Vermont Garden Journal

Many of our favorite flowering shrubs bloom in the spring and early summer then are nondescript for the rest of the growing season.

We're at that in-between time in the vegetable garden; spring crops are done and summer ones are coming on strong. But one philosophy I live by is to never leave a bed unplanted!

The Chinese bell flower is a common perennial but better known as the balloon flower. It's a fun flower to grow with kids because of the shape of the flower buds.

Not everyone has enough yard space for growing fruit so, luckily, there are bush versions of many classic fruit trees. They grow easily in small, sunny spots and stay a manageable size.

They're a classic Vermont summer flower. They've been grown for medicinal and edible use in Asia for millennia. The individual flowers only open for one day but the plants produce lots of them. Yes, they are daylilies!

It's been an interesting summer so far. Lots of rain and humidity but not necessarily high temperatures; however, the vegetables are growing and now it's time to give them a mid-summer boost.

If you struggle with the combination of a garden AND dogs, I've got some tips on how to have a dog-friendly garden and a garden-friendly dog.

This group of plants is extremely varied. Some are large, cactus-like trees and shrubs, while others are ground covers. Poinsettias and crown-of-thorns plants are included in this group. Some can also grow as hardy, herbaceous perennials. That's why I'm excited about Euphorbias!

You would think this subtropical vegetable wouldn't have enough time to grow large, edible roots in Vermont. But amazingly, sweet potatoes thrive during our short, intense summers.

One of my favorite spring perennial flowers is the peony. While many of us grow the herbaceous peonies, there's another type gaining popularity; tree peonies.

Blueberries are a great home garden crop to grow. They're well adapted to Vermont's climate, easy to grow and productive for years. But some gardeners have a difficult time growing blueberries.

After some up and down spring weather, Memorial Day is usually a safe time to plant most of your veggies and flowers. Most gardeners plant in beds or containers but we should also think vertical.

As the weather warms up, plants are popping out of the ground and so are the insects.

It's Mother's Day and what better gift to give mom than a flower basket for her garden or patio.

This common perennial herb is known for its many medicinal and culinary uses. And since it's almost Kentucky Derby time, I'm talking about mint!