"If your neighbors don’t think you’re a little crazy, you need to up your gardening game.” ~ Carol Michel ..read more

Our spring weather pattern seems to be soggy weekends and then hot and windy weekdays. I never complain about the rain though! As too much is SOOOO much better than too little! We had some summer-like temps and are due for some more next week. How hot did it get? Well, our cilantro has officially bolted (set flower) and the baby Arugula is trying to do the same (see photo above). We snipped off those forming arugula flowers and it is in a very shaded spot, so I'm crossing my fingers that it will give us a little longer before it gets bitter and peppery tasting. The Dahlias and Potatoes left i ..read more

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with Karen Perkins, all about epimediums, the jewels of the shade garden. The plant profile is on Lyreleaf Sage and we share what's going on in the garden as well as some upcoming local gardening events and this week's garden tasks in the What's New segment. We close out with the Last Word on Twice-baked Cauliflower from Christy Page of Green Prints. If you liked this episode, you may also enjoy listening to: ~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 135: Plants for Shade https ..read more

Loropetalum Plant Profile Loropetalum (Loropetalum chinense) is also known as the Chinese Fringe Flower. It is a member of the Witchhazel family and is native to China, Japan, and the Himalayas. It is a common ornamental plant throughout the southeastern United States and is starting to be seen more frequently in the Mid-Atlantic region. They are hardy to USDA zones 7-10. It blooms in early spring with masses of white or purple-pink frilly flowers with a smattering of reblooms throughout the rest of the growing season. Loropetalum is an evergreen shrub that can grow from 10 to 15 feet high an ..read more

"I have my own flower and vegetable garden, and I’ve realized deadheading is a great metaphor for life: clear out the old, so you can put energy into the new." - Emma Lovewell ..read more

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with Mchezaji “Che” Axum, the Director of the Center for Urban Agriculture and Gardening Education at UDC, all about urban agriculture. The plant profile is on Kerria and we share what's going on in the garden as well as some upcoming local gardening events and this week's garden tasks in the What's New segment. We close out with the Last Word on Waiting for May Flowers from Christy Page of Green Prints. If you liked this episode, you may also enjoy listening t ..read more

Earlier this week, we visited the UMD Community Learning Garden on the College Park, MD, campus. I have to admit to a bit of garden envy when I saw their rain barrels up on high platforms connected to drip irrigation lines running through their raised beds. However, what I envied most was the turnout they had, a few dozen students were there weeding and planting. Oh, what I could do with all that youthful energy and enthusiasm! (Of course, we have an intern or two helping out each semester at our plot, so I count myself fortunate in that respect.) I'll share more pics from the UMD garden vis ..read more

Win a Flowerbulb.eu Gift Card in the April 2024 Washington Gardener Magazine Reader Contest! For our April 2024 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, we are giving away a Flowerbulb.eu gift card (value $100).    Flowerbulb.eu is the place to learn all there is to know about flower bulbs. It is not a site for purchasing bulbs; it is dedicated to providing education and inspiration on all thing’s bulb related. It’s time to buy your summer-flowering bulbs now. Your pollinators will love them! Follow Flowerbulb.eu on social media for stunning images and fun DIY projects. Visit Flowerbulb ..read more

Arugula Plant Profile Arugula (Eruca vesicaria) is a cool-season edible plant that has a nutty and peppery zing. It is a great addition to salads, on pizza, in sandwiches, or in pasta dishes. It is also known as Rocket or Colewort. It grows best when planted in the early spring and late summer into fall. Pick a location for them in full sun to part-shade. Plant the seeds a quarter inch deep in rich garden soil that is free of weeds or in a large container. The seeds germinate in a week or so. Water them regularly, if they do not receive an inch or two of rain per week. After the seedlings are ..read more

  The April 2024 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine is out. Inside this issue: ·         Delightful Dwarf Flowering Almond ·         Long-Blooming Catmints ·         Spring Garden Tour Listing ·         Sip the Azalea Cocktail ·         Two Exceptional Native Ephemerals ·         Combatting Fungus Gnats ·       ..read more