The first time landscape architect David Godshall of Terremoto went to see a small house near the Larchmont neighborhood of Los Angeles, there wasn’t much to recommend the garden. “Some existing redwood trees in the back, sad shrubs in the front,” he remembers.

But the clients (interior designer Anna Pomerantz and her husband, Colby Buddelmeyer, a consumer products developer) had just bought a beautiful, subtle, midcentury gem of a house, and the challenge was to create the garden it deserved.

“Luckily, the redwood trees set a strong tone,” says Godshall. From there, a theme emerged: “We decided to create a conceptual narrative of a garden; we wanted it to feel like all of California all at once, with ferns, a redwood forest, the desert, and interspersed in between, a smattering of native species and things that felt culturally native, like bougainvillea.”

The result? Let’s take a look at the transformation.

Photography courtesy of Terremoto.

“The first thing you do in a small garden project is to take inventory to do an analysis, so you can make decisions about the things that are existing and are good,” says Godshall. “In this garden, the layers that are new work well with some elements that are old. It was a conversational project between Anna and Colby, and Diego Lopez from my office, and the process was as fluid and as effortless as a thing that takes a lot of effort can be.”

Before

In the backyard, Terremoto laid out a small lawn at the edge of the deck, surrounded by a horseshoe of planting beds. “We’re not scared of grass as long as it’s used appropriately,” says Godshall.

The front garden also had some good hardscape bones:

The front path was “a lovely funny wooden boardwalk that had a lot of personality, built at some point in time by a previous owner,” says Godshall. On either side of the boardwalk? “Nothing was there before, except some bad shrubs,” he says.

Terremoto and the homeowners agreed the winding wooden walkway was a feature, not a bug, and came up with a plan to make it the centerpiece of the front garden.

After

In the front garden, jungle meets desert—and equals oasis.

“The potted tree was Anna’s doing. There was a hole in the garden that needed a plant and she put the tree there and asked if we were OK with it,” says Godshall. “We’re not scared of having a pot in the garden; as you can see it can do an interesting thing.”

In the foreground, exuberant clumps of purple Mexican sage and a potted slipper plant (Pedilanthus bracteatus) create another layer of interest. Next to the Kashmir cypress (which eventually can reach a height of 60 feet) is a mature orange tree, existing when the homeowners bought the house.

“The fire pit was by Anna, who is a lovely interior designer,” says Godshall.

“Those haunting blue trees, they bridge the worlds between a pine and a conifer,” says Godshall, who discovered them one day when he was shopping at a nursery.  “It was an arresting image.”

Terremoto planted three Kashmir cypress to fill holes between the existing redwood trees. “It was the first time we used that tree,” Says Godshall. But not the last.

Planning a garden project? Whether it’s a complete redo or just an upgrade of a fence or a deck, start with our Hardscape 101 guides for inspiration and tips, including Decks & Patios 101, Fences & Gates 101, and Swimming Pools 101. And don’t miss:

• 10 Things Your Landscape Architect Wishes You Knew (But Is Too Polite to Tell You)
• 10 Best Garden Design Trends for 2018
• Landscaping Ideas: 10 Ways to Save Money During a Garden Remodel
• Ask the Expert: How to Use Plants for Privacy in a City Garden

You saw a plant you loved in a shop or nursery. You brought it home, and for months it warmed your heart. But then it started to decline. What are you doing wrong? Is it dying? Can you save it?

For answers, we talked with the plant doctor: Christopher Satch, who has a master’s degree in botany from Rutgers University, teaches plant science at the New York Botanic Garden, and is involved with the Manhattan Orchid Society and the American Orchid Society. Oh, and he’s also the plant scientist for The Sill, which has two shops in Manhattan and ships houseplants nationwide.

As the plant doctor, Chris fields calls and emails from people seeking advice about ailing houseplants; he also dispenses knowledge during weekly drop-in clinics at The Sill’s Upper West Side shop. The best way to keep a plant happy, he says, is to learn what it wants before you buy it—and only buy plants that suit the conditions you can offer. If you live in a ground-floor apartment with little light, say, don’t get a plant that will only thrive with tons of direct sunshine.

How can you diagnose a dying plant’s problem in time to cure it?  “A lot of symptoms overlap with many causes,” says Chris. “You have to piece together the puzzle to diagnose the problem.”

Here’s how to cure your plant’s ailment:

How can I tell if I am overwatering?

Symptoms: “If the leaves are turning yellow, the soil is moist, and you can see fungus growing at the base, you’re overwatering,” says Chris. Customers are sternly warned about how often their new plants will need water.

Solution: “Keep cacti and succulents in the sun, which cooks them dry very fast—that’s what they like,” Chris says. “Give these plants a dry rest, maybe a week, and then water them. Shade plants like ferns want their soil to be moist for a little while. Let them approach dryness—but then hit them with water right away.”

Prevention: No plant likes its roots sitting in water, which is why the pot needs good drainage—either a hole in the bottom, or a layer of lava rocks or recycled terra cotta shards (they’re porous, so they absorb excess water and slowly release it).

How do I know if my plant needs more water?

Symptoms: If leaves look droopy and are falling off, it’s a good sign that the plant’s not getting enough water.

Solution: “The goal is to saturate the soil so it’s evenly moist, and then let it dry out before watering again,” says Chris. “Most indoor plants are tropical, and they like warm water, not hot or cold.”

Chris outlines two basic watering techniques. The first: “Pour a little water into the center of the pot, let it sink in, pour a little more, and keep doing that until the soil is saturated.” How much water in all? A good rule of thumb is about ¼ to 1/3 of the pot’s volume.

The second technique: soaking. “Put the potted plant in a sink or bowl and pour water slowly onto the top of the soil. Keep going until about ½ inch of water has gone through the pot and collected in the sink or bowl. Then let the plant soak—maybe even a full day. Take it out and let it drip dry before putting it back in its planter or plate.” (This method only works when the pot has a drainage hole in the bottom—it can even be plastic.)

