12 Fast-Growing Annuals To Quickly Fill Your Garden With Color

Growing vines is a fun way to add foliage and colorful flowers to archways, fences, posts, and trellises in your yard. Vines add depth, dimension, and texture to a landscape and create a visually appealing space. Choosing fast-growing vines means enjoying the beauty of the season quickly and often longer, whether it's the pretty leaves, blooms, or both. Plus, many vines attract important pollinators, such as butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Garden experts recommend their favorite vines to grow that will quickly transform your garden.

When you see a caterpillar on dill in your garden—or other plants—you may be startled, grossed out, or annoyed that your plant is being systematically decimated. I get excited. Because I know it’s a black swallowtail caterpillar (Papilio polyxenes) that’s going to turn into a beautiful butterfly. And that butterfly is going to become one of many valuable pollinators in my garden. I see a few types of swallowtail butterflies fluttering about my property, landing on various annuals and perennials. They are am

Q: Our 25-year-old Aloha rose has failed to bloom again this season. It used to be in full bloom throughout the month of June. Can you recommend any treatment to restore it to its former glory? A Forsyth

Perfecting your garden is a process of trial and error. And sometimes, when you’re in the thick of it, it’s nice to call in an expert for some sage advice or words of encouragement.

It’s hard to deny that the Midwest hosts the lion’s share of tall and dramaticnative perennials, but we in the Northeast also have some statuesque species that will make arresting additions to your garden. In addition to using them for their ornamental appeal, growing these regionally native plants can help to ameliorate habitat loss and provide food for local wildlife. The following three perennials also happen to have similar growing conditions and can be grown together in the same design.

There is much to love about passion flowers (Passiflora spp. and cvs., Zones 6–11). There are over 550 different species in the genus; some are shrubs and trees, but the ones that are most familiar to gardeners are the tropical-looking, tendril-bearing, climbing, flowering vines. These are the passion flower varieties that fall into my category of favorites. Some of these beauties even produce deliciously complex-flavored, fragrant, sweet-tart fruit.

If you’re looking for a beautiful native plant that attracts a variety of pollinators, Stokes’ Aster (Stokesia laevis) is a good choice. I spent an hour in the Perennial border in the South Carolina Botanical Garden on the last Thursday in May observing this plant.

Happy Monday GPODers! Today we’re visiting Heidi’s beautiful garden in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Her yard ranges from full sun to part shade, and (from the looks of these pictures) she has absolutely filled every corner possible with sensational blooms. A feast for the senses, a kaleidoscope of color can be found from annuals and perennials.

There are so many great gardening hacks out there. From using eggshells as fertilizer to creatively sourcing free plants, we all know you can create a stunning outdoor space with plenty of things you can't buy at your standard garden center.

The traditional stone farmhouse stands on a limestone outcrop in the Chianti hills. Tall cypress trees mark the driveway, contrasting with the rounded forms of clipped hornbeam on the lowest terrace and cloud-like plane trees on the top one. The three terraces incorporate several distinct, intensively cultivated areas, including kitchen, herb and cutting gardens, as well as romantic flower borders

Have a shaded area in your garden and want to add more color, dimension, and texture? Grow perennials that thrive in the shade. Many perennials need an abundance of sunlight but there are plenty of plants that prefer partial or full shade. Shade perennials add vibrancy to your yard and many attract pollinators, such as bees, butterflies, and birds, too.

Watching birds sip and splash around in your bird bath is enjoyable, and it’s also a great way to support a healthy bird population year-round. “During hot summer months and drought, there aren’t many water sources, and a bird bath can become quite popular amongst the local birds,” says Jennifer McCarthy Tyrrell, engagement manager, Audubon South Carolina. “During the winter when water is locked up in the form of ice, providing fresh water with a bird bath heater can bring in many birds for a drink.”