returns are huge both for your home’s value and your quality of life, it’s not a decision...
If you’re wondering how frequently to water your plants, the key is to give the right amount at the right time, but that’s only the first step. Proper plant watering means knowing how to water, not just how often. A few simple tricks can save on the water bill,...
We wait all year for their riot of flowers. These landscaping plants give us colorful blossoms, invigorating fragrance, lush leaves, and sometimes fruit and dazzling fall colors. Here are the best spring-flowering trees and shrubs for the Midwest! Except for pruning,...
The secret of a healthy garden is in the soil. We often don’t treat it any better than dirt. But soil is so much different than that. As a clump in our hand, it looks simple enough, but under a microscope, we see it’s a complex substance, alive, and teeming with...
Now that April has arrived, it’s finally time to drop our winter habits and start gardening again. But sometimes, it’s hard to know what to do with the brown landscape of early spring. Some gardening tasks must wait until May, but for the most part, here in Zone 5,...
