As my garden continues to transform and fade into the winter, I am already looking forward to the early days of spring when the Ephemerals begin to emerge. Ephemerals are what garden-types call the small set of plants that grow, bloom and die away in the fastest and most fleeting sort of way. The most common of these are the spring ephemerals — which are the next blooms we will see creeping out of the ground after the winter has passed. More

Leaves turn all sorts of colors, from drab browns to beautiful yellows, and russet oranges to glowing reds. Having a mix makes for a satisfying garden this time of year. Red — I guess because it is so eye-popping — tends to be the color most people try and capture, so I thought I would share with you some of the best trees, shrubs and plants to bring this color into your fall garden. More

The great thing about this DIY vertical garden is that it is simple to construct. All you need are some plants and a few supplies to create a lone pocket or an entire wall of pockets. Find the tutorial from Leigh Okies and Allison Futeral of Crimson Horticultural Rarities below. More

I don't care how many times I see folks make their own pint sized planters, I always get all excited to make my own. This tutorial is no different, and it takes the cool concrete exterior up a notch with a little gold leaf. More

Name: Maurice, Todd, & Bean (pup)
Location: Edgewater, Chicago
Years lived in: 5

We promised back in May that we'd revisit Maurice and Todd when their garden was in full swing. Well, we missed some blooms, but the leafy lushness and late summer ease were in full effect when we snapped some images a few weeks ago. Designing his garden has been "a five-year labor of love and a great source of joy all year round" for Maurice. This love overflows into the alley as well (image 15 in the slideshow), where Maurice has taken over with some unexpected beautification...brilliant. More

Cheap plants that you can share with friends and trade for other interesting things are treasures for gardeners. Last week I shared (on my own blog) a list of plants that, for under $20, you can plant in the ground right now and next spring, have hundreds of beautiful babies for your own garden and to share with others. It was a great challenge, so I thought it would be fun to expand the list. More

"Jobs, not chores!" says my son, though he doesn't get paid for doing them. Our kids have sets of regular jobs such as dressing the table and watering plants, but they also have seasonal jobs. As autumn has settled in here in Montréal, they are coming up with what they would like to be responsible for during this season. More

As the last gasps of summer exhaled collar-loosening heat onto LA, it became apparent I needed to get away 120 miles south to temperate San Diego for a weekend getaway (summer here unofficially continues well throughout October). It was while waiting for our hotel room in San Diego that I noticed an impressive vertical indoor garden in the lobby that at first glance seemed composed of fake plants, so vibrant green was the color. I was able to get a few details about the setup and tips for how to make your own vertical garden at home for indoor or outdoor use. More

Yesterday was Shel Silverstein's birthday. I saw someone post about it on Facebook and my mind immediately jumped to The Giving Tree. It was a childhood favorite, and it is something of an anthem for garden designers. More

One of the biggest markers of the seasons are the flowers that we associate with them. Just as one of the first signs of spring is when daffodils begin to break the surface of the ground, walking past front steps with rows of brilliantly colored mums overflowing their containers lets me know that fall is beginning to usher summer out.
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