By Paul James The world of cacti and succulents is...

By Paul James A lot of folks think of gardening...

By Paul James As much as I love a good...

By Paul James Gorgeous, and often intensely fragrant flowers. Hypnotically...

Birds are, for me, a source of inexhaustible entertainment. Their...

Anthracnose. Black spot. Rust. Downy and powdery mildew. Those are...

I saw my first red spider mite the other day,...

Not everyone fancies themselves a hardcore gardener. I get that....

So named because they thrive in the dappled light under...

It’s time to plant cool-season veggies, so named because they...

Do any of the following describe your soil?

If you were to peek inside my garden shed, you...

Much like the flavors of spices and seasonings in your...

Checked the weather lately? If so, then you know a...

Every year I write about why fall is the best...

There are certain plants -- in this case, shrubs --...

I know. It hasn’t felt like fall lately. I actually...

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again --...

Throughout my career, I’ve visited lots of wholesale growers, but...

I know. It’s hot. So why in the world am...

I know. It’s hot. So why in the world am...

I know. It’s hot. So why in the world am...

The record-shattering rains we had throughout the spring kept the...

Will knowing a few basic gardening terms make you a...

Will knowing a few basic gardening terms make you a...

It’s hard to believe that the tomato was once regarded...

By Paul James I’d originally planned on writing about tomatoes...

Call it the Perfect Storm -- incessant rain, insufferable humidity,...

We’ve had too much rain lately. It almost hurts to...

Got shade? Consider yourself fortunate. After all, when you garden...

The term perennial can be a tad misleading given that...

Shrubs don't get the attention they deserve. And that's too...

Shrubs don't get the attention they deserve. And that's too...

Last week’s blog was all about small deciduous trees. This...

The signs of spring are everywhere, although the most visible...

Within the world of gardening, my favorite group of plants...

I’ve never thought of myself as a gardening expert, although...

Have you seen the weekend forecast? It’s ideal for one...

Need ideas for the gardeners on your list? We thought...

Need ideas for the gardeners on your list? We thought...

I saw my first poinsettias in their native environment while...

At last! It feels as though fall -- my favorite...

Bulbs are a bargain. The biggest and best bargain in...

It’s hard not to write about fescue this time of...

Is there a difference between conifers and evergreens? You bet...

If I had only one season in which to plant...

I’ve reposted this piece from six years ago, because the...

Last week was National Moth Week. I’m sure you knew...

I never would have guessed that one week after writing...

I know people who love the heat. I’m not one...

With all due respect to our beloved state tree —...

Given their enormous popularity, it’s hard to believe that tomatoes...

My daughter, who’s not exactly a fan of creepy crawly...

Need a reason to party? Then celebrate perennials, because June...

first fell in love with ornamental grasses in the early...

Have you ever considered growing Drift roses? Have you even...

Vines deserve more credit. After all, they can be beautiful....

I readily admit that when it comes to plants, I...

From asparagus to zucchini, we eat most veggies fresh from...

At a press conference in Mexico City last January, scientists...

I was hiking with my five-year-old grandson not too long...

Late last month, I flew to Atlanta to tape a...

After a week in the mountains around Santa Fe, with...

When you sit down to eat, do you ever wonder...

Mushrooms have been popping up in lawns all over town,...

It’s safe to assume that in the weeks ahead, it’s...

Last Sunday morning I headed out to the garden to...

Last week I wrote about the need to fertilize plants...

The relentless storms have taken their toll on area gardens,...

I love rain, especially when it follows a long day...

I saw my first hummingbird of the season last Monday,...

At some point, all gardeners hear the term pH, perhaps...

The azalea show this spring has been nothing short of...

For years, I’ve been asked repeatedly, “What’s your favorite plant”?...

If you consider the money you spend on plants as...

That’s right. Soil is alive. It’s a living organism. And...

Morning lows earlier this week were colder than a polar...

A post about moles may seem decidedly unromantic on Valentine’s...

I’ve never swooned my sweetie with cut flowers on Valentine’s...

The forecast for this weekend looks absolutely fantastic for getting...

When is the last time you had your soil tested?...

A lot of folks claim that freezing temperatures reduce insect...

Winter can be a tough time for tropical houseplants. Light...

It looks as though we could be in for a...

Although it may seem somewhat counterintuitive, it’s crucial that you...

Sales of Poinsettias in the U.S. will top $250 million...

When it comes to gorgeous fall color in the landscape,...

Next spring, will you be one of thousands of people...

Local is a powerful buzzword these days. It resonates with...

