Like peanut butter and jam, some things just taste better together. Melding flavors by pairing foods elevates the taste experience to new heights. Gardeners have discovered that the taste blending usually performed in the kitchen can also be accomplished in the garden. Planting vegetables with complementary herbs in the same garden bed not only augments the flavor of the vegetables, it can have the added benefit of warding off problematic insects. Called companion planting, the tried-and-true gardening method is gaining new attention from organic gardeners and home gardeners concerned about pesticide use.  ...read more

Most front-yard gardens feature a mix of flowering trees, shrubs and bright-colored flowers; but the growing trend is to add edible vegetables and herbs to the front-yard landscape. Once strictly relegated to back-yard vegetable plots, herbs and vegetables are being tucked between the yews and petunias to add color, texture and practicality to formerly staid, decorative front-yard garden arrangements. Bright red tomatoes and dark green peppers, broad-leafed basil and curly parsley, dense clumps of chives and lacey dill are becoming as popular as geraniums and impatiens along front-door walkways. ...read more

One of the true joys of summer is the abundance of fresh, delicious produce. Crisp snap beans, sweet peas, refreshing melons, buttery lettuce leaves and succulent berries are among the many delicious summer treats that await home gardeners and local farm stand shoppers. Even folks who don’t claim a green thumb or don’t have space for a home garden, enjoy growing peppers and tomatoes. Peppers and tomatoes can be grown in unused corners of flower beds, along an empty garage wall or as container plants on patios, balconies and decks.  ...read more