“Love is a flower that is made to bloom by two gardeners.” - Anonymous ...read more

In its annual celebration of all things floral, the 122nd Rose Parade shined the spotlight on an amazing bouquet of beautiful flowers and unusual plant materials from every corner of the globe. Along with a flotilla of bands, flag-waving color guards and historically garbed riders on horseback, a total of 47 floats rolled down the parade route, enthralling audiences in Pasadena and on television with one stunning floral display after another.  ...read more

At night the Harvest Moon hangs low in the sky, the perfect backdrop for screeching black cats and broomstick-riding witches. Yep, Halloween is creeping up fast, and Mother Nature is doing her part to create the proper atmosphere! Soon, ghosts and goblins, ballerinas and super heroes, and dinosaurs and princesses will wander zombie-like along neighborhood streets, weighted down by plastic pumpkins stuffed with goodies, crying “Trick or Treat” as they ring every doorbell. ...read more

Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum), or “mums” as they are often called, are America’s favorite fall flower. Everywhere you go you see pots of cheerful chrysanthemums, their densely petalled heads dancing in the autumn breeze. Home owners line their entry walks with pots of chrysanthemums or step them up front porch stairs. You’ll see them displayed in elegant pots on patios or in charming baskets set next to someone’s front door.  ...read more

Fall gardens don’t exhibit the lush greens and riotous colors of summer gardens in full bloom, but there are still plenty of plants and flowers to enjoy in the fall garden. In a thoughtfully-planted garden, fall-blooming flowers can create a colorful display that rivals the leafy fireworks of Sugar Maples. The trick to planning a garden that will provide color from spring through fall is to select plants with an eye to their peak blooming times. ...read more

A perennial fall favorite, Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum), commonly referred to as mums, add beautiful color to fall gardens, patio plantings and container arrangements. Looking for all the world like bright, colorful bouquets that have sprung up amidst the shriveling leaves and dead stalks of fading summer flowers, Chrysanthemums revitalize garden landscapes. ...read more

As gardeners know, to everything there is a season. Many gardeners focus on bright spring bulbs and graceful summer blooms but fail to consider what their gardens will look like when fall arrives. Failure to plan ahead will leave your autumn garden beds dull, brown and lifeless, sadly bereft of beauty. However, careful planning now will ensure that your garden remains filled with a bounteous display of colorful blooms all through the fall until winter’s frosty fingers tuck it in for winter sleep. ...read more

As fall approaches, lush summer gardens seem to lose their luster. Gone to seed are the once-bright Echinacea (coneflower). All that's left of the Petunias is a leggy tangle of twisted vines. Barren stalks protrude from the earth where blossoms used to bounce on the breeze. But it's too early to give up on Mother Nature. There's still life left in your garden; it just needs a little rejuvenation. Revitalize your fall garden by adding some lovely late-blooming flowers, a few decorative grasses and exotic ornamentals.  ...read more

As we swelter through the final days of August, it's easy to give up on the few heat-bowed flowers still struggling in the garden and turn our thoughts to fall gardening chores and cooler weather. ...read more