A common gardening dilemma: Your neighbor has geraniums that are just the right color for your patio, but you’ve never seen anything like them at the nursery. Or you visit a friend who has splendid azaleas, but she can’t remember what variety they are. What can you do? The answer is simple: Just ask your friend...

Getting your trees, shrubs off to a good start The methods for planting large shrubs and trees vary, depending on whether you buy a plant in a container, in a burlap wrap, or in bare root form. On this page you’ll find the many planting and transplanting techniques for shrubs and trees and for special plants such...

Wherever you buy your plants, seeds, or bulbs, the problem is the same as always: How do you choose the healthiest, strongest plant for your garden? The first step is to find a nursery with conscientious employees who know their stock and can advise you. Ask friends and neighbors for their suggestions on where to go, and then try to do your shopping on off hours or off days when the pressure of business is light. Following...

Here's my gardening companion, Chance. Some years ago when my wife and I had cats, one of our more mischievous felines was a small male named Cooper. We used to call Cooper the “Vomit Comet.” Cooper liked playing with one of our English Ivy houseplants. Without warning the tranquil stillness of our home would suddenly be disrupted by a hideous cat-vomiting sound, followed by the blurry flash of what looked...

(Here’s a complete assortment of great weigela shrubs.) When I first moved to my current home some ten years ago, I needed to do a total makeover of the shrub and flower beds in front of my house. The first shrub I planted was a Wine and Roses Weigela. It was one of the best gardening decisions this new gardener has made. I planted the weigela next to the steps leading up to my front door. From the second season...

Seeds Just looking at a seed rack may prompt this kind of daydream: You can picture many flowers already in bloom and vegetables and herbs seem to sprout growth right there on the seed rack. This kind of daydreaming can be so pleasant that beginning gardeners are often unprepared to meet problems that may occur later on. Before you rush to the store for seeds, however, look over the warnings and suggestions that follow....

Great gardening starts with great plants! If you are interested in purchasing any of the plants that you see, thanks to our relationship with Nature Hills Nursery, Inc., you will get great products at a terrific price.  At the same time, you will be supporting our efforts here at New Gardener.com. Please keep in mind that you will never pay more by placing your order through...

The flower garden truly is a thing of beauty. Like many people I always wanted my very own. I didn’t know where to start, what to grow, or even how. But once I got the basics down I realized that it doesn’t have to be very hard. It can actually be very easy to grow your very first flower garden with the right knowledge. Were going to take a quick tour of the basics of flower gardening. If you can master these...