Prevention: “Sometimes people just dump water on the plant and it immediately flows through and comes out the bottom,” says Chris. “Your plant has not been watered—if you stick your finger into the soil you’ll see that the center of the root ball is still bone dry. That’s why soaking is important.”

Tip: That trick about putting ice cubes in the pot so the water is released slowly? Forget it.

How can I tell if my plant needs more or less sun?

Symptoms: You can blast most indoor plants with light and they’ll be fine, because the sun is much weaker when it comes through a window. But plants that prefer low light, like ferns and calathea, will by burned by too much sun—blanched leaves are a sign. On the other hand, plants that are not getting enough light may get spindly and stretched out or start dropping leaves, says Chris.

Solution: Most houseplants prefer medium to bright light—“Think of the fiddle leaf fig, which people plant as outdoor hedges in Florida. They love the sun, and they’ll drop leaves in response to lower light.”

Prevention: Artificial light may help. If the natural light in your home is really low, artificial light can make plants happier. No bulb offers the full spectrum of light that plants need—not even the ones designed as grow lights—but using a more intense bulb will increase the effect. Chris recommends an LED or CFL (compact fluorescent) bulb (screw-in, not tubes), as long as it’s 1,000 lumens or more; either warm or cool is fine.

How can I tell if I’m fertilizing too much or too little?

Symptoms: Too much fertilizer and “Your plant will get crispy edges, called salt burn, and the leaves may turn brown or black,” Chris says. “Basically, the plant will start falling apart very fast.” But too little fertilizer may cause a plant to stop thriving;  fertilizer is important for longevity. “When a plant grows in nature, the soil is infinite; the roots can keep stretching out to find new nutrients,” Chris says. “But in a pot, that’s their universe and you’re essentially their god. Once the nutrients have been exhausted, the plant says ‘Uh-oh, what am I going to do?’

Solution: “You have to be their savior, and add fertilizer to provide nutrients—it’s literally a multivitamin for the plant,” says Chris. Follow the instructions on the label.

Prevention: Use crystals, liquid, or slow-release pellets as recommended.

How can I tell if the pot is too small?

Symptoms:  Chris says customers email him asking, Why isn’t my plant growing? “I look at the photo and write back, ‘Do you not notice how big the plant is in relation to the pot?’ It’s like trying to jam your foot into a shoe that’s two sizes too small!”

Solution: A rule of thumb is the volume of the plant should be 2/3 above ground and 1/3 below ground. The soil level should be within an inch or two of the rim, depending on the pot size, so when you pour in water it can pool before seeping in.

Prevention: When you buy a plant that comes in a plastic pot, re-pot it right away. “Plants are sold overgrown; they’re not meant to live in those pots. They need room to grow,” says Chris.

Tip: Don’t let your soil get too old. “Potting mix does decay and get mucky over time,” says Chris. Even if you’re fertilizing regularly, swap out some of the soil every year or two. It’s also a good opportunity to see if your plant needs a larger pot.

How can I tell if my plant needs more humidity?

Symptoms: Dry air is very bad, causing plants to crisp their leaves, says Chris.

Solution:  Keep plants well away from vents, heaters, radiators, and air conditioners. To combat low humidity, he offers three pieces of advice: “Humidifier, humidifier, humidifier.” Get the largest one you can—it’s great for human health as well. If you only have a dinky one, put it right next to the plants.

Prevention: Misting can help if it’s done regularly, but as soon as the mist dries, the effect is gone. You can also group plants with similar needs to create a microclimate—but note that if you get pests, every plant will be infested.

What can I do if I see bugs?

Symptoms: Mealy bugs look like tiny white cotton balls. Other bugs look like, well, bugs.

Solution: “Using an insecticide like Raid is like using an atom bomb to knock down a house,” says Chris. “And those chemicals can hurt the plant.” He recommends washing the plant with warm water, then wiping it down to remove as many bugs as possible. Follow up with a spray of horticultural oil or insecticidal soap, being careful to reach the crevices and the undersides of the leaves.

Prevention: Keep your plant clean (dust or wipe its leaves gently) and check it regularly for bugs.

Where do I get information about caring for my houseplant?

“Most of the time those little plastic tags you get with a plant are useless,” says Chris. Ask the person you buy it from: a good nursery should know what they’re selling. Otherwise, you can always contact Chris at The Sill , search online, or send your question (with a photo) to your local botanic garden.

How can I tell if my plant is dead or salvageable?

“If it’s brown or looks dead, it probably is dead,” says Chris. But some woody plants, like the rubber tree and the fiddle leaf fig, can recover even if they’ve died back to the stalk. “Blast it with light, give it a little fertilizer, water it when it’s dry, and it’ll say ‘Life is worth living, let’s regrow!’ You could have the same luck with plants like pothos and monstera, as long as there’s a little vine or stem left.”

On the other hand, if a plant’s too far gone—and definitely not beautifying your home—it can be wise to cut your losses and start again with something fresh.

An encouraging word?

“Most indoor plants will do absolutely fine on a steady diet of dappled sun and water when they’re dry,” Chris says reassuringly. “Cacti and succulents need more bright light and dry soil; ferns need wetter conditions. And then there’s Sansevieria, which deserves all the respect—whether it’s under artificial lite or blasted with direct sun, it’ll just keep growing.”

For more houseplant growing tips, see our curated guide to Houseplants 101, including Prayer Plants, Fiddle Leaf Fig Trees, and Monstera:

• Houseplant Help: Is It OK to Reuse Potting Soil?
• How to Make An Orchid Bloom Again
• Everything You Need to Know About Houseplants
• Succulents & Cacti: A Field Guide to Planting, Care & Design

Headed out of town? Dog sitter (check), house sitter (check), cat sitter (if necessary). But a plant sitter? No thank you. Instead, we’ve rounded up 10 stylish self-watering pots to keep your plants alive while you’re away.

