Houttuynia cordata, the chameleon plant. It sure does look nice for a few years after the unsuspecting gardener plants it. All perky and peppy, it is a joy to have and behold. A clash of color, an explosion of variegation, a hornet’s nest of vigor, it beguiles the unschooled into the gardening equivalent of a serious drug addiction. But worse than that, because it takes the average gardener at least two years to go through the entire denial process and finally, fully realize the plant’s determined and depraved imperialism. "Unless you know exactly what you’re getting, graciously accept the pla ..read more

Sugar n' Spice Koreanspice viburnum offers a profuse spring bloom of nicely fragrant flowers, carried on a neat round shrub. Moderate in size, this viburnum remains four to six feet tall, placing its flowers close to nose level and allowing for placement near a path, doorway or window for maximum enjoyment. Sugar n' Spice viburnum has clusters of fragrant white flowers that open from pink buds in the spring. Common name: Sugar n' Spice Koreanspice viburnum Botanical name: Viburnum carlesii Sugar n' Spice ('J.N. Select S') Exposure: Full sun to part shade Flowers: Round heads of tubular white f ..read more

Five-lobed maple (Acer pentaphyllum) is exceedingly rare, or possibly extinct, in the wild, but it can be found at specialty nurseries and is worth seeking as a true specimen plant for the garden. Despite its rarity, it is not a fussy grower. Its compound leaves resemble hands or stars and add interesting texture to the garden and movement when they flutter in a breeze. Five-lobed maple is named for its compound leaves. Common name: Five-lobed maple Botanical name: Acer pentaphyllum Exposure: Full sun to part shade Foliage: Each leaf on five-lobed maple is made up of five, or sometimes seven ..read more

A dead mulch or a live one? For Larry Weaner, founder of the much sought-after ecological landscape design and installation firm Larry Weaner Landscape Associates, the choice is clear. During a conversation on my Growing Greener podcast, he told me that surrounding shrubs and trees with low-growing native perennials provides all the benefits of tucking them in with a blanket of organic non-living mulch, and a number of others besides. Plus, he added, once established, the living mulch, or green mulch, is free of the annual labor required by a conventional one. Geranium maculatum is an eastern ..read more

Epimediums, also known as barrenworts, are valued for their dainty spring flowers and ground-covering foliage, which often bears interesting coloration. These perennials also thrive where most garden plants cannot: dry shade. Among epimedium there are many species, hybrids and cultivars are available; 'Sulphureum' stands out as a particularly compact yet quick-filling option with red-tinged leaves and pale yellow flowers that complement other shade-loving spring blooms.  'Sulphureum' epimedium blooms in mid-spring with airy wands of yellow flowers. Common name: 'Sulphureum' barrenwort Bot ..read more

As a gardener, I’m gradually finding my way toward a new appreciation of insects. When I was learning this craft 50 years ago, I regarded any creature of that sort as a threat, something to be greeted with toxic sprays. I gravitated toward plants advertised as “pest-free.” That generally meant the plant was an import from abroad, one that our native North American insects wouldn’t recognize and use as a food source. But since then I’ve learned the vital role that insects, especially native insects, play in the garden ecosystem. They serve as a food source for birds and other creatures up the f ..read more

Deborah Hardwick grows thousands of clematis cultivars at her central Ohio garden, Hardwick Hall. She has become known for her expertise in tending these beloved plants, which she believes suffer from a fussy reputation that hasn’t been helped by complicated advice. Through outreach to garden clubs, horticultural organizations, botanical gardens, nurseries and more, Deborah works to dispel the myths that surround clematis by highlighting the most rewarding and rugged cultivars and offering simplified strategies for their care. Clematis is a favorite for adding a vertical element to the border ..read more

Vegetable gardeners are accustomed to planting tomatoes, peas, beans, greens and all the other familiar back-yard crops fresh each spring. However, there are some perennial crops for home gardeners, with asparagus being one that might persist for a dozen years or more with good care.  Asparagus is a hardy perennial crop that can return each spring to provide bountiful harvests for many, many years. Among asparagus varieties, 'Millennium' is a leading choice thanks to its hardiness, disease resistance, adaptability to a range of soil textures and, of course, flavor. 'Millennium' is a high ..read more

Whether they're scrambling up a wall, entwining a fence or draping a pergola with shade, climbing plants contribute style and function in the garden. But vines must be selected carefully, as many are naturally aggressive. Choices popular in the past have created problems we must reckon with, and we should be careful to avoid making the same mistake. Related: "Tips for Selecting Vining Plants" Over the past 200 years, foreign-sourced garden favorites like English ivy (Hedera helix), the sweetly scented Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), Chinese and Japanese wisterias (Wisteria chinensis ..read more

Let’s face it, not all people are equal. Perhaps in the eyes of God. Maybe under the law. But in the court of my opinion, they’re just not. Some are so much better than others—and the best ones are gardeners.  Gardening builds character! Not new gardeners, God bless them. I’m talking about the battle-tested old guard. Gardeners on their second round of knee replacements. Weathered, worn and wizened types. Alchemy happens to those who’ve gardened a long time. The audacity to continually shuffle bits of nature around in the face of cold, hard Darwinian reality, hoping only to nurture a smal ..read more