9 Garden Tasks for Better Gardens this Spring

02/24/2022 Ken Davis

By Ken Lain, The Mountain Gardener Spring weather signals the start of specific gardening tasks essential to maintaining a vital, healthy garden. I’m a list type of gardener, and the following is my springtime procedural list in order of personal…

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Best Annuals to Grow from Seed

02/02/2022 Ken Davis

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener A handful of flower seeds starts an entire garden full of color, fragrance, butterflies, and joy. Starting seeds in the garden is easy, though it does require some planning and patience. The seed shortage…

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Flowers, Herbs, and Veggies You Can Plant in January

01/04/2022 Ken Davis

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener January isn’t thought of as a prime gardening month in Northern Arizona. Gardeners in Southern Arizona know it’s the perfect time for cool-season vegetables and flowers. It is warm enough to direct sow much…

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34 Perennials to Cut Back in Fall & How to Grow Them

11/02/2021 Ken Davis

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener What perennials should not be cut back in the autumn? Pruning Perennials. Should all perennials be cut back in the fall? Can you cut back perennials before frost? When should perennials be cut back…

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How to Grow Camellias

11/01/2021 Ken Davis

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Vivid rose-colored blossoms reach 2-3 inches wide with petals radiating out from a center of contrasting golden stamens. Ice Angle Camellia deserves front yard stature or admired on a patio or deck. Brings glossy…

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8 1/2 Steps to DIY Landscapes

09/16/2021 Ken Davis

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener What are the steps to landscape design? How to landscape a front yard. How do I design my own landscape? Step by step landscaping. Landscape steps on a slope. How do you start landscaping…

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How to Grow Coneflower Echinacea

09/03/2021 Ken Davis

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Vibrant blooms on upright stems top this sturdy, compact plant. A fuss-free, cheerful choice for a sunny, easy-care low summer border. Drought tolerant and hardy, with prolific flowering over an exceptionally long season. These…

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Top Plants from A to O with Dazzling Foliage

08/13/2021 Ken Davis

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Best Types of Foliage Plants. Large leaf outdoor plants. Leafy outdoor plant names. Foliage plant care. Large leaf tropical plants. Best Plants for Colorful Foliage. Hosta Next time you hit the garden center, think…

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The 12 Perennial Flowers That Live the Longest

06/25/2021 Ken Davis

by Lisa Watters-Lain, Arizona’s garden gal It’s frustrating to design a new flowerbed around your favorite perennial flowers, like delphiniums, Shasta daisies, and pincushion flower, only to see them peter out after three or four years. Here you have a…

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12 Pretty Plants With Daisy Flowers

06/17/2021 Ken Davis

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Flowers that look like daisies. What plants go well with daisies? Plants that look good all year round? Perennial daisies bloom all summer. What are colorful daisies called? White daisy-like flower with yellow center.…

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