For more, see An Irresistible Self-Watering Planter.

It’s one of the best-kept Secrets of Brooklyn: Shop Outdoor Style from Landscape Designer Julie Farris.

For more, see Self-Watering Terracotta Planter by Joey Roth.

See more planters for a terrace at 10 Easy Pieces: Black Balcony Box Style Planters.

For more growing and care tips, see our curated Houseplants 101 guides, and for the nitty-gritty on watering, don’t miss:

• Hardscaping 101: Drip Irrigation
• Garden Tech: An App to Water Your Lawn
• A Stylish Way to Water Plants While You’re Away

Lettuce, Lactuca sativa: “Backyard Salad Bar”

Lettuce season is upon us. Prepare to plant your spring salad; you can sow lettuce seeds in the garden two weeks before your last frost date (find the date at The Old Farmer’s Almanac Last Frost
Date Calculator).

The Roman emperor Augustus erected a statue in honor of lettuce? Of course he did. Who wouldn’t? One of our oldest cultivated foods, lettuce and its wild cousins have served humans for thousands of years as medicine, religious symbol, narcotic, virility booster, and kitchen delicacy. Emperor Augustus was in awe of its pain-killing properties.

After you plant lettuce seeds, you can expect them to sprout within eight days if the average daily soil temperature is between 55 degrees and 75 degrees (which means you will be able to sow another crop in early autumn).

To grow your own salad bar in the backyard, plant at least one or two of each of the four main types of lettuce: romaine, loose-leaf, butterhead, and heading. An easy crop to grow, lettuce is a seed saver’s delight. You can pick from hundreds of heirloom varieties to match your lettuce to your climate, color preferences, and tastes.

Sprouted trout lettuce (shown above) is a tender romaine lettuce with speckles. A packet of Spotted Trout Lettuce organic seeds is $3.95 from Seed Library.

Baby lettuce is harvested at Greyfield Inn (and headed for the dinner menu) on Cumberland Island in Georgia. See more at Greyfield Gardens: A Chef’s Dream on a Remote Georgia Island.

Cheat Sheet

• Mix edibles and ornamentals. Ruffly leaves make lettuce an attractive front-of-the-bed companion to flowers.
• Lettuce is an annual; it’s hardy in all growing zones.
• Lettuces are resistant to frost and can fill holes in the early spring garden.

Keep It Alive

• Lettuces prefer moist, well-drained soil.
• Lettuce will grow in either full sun or partial shade.
• Beware, lettuce bolts quickly in hot weather.

Lettuce seeds don’t germinate well after the temperature reaches 80 degrees, but luckily they don’t need light to germinate; start them in a cool, shady spot or in a cold frame. Plant in early spring, and keep planting in small amounts every seven to 10 days until midsummer for a steady supply.

Are you planning your spring garden? For more growing tips, see Lettuce 101: A Field Guide and for layout and design ideas, see our curated guide to Edible Gardens 101. See our plant guides for Edibles to avoid growing bent Carrots, to grow bushier Basil, and for help with your Tomatoes. And don’t miss:

• 65 Backyard Plants You Didn’t Know You Could Eat
• Required Reading: Salad for President
• Plant-Based Diet: How to Grow 5 Delicious Foods You Never Find in Shops
• Six Seasons: Required Reading for Gardeners in the Kitchen

Botanical gardens exist to teach people about plants—how to identify, display, and use them for medicinal purposes—and historians and horticulturalists rely on their collections for research material. The rest of us? We get the benefit of the beauty of botanical gardens. A stroll through some of our favorites around the world also offers inspiration to use at home.

Visit vicariously with us; here are 10 ideas to steal from botanical gardens around the world.

Tokyo, Japan

A little imperfection can be perfect. It’s common practice to prune unwanted tree growths—known as water sprouts if they appear on a trunk and suckers if they come from the roots—to direct its energy toward growing in the right directions. But sometimes? You go, water sprout.

In Tokyo, the sprawling Jindai Botanical Gardens occupies the former site of a medieval fortress and has more than 100,000 trees and shrubs you can examine for serendipitously blooming water sprouts and suckers; for hours and admission prices, see Jindai Botanical Gardens.

Pisa, Italy

Accentuate curves. At the botanical gardens in Pisa (the oldest in Europe), a shady seat is artfully placed at the edge of a winding stream to encourage contemplation. Study the contours of your own land and choose the best destination for a bench beneath a tree or pergola.

Established in the 16th century, the botanical gardens at the Università di Pisa are open to the public most days of the year; for hours and admission fees, see Orto e Museo Botanico. (Fair warning: “Four days a year, between the months of May and September, the Botanical Garden will close to the public for the application of the necessary treatments against the red awl.”)

Karuizawa, Japan

Blend in. Furnishings can invite garden visitors into the landscape—to sit, eat, nap, or read —without disrupting the serenity of the surroundings.

A two-and-a-half hours’ train ride from Tokyo, Karuizawa Town Botanical Garden has “about 1,600 trees and flowers are gathered on the site of about 20,000 square meters to color the four seasons” and is open to the public from April 1 through Christmas. For hours and admission prices, see Karuizawa.

Brooklyn, New York

Plant a canopy of color. A small, spring-flowering tree—such as a cherry, dogwood, crabapple, magnolia, or plum tree—will burst into bloom before it leafs out, adding a bright burst of color to your early spring garden.

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is known for its spectacular collection of blooming cherries, which burst into flower in early spring. For updates and hours, see Cherry Blossoms at BBG.

10 Ways to Improve Your Garden with a Pergola

Cherry Blossoms: 7 Trees to See at Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Festival

Barcelona, Spain

Never underestimate the power of a monochromatic palette. A swatch of flowers in a single color ripples and hypnotizes.

Set on the Montjuïc hill overlooking the city, the Jardí Botànic de Barcelona features plants from six regions with Mediterranean climates. For hours and admission prices, see Jardí Botànic.

