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On Gardening: Art & Sol mangave coming this spring
Six-months ago I wrote a column introducing you to the Art & Sol collection of mangaves, which was having a soft release with a full debut occurring in 2025. If you are not familiar with mangave, it is a cross between the agave and a plant called the manfreda, both native to the Southwest.
The taxonomic hierarchy has recently determined that ...Read more
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The Greener View: Last-Minute Gardener Gifts
We are down to the last week of shopping for Christmas presents. I have a few last-minute gift ideas that you can still get by shopping locally.
Create a basic gardener's gift package and add more items as you find them. Start with a pair of gardening gloves, as gardeners are always looking for a dry and clean pair. A useful tool is a small ...Read more
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On Gardening: Berry Box perfect Christmas plant for porch
A few years ago, I wrote a column on the keys to the winter landscape being Bones, Berries and Bark. The bones of course are evergreen plants, berries are like nature’s winter baubles, and bark is typically associated with trees that create a "look at me" moment by virtue of their wood. So, when I had the opportunity to try some Berry Box ...Read more
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The Greener View: Gardening Books Galore
Sticking with last week's theme of books that are good for gardeners, here are a few more.
A lot of people are moving to the Southwest from Northern states. Gardening is different down there, to say the least. I visited family in Arizona this year, so I bought "Dry Climate Gardening" by Noelle Johnson. It is a great read and reference for ...Read more
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On Gardening: Supertunia Mini Vista Yellow named Annual Of The Year
As we head into December, we start to glance to the future, to the award-winning flowers for 2025. This is always a terrific choice for your garden dollar, whether you are looking toward the landscape, porch, patio or deck. One such award winner is Supertunia Mini Vista Yellow, Proven Winners 2025 Annual of the Year.
The Mini Vista petunias ...Read more
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The Greener View: Good Gardening Doesn't Stop as You Get Older
Are you an aging-in-place gardener? You know the type -- people like my 91-year-old mother who is still growing tomatoes and other vegetables, summer flower pots on the porch, and houseplants galore. She is not quite as active as she used to be, and she has downsized some of the garden.
Or are you a gardener who is getting arthritis? My ...Read more
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The Greener View: Good Garden Books
You know, sometimes the internet is just not the best place to get information (in spite of the fact that you might be reading this article on the internet). Actual, real books written by actual, real expert people with real experience in real life (not just a bunch of clicks) can be at your beck and call 24/7 sitting right next to you on your ...Read more
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On Gardening: ColorBlaze Mini Me Chartreuse offers dazzling habit, performance
The Garden Guy has been part of a lot of coleus trials over the years, but I don’t remember seeing one like ColorBlaze Mini Me Chartreuse, which will be making its debut in 2025. I gave it casual mention in a column recently, but I am certain it deserves its own column. Hopefully you will see why.
First off it is an electrifying color of ...Read more