Starter Gardener

In Texas, a lawn is a precious thing — not a default groundcover to be wasted on side yards and medians. But selecting the right turf type makes all the difference. Despite all the wonderful [...]

There are lots of plants with some degree of toxicity to pets, but most are not a threat except in extreme cases of allergy or unusual consumption.  By Calvin Finch, Ph.D. If your experience with [...]

Once-a-week watering is more than enough for your landscape, especially if it’s loaded with lush, drought-hardy plants.  With the chaos of the recent extreme winter weather, not to mention our [...]

There is a limit to how much water is actually beneficial to your landscape. Make sure you’re the one running the show.  Settling into a new home can be stressful enough without the added [...]

Hardy winter perennials like salvias and Turk’s caps typically thrive without any additional water. And they entice a spectacular show of some of the feistiest, freakiest hummingbirds of the [...]

An in-ground sprinkler system has a brain, heart and circulatory system that must be maintained for good health. Schedule a checkup and get a little cash back in your pocket. When you go to the [...]

Forget water-intensive privets and thirsty rose trellises. Options abound for pretty, posh plants that are as drought-tough as they are bucolic and cozy. England in the 1870s saw the rise of the [...]

While you have several options to get rid of autumn leaves, it might be simpler — and more beneficial to your landscape — to just let them lie where they fall. While autumn and fall are loosely [...]

Stay wicked busy this month in your fall garden. From harvesting to planting to tidying up, there’s plenty to do to get it in gear for spring. October can be quite magical. The cooler [...]

At the nursery, plants always look pretty in the pot. But will they grow and thrive once you get them home? Most likely, yes — as long as they’re planted in the right place. Plants need the [...]