Dublin, Ireland

Plant en masse. There is no such thing as too many spring-flowering bulbs—and nearly any combination of narcissi, bluebells, and crocuses looks magical in a meadow or lawn. For more ideas, see

The National Botanic Gardens of Ireland was founded in 1795 “to promote a scientific approach to the study of agriculture,” according to the website. “In its early years the gardens demonstrated plants that were useful for animal and human food and medicine and for dyeing but it also grew plants that promoted an understanding of systematic botany or were simply beautiful or interesting in themselves.” Open to the public and easily reached from the nearby city center of Dublin, the gardens boast a library, herbarium, and palm house. For hours and visitor information, see National Botanic Gardens.

Bangalore, India

Twin trees create a visual focal point. Not every garden has room to create a mirror-image montage but when it works, the effect is high drama.

The Lalbagh Botanical Garden in Bangalore, created in 1760, today displays “nearly 673 genera and 1,854 species of plant,” according to its website, and has a glass conservatory built in 1889 in the style of London’s Crystal Palace which today hosts biannual flower shows. “In the necklace of Bangalore’s gardens, Lalbagh is a pendant and in the center of this pendant is the glass house in the form of a diamond,” notes the garden’s website. For hours and visiting information, see Lalbagh Botanical Garden.

Pasadena, California

Collect plants as specimens, the way railroad baron Henry Huntington did. He grew anything that struck his fancy, collecting melon seeds from restaurants in France and avocado seed from his men’s club in Los Angeles. His 120-acre botanical gardens (with 15,000 plant varieties) are open to the public. For more information, see The Huntington.

London, England

Grasses can add as much color as flowers, especially when planted in great drifts as at the Royal Botanical Gardens in London.

With more than 40,000 species of plants on 326 acres, Kew Gardens in southwest London features a palm house, a waterlily house, a bonsai house, an orangery… you get the idea. Plan to spend a whole day there. For hours and information, see Kew.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Don’t be afraid of old-fashioned favorites. Scraggly roses need no improvement, whether they’re blooming in your garden or at at Jardim Botânico in Rio de Janeiro.

With an orchid house, imperial palms, and a world-class collection of Amazonian water lilies, Jardim Botânico has since its opening in 1808 been a research center (in early years, the cultivation of Camellia sinensis for black tea was of paramount concern). For hours and visitors’ information, see Jardim Botânico.

For more inspiration, see our Garden Ideas to Steal archives and our curated design guides for Hardscape 101 projects, including Fences & Gates, Retaining Walls, Edible Gardens, and Decks & Patios. And don’t miss:

• 10 Best Garden Design Trends for 2018
• A Leisurely Stroll Through the SF Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park
• 10 Things Your Landscape Architect Wishes You Knew (But Is Too Polite to Tell You)
• April in New York: Visit the NY Botanical Garden in Bloom
• Insider’s Tour: Secrets of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Hanging balcony planters with hooks or brackets? Genius idea. We like power drills as much as anybody, so long as they’re whirring away in someone else’s hand. And we’ll definitely put up with the attendant screw holes, saw dust, and noise pollution if mounting a window box against a wall is our only option.  But let’s say you have a balcony and can hang brackets for a window box over the railing. Such a civilized alternative.

Here are our 10 favorite hanging balcony planters:

Looking for more options? See 10 Easy Pieces: Wooden Window Boxes and browse our newly updated 10 Easy Pieces archives for more outdoor furnishings, including Rectangular Wooden Dining Tables, Picnic-Style Dining Tables, Crank Hose Reels, and Portable Greenhouses.

Rue, Ruta graveolens: “Herb of Grace”

Rue is considered an old-fashioned herb; however, it is rarely grown in the garden anymore. Could the reason be that graveolens is Latin for “having a strong or offensive smell?” (Current studies report that rue can be toxic if ingested.)

Putting that aside, rue is a fascinating herb because of its long history in the medicinal world. And even though a plant loses mass appeal doesn’t mean it loses a place in the garden. Rue can be a gardener’s helper because its smell repels Japanese beetles (and may keep pets from trampling your herb garden, as well).

Please continue reading to learn more about this interesting herb.

Native to Europe, rue is a bushy evergreen shrub bearing small yellow flowers which, like the foliage, emit an off-putting odor. For centuries, harvested rue was thought to cure countless conditions: insect bites, eye strains, even to warding off the plague. Those who cooked used rue for marinades and sauces, and to make green dye. The ancient Romans used the seeds of the perennial in their cooking. Rue also had a place in Catholic rituals so it’s known as the “herb of grace” and “herb of repentance.” Both Michelangelo and Leonardo de Vinci reportedly used rue to improve eyesight and creativity.

Today, rue is grown ornamentally or for use in dried flower arrangements. If you grow this herb, wear rubber gloves, long sleeves, and pants when harvesting or pruning to avoid irritating the skin with the sap (contact with its leaf oils can cause burning, blistering, and itching).

Nowadays we know that rue can be toxic when eaten in large quantities and too much can produce severe stomach cramping, so don’t try to cook with it.

Growing rue in the garden can be a gardener’s helper. Its unpleasant smell repels many creatures, including Japanese beetles, and even dogs and cats, making this herb an excellent companion plant. Also, its semi-woody growth can be pruned into non-traditional hedges around herb and rose gardens.

Cheat Sheet

• Rue has greenish-yellow flowers with frilly edges, which attract butterflies from June to September.
• Plant rue as a companion plant to repel insects. Rue is especially helpful  grown near roses and raspberries. The dried, strong-smelling leaves also make an effective moth repellent.  Simply cut a handful of leaves, dry them, then put them in sachets and place where you need to repel bugs.
• Rue makes a great cut flower so incorporate a few into a cutting garden.

Keep It Alive

• Rue is not picky but thrives in a dry, well-draining, sunny situation.
• Normally grows from 2 to 3 feet tall.
• Rue is drought tolerant, so try planting it in troubled, neglected areas in your garden.

