A hot, sun-baked balcony can be a tough spot for plants, but it’s exactly where many of the toughest flowering annuals and perennials thrive. The trick is choosing varieties bred for heat and drought tolerance rather than fighting the conditions. Here are twelve reliable performers for a scorching summer balcony, along with the care notes…
A Sun-Loving Native of Dry, Rocky Hillsides Lavender (Lavandula) originates from the rocky, sun-baked hillsides of the Mediterranean, and understanding that native habitat explains almost everything about growing it successfully. It wants full sun, lean soil, sharp drainage, and relatively little water once established. Common English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is the hardiest type, while French…
The coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), also known as purple coneflower, is a North American prairie perennial that has long since earned a permanent place in European gardens. With its striking purple flower heads and distinctive, spiky center, it’s a real eye-catcher — and a valuable medicinal plant at the same time. Botanical Features and Growth Echinacea…
Why Hostas Dominate the Shade Garden Hostas are among the most popular perennials for shady beds and borders, prized not for flowers but for bold, textured foliage that ranges from tiny blue-gray mounds to enormous puckered leaves over a meter across. Thousands of cultivars exist, varying in leaf color (green, blue-green, gold, and variegated combinations),…
Feeding Hydrangeas for Strong Bloom Hydrangeas are moderate feeders that reward a light, well-timed fertilizing program more than a heavy one. Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring as new growth begins, and optionally a second light feeding in late spring or early summer. Avoid feeding after mid to late summer in most climates,…
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is a true multitasker in the herb garden. As an essential seasoning in Mediterranean and French cooking, it enhances stews, meat dishes, and vegetable pans. It’s also a time-honored medicinal herb — its essential oil, thymol, has expectorant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. This easy-care, winter-hardy perennial with its tiny, aromatic leaves belongs…
Daylilies (Hemerocallis) are among the easiest-care and most fascinating perennials you can grow. Each individual bloom lasts only a single day, which is where the plant gets its name, but the plant keeps producing new buds for weeks on end. With more than 80,000 registered cultivars in nearly every color imaginable, there’s a daylily to…
Nothing delivers pure blue quite like larkspur and delphinium, whose tall spires of densely packed flowers form the backbone of the classic English cottage border. The two names are often used loosely, but botanically annual larkspur (Consolida ajacis) and perennial delphinium (Delphinium elatum hybrids) are closely related cousins that share similar needs, striking flower spikes,…
Few shrubs give as much color for so little effort as the hydrangea. From the huge mophead and lacecap flowers of bigleaf types to the cone-shaped blooms of panicle hydrangeas, this genus offers something for nearly every garden, from a shady courtyard corner to a full-sun border. Understanding which type you have is the single…
Few plants capture the feel of a Mediterranean summer quite like lavender. With its silvery foliage, upright purple flower spikes, and unmistakable scent, Lavandula is a staple of sunny borders, gravel gardens, and herb beds alike. It is also one of the best plants for attracting bees and butterflies, remarkably drought-tolerant once established, and useful…