Every year I get on my soapbox to remind people...

Fescue is originally from Europe. It didn’t arrive in this...

No other plant on the planet gives you more bang...

Is there a difference between conifers and evergreens? You bet...

Despite this week’s heat wave, we all know that cooler...

I love to watch folks at the nursery as they...

If I had only one season in which to plant...

A small percentage of people on the planet don’t get...

Ever heard of a Gallant Soldier, Fat Hen, or Good...

I get asked so many questions about ants that some...

Bermuda grass isn’t from Bermuda. Jerusalem artichokes aren’t from Jerusalem...

Recent rains were a nice respite, but now it looks...

This is a time of transition in the vegetable garden,...

Pollinator gardens are all the rage these days, thanks largely...

When my daughter was 12 or 13, she commented on...

I sometimes chuckle when someone asks me if a plant...

Getting kids interested in gardening is really quite simple --...

When shopping for plants, one of the first and most...

When I speak at gardening events across the country, the...

I don’t just love Japanese maples. I adore them. Have...

I think I speak for most gardeners– okay, maybe all...

There’s no getting around it, folks…sooner or later some of...

Funny thing about people’s plant buying habits – they tend...

When you hear the word bulb, you more than likely...

Two significant events occur this month: daylight saving time begins...

Last Sunday I spent six hours in the garden, planting...

The other night my son asked me if it was...

In the past few weeks, I’ve repeatedly heard the claim...

I know. It’s been colder than a well-digger’s foot lately,...

Although it may seem somewhat counterintuitive, it’s crucial that you...

When choosing a tree for your landscape, what attributes appeal...

It looks as though the overnight lows both Saturday and...

Looking for trees and shrubs that’ll produce jaw-dropping, car-stopping fall...

When it comes to spring-flowering bulbs, the stars of the...

Every year for the past 30 years or more, I’ve...

No other plant on the planet gives you more bang...

Fescue is originally from Europe. It didn’t actually arrive in...

Carrie and I bought our first home in 1979, and...

The window between the end of summer and the beginning...

August is ordinarily so hot and dry that I discourage...

I get asked so many questions about ants that some...

Mushrooms have been popping up in lawns all over town,...

Been noticing a lot of mole tunnels popping up in...

“Only two things money can’t buy. That’s true love, and...

Shrubs rarely get the attention they deserve, and yet they...

Not sure what you should be doing in the landscape...

In just about every landscape, there’s a sunny spot that’s...

With all due respect to our state tree -- the...

I’ve been growing tropical plants in containers for decades, and...

A small percentage of people on the planet don’t get...

When shopping for plants, one of the first and most...

Rains this week have put on damper on gardening, but...

Being a plant geek, I’m always on the lookout for...

Last Sunday I was having lunch with my father at...

I have a confession to make: I’m a compulsive mulcher....

Officially, spring doesn’t arrive until Monday, March 20, at precisely...

Back in the mid 90s, researchers proposed a new way...

For me, the 2017 gardening season officially began last Sunday....

A lot of landscape plants are looking pretty sad right...

Acer palmatum ‘Sango kaku’, better known as the coral bark maple,...

Not every bird is lucky enough to find a warm,...

More houseplants bite the dust during winter than any other...

Sales of Poinsettias in the U.S. will top $250 million...

When it comes to gorgeous fall color in the landscape,...

In my final installment of terrific trees, I’m gonna go...

Last week I discussed three of the best trees for...

Here in our neck of the woods, we have dozens...

Imagine being able to add something to your garden that...

Yeah, you read that right. It’s time to plant spring-flowering...

Every year for the past 25 years or more, I’ve...

This isn’t the first time I’ve written about conifers, and...

This Saturday morning at 10:00, none other than Piet Stuifbergen...

I moved into my current home just over four years...

Sales of spring-flowering bulbs – tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and more...

Fall in Green Country means cooler temperatures, more dependable rainfall,...

The quote above is my own. And while it may...

If I had only one season in which to plant...

I’ll never forget the first time I heard the term...

Given the dome of heat and humidity that seems to...

I first met Jared Chamberlain in 2010, the year he...

Three Big Bloomers for SummerFunny thing about trees and shrubs:...

The genera Taxus and the related Cephalotaxus include the beautiful...

Back in Victorian days, a sort of Coleus Fever swept...

I first fell in love with ornamental grasses in the...

Hostas practically define shade gardening. And unlike most other plant...

I could easily rattle off a dozen or more reasons...

Twenty-five or so years ago, I planted a tree that...

To paraphrase Will Rogers, I never met a Japanese maple...