If you’re planning a spring herb garden, for design and layout tips see Everything You Need to Know About Herb Gardens. And see our Garden Design 101 guides to learn how to grow and care for more of our favorite herbs:

• Rosemary: A Field Guide to Planting, Care & Design
• Lemon Verbena 101
• Basil: A Field Guide
• Everything You Need to Know About Cottage Gardens

Does it feel overwhelming to try to keep up with Instagram’s houseplant hoarders as their leafy photos flash by in your feed? Here are 10 key hashtags to bookmark—from #monsteramonday to #crazyplantlady—so you can scroll through the best collections of houseplants when it suits your schedule, not Instagram’s.

#houseplantclub (334,000 posts)

I love the idea that there’s a club where we houseplant mavens all can go to rave about our favorite Peperomias and compare notes on ferns. Of course, scrolling through many of the pictures will make you wonder why no other members are fighting a losing battle against mealybug or why there are never any brown-tipped leaves. But remember, this isn’t real life, it’s Instagram! And the best thing about plant people is how generous they are with their knowledge: Pop a comment on that post about a six-foot-tall variegated banana, and the owner is bound to offer up all manner of growing tips and advice.

#plantsonpink (36,000 posts)

Lotte Van Balen’s account @plantsonpink first popularized this simple yet beguiling idea: Take a lush leaf or a spiky cactus and place it against a pink backdrop, and suddenly the plant is elevated to something Instagram-worthy. With pink declared the shade of choice for millennials, it’s not surprising that this hashtag gets so much love.

#pilealovers (6,000 posts)

If you are still lusting after Pilea peperomioides, the Chinese money plant, but struggling to find one (or perhaps not convinced about shelling out for one), get your fix with this hashtag. Compared with many of Instagram’s hit houseplants, the Chinese money plant is bordering on the dull—no variegation, after all—but there is something beguiling about those coin-shaped leaves. And let’s not forget the other members of the Pilea clan, such as the mysteriously misnamed Pilea glauca, which also deserve a mention.

#fiddleleaffig (75,000 posts)

The iconic fiddle-leaf fig takes center stage in so many houseplant scenes on Instagram that it’s not surprising this hashtag is trending—although I suspect many people take lots of shots of their new plants before they start to suffer from the browning tips and yellowing leaves that can befall this most desirable yet diva-like of plants. The fig’s Latin name #ficuslyrata is not so popular at just 16,000 posts.

 #succulentlove (770,000 posts)

Whether it’s a rainbow of tightly packed plants or the cascade of fractal, fleshy leaves that is a burro’s tail, succulents are an enduring hit on Instagram. Their rosette shapes seem to fit a square image perfectly, and most of us can manage to keep them alive long enough to get a few decent shots of them onto our photo streams. It’s worth noting that #cactuslove at 420,000 posts, while still huge, is not quite such a smash hit.

#plantshelfie (20,000 posts)

I can’t stand the pouting exhibitionism of the selfie, but a #plantshelfie is always a fascinating insight. You may wonder how that fern will survive next to a cactus in that dark corner of a room, but maybe— just maybe—someone has gathered all their best-looking plants in one place for the perfect shot. No harm in that, but don’t be fooled into thinking it’s a long-term solution that will work for your cacti. Doubt me? One word: #etiolation.

#monsteramonday (58,000 posts)

Plant-specific hashtags are handy ways of seeking inspiration for displaying particular species—and this is the granddaddy of them all. Whether your Monstera is a little baby whose leaves are yet to split, or a huge monster that’s tapping its aerial roots on your ceiling, you can join in, but extra bonus points if you have one of those much-coveted variegated Monsteras—oh, and other species such as M. adansonii also count. See also #philodendronfriday (6,000 posts) and #sansevieriasunday (2,000 posts).

#interiorrewilding (35,000 posts)

Above: Toronto-based artist Jeannie Phan (@studioplants) writes, “The first morning of spring seemed like the perfect time for some plant maintenance as the houseplants are waking up.”

You may have thought re-wilding was all about reintroducing apex predators such as wolves to compromised landscapes, but interior re-wilding seems to consist mainly of huge ferns.

#houseplantsofinstagram (70,000 posts)

This one pretty much does what it says on the tin—add the words “of Instagram” to the end of anything from dogs to cupcakes and you’re harnessing a potentially huge following. If you’re looking for broad-brush houseplant inspiration, this is the hashtag for you: from air plants to interior green walls, it’s all here.

#crazyplantlady (239,000 posts)

I am not exactly sure when being a crazy plant lady (CPL for short) became a thing—an offshoot of being a crazy cat lady, one presumes—but apparently “Being a CPL is about more than liking houseplants—it’s an identity.” The odd thing about this hashtag is that not many of the pictures that bear it actually contain an image of said lady—and when they do appear they tend to completely sane. (If you want more IGg images of actual women with plants, check out #girlswithplants.) Incidentally, #crazyplantman only has 420 posts right now—time for the male houseplant fans to step up?

…And while you’re scrolling, stop by to say hello to me, @j.l.perrone.

See more of our favorites at 10 Houseplant Lovers to Follow on Instagram and 10 Garden Ideas to Steal from Instagram. For tips to grow houseplants, see our Houseplant 101 guides to Monstera, Aralia, Asparagus Fern, and Echeveria.

If you’re a renter, you don’t want to spend a lot of money on apartment upgrades that won’t be permanent. But chances are you’d like the space to feel bigger and brighter. The solution? Invest in a fresh coat of paint, airy furnishings (like a “first” sofa that won’t break the bank), and more design tricks the Remodelista editors investigated this week:

Plywood Pegboard

“Without directions or guidelines, designing and executing a pegboard so that everything lines up cleanly takes a lot of thought. Fortunately, my husband has done the work for you,” writes Justine. See more in this week’s DIY post.

“First Sofas”

See our favorite classic sofas under $3,000 in this week’s 10 Easy Pieces post.

