One of the up and coming stars in the ornamental plant world are spotted dead-nettles or Lamium maculatum. This multi-purpose plant is grown for both its flowers and lovely foliage display. Of low stature, this plant is useful for border edges, rock gardens, shady gardens and containers. This article will introduce you to the many cultivars which now exist.

Homemade jams and jellies make appreciated gifts from friends and family who have learned basic skills in the art of canning and food preservation. Last season, in our first attempt at jelly making, my husband and I used over seven pounds of our prized homegrown red grapes... and guess what? It didn't gel! Here are a few tips from our lessons learned and a step-by-step beginner's recipe for a simple, fun process that will work like a charm.

On Saturdays, the Writer's Group would like to say thanks by presenting a "You Supply The Caption" photo. A gardening related photo will be presented, and you the Readers will provide humorous captions. The wit available on Dave's is some of the best around, so please join in the fun! This feature is not a "for compensation" article - just our way of saying Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoy...now let's hear some funny stuff!

Starting a small lawn from seed, while not faster, can be cheaper than using sod. It is not as hard or laborious as most people think; and with a few tips, a healthy green lawn can be right around the corner; nay, right in your front yard!

Understanding more about mosquitoes now may help prevent their reproduction, repel their bites, and eliminate many of the bloodsucking population in your yard and garden next year.

In the realm of living organisms, motion is most often associated with the animal kingdom. The surprise is that plants move as well, and some move fast enough so that their motion is visible to a casual observer. Read on to learn more about how and why plants move around . . .

Wish you could meet some of the people you’ve chatted with? Want a chance to swap plants, trade seeds, and “talk plants” in person with people who’ll find your begonias as fascinating as you do? You need to get together with some fellow DGers!

Summer has drawn to a close and the fall season holds sway once more over the garden and the Iowa countryside where I live. I love the colors of the trees as Mother Nature brings out her autumnal paint brush, and the crisp air quickens my footstep. Still, I long for summer to continue just a little while longer.*

Biochar? What is it, and what is it good for? Biochar is basically charcoal, the natural kind made from charring wood or other biomass by driving off the moisture and volatile gases, leaving mostly carbon. This carbon does 2 main things: it greatly aids soils for plant nutrition, and it holds (sequesters) carbon, creating a negative carbon footprint.

Few nature experiences are as awe-inspiring as an encounter with one of the tallest trees in the world. Pictures simply do not do these trees justice, as they are so large as to be difficult to wrap your mind around. Many think that the giant redwoods are the tallest trees, but a few others are contenders for the title . . .

There are people who have laid the path before us, those who, from the first days in the first garden, started to learn and write down the things that mattered. These are the people who we today owe a debt of gratitude for their never ending efforts to spread the knowledge and growing of plants to everyone - everywhere.

In the early winter on the way home from school, I would often stop by Aunt Bett's house at the mouth of the holler. Sometimes when I walked in I could smell the sweet aroma of baking gingerbread, and I knew Christmas was on the way! Aunt Bett and my Granny Ninna could bake the very best gingerbread, and I always got to make my own gingerbread man from the last pieces of the dough.

I live in Tucson, Arizona and the best part of the year is upon us. I tune into the news to listen to local meteorologist Chuck George tell us about the weather. It is getting cooler at night and we most likely won't see triple digits again until June. It's time to go outside!

Take a break from your double-digging and bush whacking to do some easy, nip and tuck, maintenance on houseplants. They'll thank you for it! If you don't believe me, read "The secret life of plants" by Carrie Lamont.

Houseplants lead a much more interesting life than you might suspect. Let's listen in ...

For many gardeners, the first blooming snowdrops mark the beginning of the new flowering season. If you don't grow these charming bulbs, then this article will hopefully entice you to try them.

We are so busy in the world today looking for the next "new" thing. But what if we take a step back in time and bring back an "old" thing?

Sea pinks or thrift are one of the most satisfying perennials due to their carefree culture and lack of pests and diseases. Suitable for rockeries, containers and coastal gardens, they really are a useful flower for almost any garden. If unfamiliar with this plant, this article will hopefully introduce you to a new garden friend!

As you can tell from the picture, this is not your typical sage, that’s for sure. Say hello to Silver Sage, otherwise known as Salvia argentea.

There are many ways that gardeners can help feed the hungry, from an extra row in your own garden to a community project. Here are some suggestions straight from the food pantry.