The Gainesville Giving Garden - Our2022 Grant Recipient

MY, HOW TIMES have changed. That’s what I keep thinking, looking around my own garden in recent years. I’ve been struck by the same thought over and over as I read “The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year,” the latest book by Margaret Renkl (illustrated with gorgeous collages by her brother, Billy Renkl, like the one above), which takes us through a year in her garden 1,000 miles to the south of mine in Nashville.

A few weeks ago, frequent GPOD contributor Cherry Ong took us along on her visit to Bellevue Botanical Garden in Bellevue, Washington (GPOD on the Road: Bellevue Botanical Garden) but she sent too many photos to share that day, so we’re going back today to see some more of the beautiful images of this inspiring public garden.

Several times a year a visitor to our garden is shocked to find a rogue steak knife pierced downward in one of the beds, as if it were an escapee from our kitchen knife block. I’m always quick to tell them that it’s indeed where I meant to place it, and that I haven’t found any tool as great as a serrated knife when it comes to removing grass or root systems. It’s perfect for edging small areas or pulling up entire sheets of grass; all I have to do is start on one side and pull up as I carefully saw back and forth. It can be a cheap purchase from a thrift store—or in my case, the way I finally convinced my husband that we needed a new set of kitchen knives.

Moss campion plant (Silene acaulis) is a rock garden plant native to the Arctic tundra and high mountains of Europe and North America. In the U.S., it is confined to the Western mountains and New England, particularly Maine and New Hampshire. Its mat-forming, evergreen foliage is found tucked away in elevations too high for trees to grow, with harsh winters and short summers. While it cannot survive in the shade, it prefers moist soil.

Here are key autumn garden tips plus 7 top suggestions of plants to plant now.

We’re in Holland, Michigan, today visiting Terri Holden’s beautiful garden.

ELMSDALE, NOVA SCOTIA — Elmsdale is in the East Hants Municipality District in gorgeous Nova Scotia, Canada. It is proud of a “rich history of shipbuilding, forestry, railway construction and preserved natural surroundings.” With a well educated population and over half of its residents aged 15 and up possessing a post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree, the region is proud of a “rich history of shipbuilding, forestry, railway construction and preserved natural surroundings.” Their community garden has no core funding, but is supported by multiple grants each year. Gardening Know How was pleased to support this great effort in Elmsdale through our 2022 garden grant program.

In 1752, Britain changed its calendar from the old “Julian” style to the Gregorian version that most of Europe was already using. People rioted, demanding back the 11 days of their lives that had gone “missing” in the switchover, but there would be far-reaching effects too. Any festivals set by the phases of the moon continued as ever, but set dates, such as Midsummer and Christmas, now fell on the “wrong” days. Plants didn’t know this, of course, but it muddled folklore, making some customs even stranger to modern eyes.

Just like seasoned gardeners rely on their trusty tools, kids embarking on the start of their gardening adventures need the right gear to protect themselves. A pair of kids’ gardening gloves is the perfect accessory for the job.

Japanese garden tools are known for their quality and precision and can be a reliable addition to your gardening toolkit. Japanese-style tools and brands often stand out when our experts review gardening products, and they are often scored highly for their performance.

Fall brings out my desire to “bring the outdoors in.” Collecting berries, seedpods, and dried flowers is a passion I share with many gardeners. Using these to display in the house helps us to remember the beautiful days of summer. Harvesting these things gives a feeling of satisfaction of what we, as gardeners, have grown over the season. But there are a surprising number of fabulous fall plants that we don’t usually see growing here in the Pacific Northwest. One shrub that I rarely see in gardens here is winterberry (Ilex verticillata and cvs., Zones 3–9).

Ever watched a praying mantis silently stalk its prey, blending seamlessly into its environment like a ninja in the wild? These insects are masters of disguise, acrobats of the insect world, and each species carries its own set of jaw-dropping traits. You might be surprised to learn that there are hundreds of different types, each with its own unique behaviors, hunting tactics, and stunning coloration. Get ready to venture into the captivating realm ofDifferent Types of Praying Mantises—where mystery, beauty, and predation coalesce into one incredible insect world.