Neutral Paint Colors

“Among the benefits of cool-toned whites paints: They have more dimension than a ‘pure’ white and make walls and ceilings recede more than warm whites do (making spaces feel bigger),” writes contributor Eleanor McCole.

See Architects’ 8 Favorite Cool-Toned Neutral Paints in this week’s Paints & Palettes post.

Transparent Tea Cups

Why clear glass? “Because the tea drinker mixes water and tea from the samovar to her liking—and she’ll know she has it right by checking her glass,” says Meredith.

See more see-through choices in this week’s 10 Easy Pieces post.

Art Walls

“Always frame an artwork for the artwork, not for its surrounding environment. The artwork will fit into an interior much better if it’s not trying to match it, but reflects something about the space or its inhabitants,” says Salter. See more at A Modern Fairytale Told in 800 Square Feet: Sandeep Salter’s Family Apartment.

When a carnation was first crossed with a sweet william in 1717, the man responsible (Thomas Fairchild) lived in dread of divine retribution; he was messing with the natural order of things. Three hundred years later, fear of the unnatural has been replaced by snobbery; double flowers are too showy, too vulgar, too flowery.

Here is something to reflect on: many flowers for which we harbor a nostalgic affection are double. Lilac, night-scented stock, most roses. Their scent is a reminder of the perfect summers of youth; we loved them before we realized that we didn’t love double flowers. A new book, Double Flowers: The Remarkable Story of Extra-Petalled Blooms, begun by writer Nicola Ferguson before her death in 2007 and completed by the writer and photographer Charles Quest-Ritson, argues in their favor:

Roses

Extra-petalled blooms hold their own against a wall, a busy border (or on a street tree), contrasting with single, more dainty flowers which can become lost. In the case of roses, extra floriferous types are more often grown than singles because their increased surface area creates a more intense experience, in color and scent. The cells that exude fragrance are often held in the petals.

Pelargoniums

What do bees and other pollinators make of double flowers? It can be confusing: the amount of pollen and nectar produced is variable, just like the number of petals. On some doubles, the pollen-carrying stamens are disguised as petals, in which case they still contain pollen. It is less usual for double flowers to be completely sterile. Unfortunately, pollinators can’t tell in advance so they are more likely to go elsewhere, and pollination can be a problem. In a commercial apple orchard, single blossom varieties are grown, for this reason. In a garden, the agenda is more relaxed for ornamental crab apples, cherries and the extravagantly magenta hawthorn (Crataegus laevigatica ‘Rosea Flore Pleno’).

Camellias

An “imbrigated” flower such as double camellia has geometric, precisely arranged petals. The absence of a visible eye at the center of a flower gives it a more formal status in an arrangement. According to the late author Nicola Ferguson, extra-petalled flowers with visible eyes (such as zinnias and bachelor’s buttons Ranunculus aconitifolius ‘Flore Pleno’) are informal, with an “uncomplicated charm.”

Peonies

Flowers that are already round and many-petalled, such as ranunculus, rose, and peony, are the most likely to be successfully developed into doubles. With peonies and roses, the thinking is: double the double. Heavy-headed peonies are best cut and displayed with other peonies, “crammed” together in a vase with stems that are not particularly long.

Columbines

Double columbines have the advantage of coming into flower a few weeks earlier than singles, their petals lasting longer. Another thing: They have plenty of nectar, and set just as many seeds as single strains to prove it. Furthermore: Columbines go with everything, from a traditional border featuring alliums, early-flowering roses, and iris, to prairie planting. Piet Oudolf is quoted in Double Flowers as saying that there is nothing wild about the double columbine “but it would still look good in the wildest garden.”

A flower decorator’s skills are tested with their handling of double flowers; the sheer flower power can show singles to a disadvantage. Dahlias, chrysanthemums, delphiniums, nigella, cornflowers, garden pinks, and thalictrum tend toward double forms. A mix of formal doubles with informal doubles requires extra quantities of single blooms, so that they can hold their own.

Double Flowers by Nicola Ferguson is published by Pimpernel Press this month, at £30.

If you’re planning a spring (or summer) flower garden, see growing and design tips in our curated guides to our favorite Perennials 101, including:

• Roses: A Field Guide to Planting, Care & Design
• Everything You Need to Know About Perennials
• Peonies: A Field Guide to Planting, Care & Design
• Expert Advice: 8 Best Garden Roses for Cutting, from a Boutique Grower

This week we’ve been poring over apartment gardens (and houseplants). On our radar this weekend: flower workshops, recipes for early spring blooms, and a big appointment for a favorite Gardenista baker. Read on.

• This just in: Claire Ptak, owner of Violet bakery in London, was chosen to make the wedding cake for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. (Read our 2015 interview with Claire here.)
• Attention, Bay Area readers: Jason Dewees will discuss his new book, Designing with Palms, at the Outdoor Art Club in Mill Valley at 1 p.m on Thursday. More info here (and read more about the book in our Required Reading post).
• A contender for Fan’s next vacation: a Trappist abbey in South Carolina where the monks grow mushrooms.
• A May flower workshop to look forward to at Cook Space in Brooklyn—and to remind us that spring will reveal itself. (See our design ideas to steal from the culinary workshop at The Effortlessly Cool Chef’s Apartment, over on Remodelista.)
• Margot (our resident botanical arranger) is following @reikan_creations on Instagram, for his surprisingly realistic insects made of found buds, pine needles, and ice.
• Lavender shortbread with spring blooms.
• Create the ultimate outdoor living space for spring (and summer) with this giveaway, from Bob Vila. Enter now through March 31.
• Over on Remodelista: budget, completely reversible hacks for the rental apartment.
• How to throw a dinner party in a small space.
• Plus, a new way to get your daily Gardenista fix: Follow us on Flipboard, for magazines including DIY Garden Ideas, Organic Gardening, and Garden Tech.

