You don’t need to watch a sci-fi horror flick to hear tales of vicious monsters or man-eating plants. These already exist in the forest and landscape … and can give you a taste of just how nasty nature can be.

Just as we are mesmerized by the tiny fingers and the tiny toes of newborns, or fascinated by tiny works of art, it seems that anything small in scale draws us in with interest and curiosity. I think that is true of small garden spaces as well. Maybe it’s because every feature has to have a valuable impact on the whole. There’s no room for excess. There’s necessity, purpose, and yes, detail.

In case you have not been following the news the last few years, the population of monarch butterflies has been declining. When experts study to find out why, they come up with different reasons

If you’re gardening on a hillside, you’re probably facing some unique challenges. Maybe there area some challenges that you did not totally anticipate when you purchased your beautiful sloping property.

There are several reasons why people use focal points. By creatively using statues, specimen plants, artwork, large planters or even birdhouses, gardeners can draw the eye where they want it to go; often diverting attention from a design flaw, out-of-season flowerbeds or fallow vegetable gardens.

In the language of social media, rhubarb is trending. My mamaw would be so proud, as her rhubarb patch was one of her early spring delights, and her rhubarb pie was one of her most-praised desserts.

There are many aspects of creating a wildlife habitat, but none as fun as adding color to attract our winged friends. Color plays a very important role in the pollination puzzle.

If your goal is to create a unique flowerbed, consider these three ideas: place interesting objects among the flowers; use unique containers or vessels to enhance the flowerbed; or create a unique style, pattern, or arrangement of common plants within the designated planting area.

No lemons? No problem. If you want to enjoy a homegrown lemony taste, consider growing some lemony herbs in your garden. The five most common lemony herbs are lemon balm, lemon thyme, lemon verbena, lemon basil, and lemongrass.

Making a path can be as simple as mowing a swath through the high grass of a meadow. Most of our gardens, however, have more definition and less space than that, calling for more structured ways to pass through them.

When someone says “window box,” what images first pop into your mind? Old World, pretentious, charming, expensive? Perhaps you think of these gussied-up containers as high maintenance, or maybe you simply write them off as another wacky sport in the world of competitive gardening. Yet, could it be that you would really like to try them, but have no idea where to begin?

Making concrete molds for stepping-stones or miniature gardens is a fun, simple project. And they make great additions to your landscape!