7 Black Nightshade Plants That Will Surprise You For Sure!

Have you ever heard that planting a small garden is like writing a short story instead of a novel? Well, I hadn’t either—until Los Angeles designer Adam Sirak said it—and I think it’s brilliant. “Some people might think they can’t have an amazing garden or that it’s not worth the trouble because they don’t have a big space,” Sirak says. “But a small space only means you have to take all your ideas and distill them down to a concentrated big idea.” He adds that, as with a short story, there’s no room for filler, and each choice must be thought of in relationship to the whole. “In this way, a small space can be a very exciting puzzle to put together,” he says.  

If the indoor air of your home is on the dry side, then you might have to take some measures, like misting in order to grow the plant of your choice. However, if you don’t want to go through the trouble, there are certain Houseplants that Grow In Dry Air you can opt for and they’ll survive without any complaints!

While gardening, people often stick to the classic, tried-and-true plants we all know and love. But, with endless available options, all of us are missing out on some blooms in bright yellow and purple hues that would add character and charm to our landscapes. 

Visit DIY Show Off to see how to create this brilliant coffee table centerpiece using chicken and a few other supplies.

While I’ve spent a fair amount of time tending to outdoor plants, my experience with indoor plants was relatively non-existent. The curiosity of the feline members of my household was such that having plants or even cut flowers was not prudent. After one incident with a broken glass vase, I decided cats and indoor plants did not make a good combination.

Kitchen renovations are a serious commitment of time, money, and patience. If you’re considering upgrading your outdated, inefficient kitchen or are in the midst of a down-to-the-stud renovation, now is the time to decide what design features will make your life easier. After all, you don’t want or get a re-do anytime soon.  Would an appliance garage clear a cluttered countertop, or would a beverage station come in handy? To narrow down the top features you should consider adding to your kitchen, we tapped Ami McKay, president and principal designer of Vancouver-based PURE Design: Interior Design, Build, & Shoppe Read on for her seven smart suggestions.

We’d been to hear another old friend, Dan Hinkley, speak at nearby Berkshire Botanical Garden’s annual lecture with several hundred other winter-weary types, and afterward gone off with Dan and friends to eat.We didn’t really talk plants at the meal; nine crazy gardeners traded pet stories. I know—insane. Either we are getting old and soft, or have spent too much time on Cute Overload. But the next morning my breakfast guest and I shifted from zoology to botany, stirred up by a few of Dan’s slides, including one of Mukdenia rossii ‘Crimson Fans,’ a shade plant Dan’s helped bring to market as

‘I WILL BE  A BUTTERFLY, I WILL,” the black swallowtail caterpillar said between bites of dill foliage yesterday. “I think you are very beautiful even now,” I said, and asked if I could take his picture.

I’ve told you how Katrina came into my life, and through her came Dani, whose bestselling 1998 “Slow Motion” (subtitled “a memoir of a life rescued by tragedy”) was one of the most compelling stories I have ever read.Then last year “Devotion” was published, and I learned that Dani and I had more in common than the dramatic loss of a parent, and our writing careers. “Devotion” is a seeker’s tale, written at midlife; in our books and lives we explore a lot of the same terrain—as does Katrina in “The Gift of an Ordinary Day.”I have often thought that some shortfall in my religious upbringing turned me into a lifelong questioner. But Dani was raised in a very devout tradition of Judaism–and she wonders

IT’S PRETTY ENOUGH, and nice in arrangements, but all I really want to say about gooseneck loosestrife is: Why won’t this plant die? It’s another of the “confidence booster” (read: so easy as to be thuggish) perennials I started out with naively 20-something years ago here, and can’t get rid of. Add Lysimachia clethroides (above) to the list with chameleon plant (Houttuynia cordata) and comfrey and and and and … the depressing list of easy perennials weeds I planted, and will never be rid of.

Ken, who gardens in New Jersey, is the author and photographer behind 20 garden books, and a longtime friend who grows lots of plants that definitely surprise me. We discussed plants that in one way or another weren’t quite what we expected, as in: surprise!Read along as you listen to the Oct. 17, 2022 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) or Spotify or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts here).surprising plants, with ken druseMargaret Roach: Hello, Ken. How are you?Ken Druse: Hi Margaret. Well, I’m waking up.

Do you realize that there are Things that Come from Your Blender that Can Fertilize Your Plants? Sounds odd? Keep on reading to find out!