Recently in Obsessions:

• Current Obsessions: Lucky Streak
• Current Obsessions: In Full Color
• Current Obsessions: Cinephile

Short of standing in front of the house with a plate of chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven, there is no more welcoming way to greet visitors than with a bower of flowers. Here are nine ways to use vines and climbers to create curb appeal:

Hide a Problem

If you have an ugly utility pole blocking your view, a fast-growing vine will mask it quickly; a Solanum jasminoides (potato vine) hides the telephone and electrical wires at my house in Mill Valley, California.

Frame a Fence

Above: If you have a fence or a balcony railing that screams Keep Out, you can lower your voice without sacrificing privacy by planting a flowering climber. Wisteria will thrive in full sun and if it has something to latch onto, can reach a length of 100 feet.

Mix-and-Match on a Wall

Above: A rambler and a climber mingle in Brooklyn Heights. Photograph by Erin Boyle.

To extend bloom time, plant two different varieties of climbing roses against one wall and let them mingle. For more ideas for curb appeal with roses in Brooklyn, see Design Sleuth: 7 Sources for Brooklyn’s Most Beautiful Roses.

Shelter a Stoop

Above: Photograph by Justine Hand. For more, see 10 Easy Perennnials for the Seaside Garden.

Justine inherited a New Dawn climbing rose when she bought her summer cottage on Cape Cod. It serves the same purpose as a covered porch (and is better looking); it shelters visitors and adds visual interest to the facade.

“I wanted a rose-covered cottage, and I got one,” Justine says. “All I do to achieve the profusion shown here is to fertilize my New Dawn once in the spring, and water only in the worst droughts.”

Above: New Dawn also made Janet’s list of 7 Best Climbing Roses because it’s a profuse bloomer that puts on a big show. Another pest-resistant rose that loves bad soil and almost no water is the rambler Dorothy Perkins (ramblers are distinguished from climbing roses by the fact that most aren’t repeat bloomers). Dorothy Perkins, popular in the UK, reaches a height of 12 feet and has sprays of pink flowers;  €24.95 from David Austin UK.

Dress Up a Facade

Less heavy and aggressive than wisteria, a clematis vine will frame a doorway (or in this case, a garage door) without overwhelming it.

Cloak a Railing

Above: Photograph by Nicole Franzen for Gardenista. For more of this Brooklyn garden, see The Magicians: An English Professor and a Novelist Conjure a Garden.

A vigorous vine such as wisteria will grow fast enough to blanket a railing in a single season. (Keep it in check by keeping it away from the house.) The scent is glorious, but wisteria is headstrong. Control growth with pruning. Wisteria Lavender Falls is $25.95 from White Flower Farm.

Fill a Crack

Above: A bleeding heart vine pokes out between two walls–and unites them visually–in Charleston, South Carolina during A Walk in the Neighborhood in Charleston. Photograph by Olivia Rae James for Gardenista.

Perfume the Air

Above: Antebellum mansions and iron fences wear fragrant jasmine in Charleston, South Carolina during A Walk in the Neighborhood. Photograph by Olivia Rae James for Gardenista.

Create a Color Story

In a warm climate, plant a red bougainvillea vine next to a door painted a bright, clear color to create a pleasing contrast. A Red Bougainvillea in a 1-gallon pot is $32.95 from Amazon.

For more of our favorite facades with flowering vines and climbers, see:

• Garden Design Guide: Vines & Climbers.
• 10 Garden Ideas to Steal from Greece.
• The 7 Best Climbing Roses for Your Garden.
• Gardening 101: Wisteria.

Finally, get more ideas on how to plant, grow, and care for various vines and climbers with our Vines & Climbers: A Field Guide.

The head gardener at a large country estate recently asked me what color I’d paint the newly restored gates and railings. I didn’t know what to say. Aren’t railings always black?

Before the middle of the 20th century, ironwork was not black. It was much more likely to be green, gray, or red-brown. A fast-drying black was invented in the 1930s; it was used in architectural circles but there was a slow general take up, due to the war and consequent austerity. Now it is the rule. However, with more research into historical paint colors, the original and often surprising hues are being revived. Patrick Baty, aka Colourman, is no stranger to restoration projects on the grand scale. He takes us on a stroll through town and country and opens our eyes to the knotty subject of painted ironwork.

Photography by Patrick Baty, except where noted.

Finally, learn how to successfully design a fence for any landscape or garden project with our guide to Hardscaping 101: Fences & Gates.

See more ideas for Fences & Gates 101 in our curated guides to Hardscape 101, including:

• Hardscaping 101: Wrought Iron Fences
• Architects’ Secrets: 10 Ideas to Create Privacy in the Garden
• Hardscaping 101: Design Guide for Fences (Height, Styles, and Cost)

John Greenlee paints with grasses. His colorful meadow gardens, created for clients around the world, are environmentally friendly alternatives to a traditional turf lawn. The Bay Area–based garden designer also raises and sells a wide variety of his favorite plants (many of which he has developed himself).

For anyone who wants to create a meadow garden, Greenlee’s books The American Meadow Garden ($38.34 from Amazon) and The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses ($24.90 on Amazon) are indispensable bibles. Last week, we sat down with him and learned eight essential tips about how to replace a turf lawn with a blooming meadow garden:

Photography courtesy of Greenlee & Associates.

Size doesn’t matter.

“The smaller your garden, the more a little meadow makes sense,” says Greenlee. “And in a small space, a meadow is much sexier than a lawn. You can have a lot more interesting things going on in a meadow.”

Tip: In a small garden, keep the design simple. Choose a grass or grasses based on how you want to use a space: Do you want to walk across the meadow every now and again, or do you want to use it as a lawn, or mow a path through it?

Know your site.

“It’s like any other garden project: You have to know your soil, and you have to know your site conditions,” says Greenlee. “Understand how much shade you have and how many hours of shade, know the difference between a side that is in dappled shade and one that is in full sun.”

Tip: Start with the direction your garden faces. Does your garden have an eastern exposure (sun in the morning) or a southern exposure (the hottest) or a western exposure (shade in the morning, sun in the afternoon) or a northern exposure (the least sun)? Study the way the sun falls on your garden: Do you see microclimates that get more or fewer hours of sunlight than the rest of the garden? Look at how trees are sited: Where do they cast shade and at what time of day?

Kill your lawn ruthlessly.

“You have to get back to a clean slate and get rid of not only the living vegetation but also the weed seed that is in the soil and will start growing again as soon as you apply water to it,” says Greenlee. “There are organic ways to get the job done, but it takes time: You can haul away the top eight inches of soil, then start watering and see if anything else comes up. But there’s a carbon footprint to that because you’re hauling all that soil to a landfill.”

Tip: “I say spray Roundup. It’s the last time you’ll need it, and it doesn’t scare me to spray it to make sure all the disturbance ecology (like weed seed) is dead—and then never use it again,” says Greenlee. “If you don’t understand how chemicals work and hear the word ‘Roundup’ you get scared. Yes, constant use of chemicals in agriculture is absolutely a bad thing, but this is different. It’s a hormone that affects living green tissue, so you spray it on a plant that absorbs it and metabolizes it. That causes cell destruction and that plant dies.”

Don’t bother with soil amendment.

“Soil amendment is worthless. Raising a peat bog in Canada and shipping it to California to rototill it into the top eight inches of soil when you want your new roots to grow three feet down is a bad idea,” says Greenlee.

Tip: Instead, cover your dead lawn with bark mulch and plant grasses directly into the dead sod. “Done,” says Greenlee.

Create good bones.

“Grasses and grasslike plants are the backbone of the garden,” says Greenlee. “These are plants that can handle tree-root competition and be evergreen, even with very little water in summertime.”

Tip: Keep an open mind. Members of the lily family can behave like grasses. So can liriopes. So can lomandras (a genus of 51 species perennial herbs native to Australia).

Add seasonal accents.

“While grasses are the backbone of a meadow, the real fun comes in accessorizing them,” says Greenlee. “You can network other plants into the meadow so that no matter how big or small it is, people will look at your little patch of grass ecology and say, ‘look at that gorgeous little meadow.’ “

Tip: Plant spring bulbs, perennials, annuals, and flowering grasses to add successive waves of color to a meadow throughout the seasons.

Embrace a natural look.

“Nature abhors a monoculture, and rarely in nature will you see a monoculture of anything,” says Greenlee. “From a design perspective, make sure your meadow is a mix of plants that looks natural and says iconically, ‘I am a meadow.'”

Tip: To look like a real meadow, your garden must have movement. You’ll get movement from flowers, swaying grasses, and happy clumps of plants that have reseeded themselves.

Maintain the meadow.

I want people to be in my meadow and make pathways through them,” says Greenlee. “If you don’t have pathways, it’s a different kind of maintenance.”

Tip: Mow pathways from four to six times a year. With other grasses, mow once or twice a season or cut back seedheads in winter.

N.B.: For more of our favorite meadow gardens, see Lawn Begone: 7 New Ideas for Front Yard Landscaping and Vineyard Haven: A Napa Valley Garden that Belongs to the Land.

Ikea’s new collections for spring 2018 are sending us a not-so-subliminal message: Throw open the doors and live out on the patio, balcony, or deck.

Here are a few of our favorite new Ikea furnishings and accessories—made of woven rattan, knitted yarn, and watery blue glass—for the outdoor-indoor life (on a budget). Watch for the whole collection to begin available in the next few weeks:

Ikea Plant Stand

Ikea Tray Table

Ikea Knitted Pouf

Ikea Glass Vase

More from Ikea:

• An Insider’s Guide to Getting First Dibs on the Best Ikea Houseplants
• Editors’ Picks: 10 Ikea Favorites for Indoor Gardens
• Ikea: New Patio Furniture for Summer 2017

Mountain Laurel, Kalmia latifolia: “Calico Bush”

The first time I remember seeing mountain laurel blooming in the wild was in a most unlikely habitat, the parking lot of Mount Vernon, George Washington’s historic estate in Virginia high above the Potomac River.  In contrast to the formal, meticulously manicured flower and vegetable gardens inside the historic site, the evergreen shrubs bordering the asphalt were a ragtag bunch.  The mountain laurel was growing on the edge of a scruffy little woods among some other weedy residents. I was able to identify it by its clusters of very distinctive, small, cup-shaped polygon flowers.  The plants were clearly left to grow on their own and the mountain laurel was rather leggy with sparse leaves.  However, even in such challenging circumstances, these plants in bloom were eye catching and appealing.

Is mountain laurel the right shrub for your garden? Read on:

That Kalmia latifolia, which is a native evergreen plant, should be growing on the grounds of an American historic site is totally appropriate since its presence in the colonies was first recorded as early as 1624.  It is the state flower of both Connecticut and Pennsylvania and is a member of a small genus (only seven species) in the Ericaceae family. That makes mountain laurel a relative of other woody shrubs such as blueberries and cranberries as well as rhododendrons and azaleas with which it is often combined in woodland gardens.

Mountain laurel is found in the eastern United States from New England south to Louisiana and the Florida panhandle, where it is found in forest margins, mountain slopes, and cool meadows.  In spring it can be seen in bloom along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina and in the pitch pine forests of upstate New York where it grows abundantly. It is also well suited to the coastal Pacific Northwest, thriving in the cool, moist climate.

Cheat Sheet

• If visitors to your garden include pets or children, be advised that all parts of Kalmia latifolia are poisonous if ingested.
• This plant attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees (although their honey will be toxic and should be avoided).
• Protect the delicate fibrous mountain laurel roots with a 2- to 6-inch layer of mulch.
• This plant cannot tolerate salt so avoid placing it near the ocean or close to roads in cold climates where salt is used to melt snow and ice.

Keep It Alive

• Plant mountain laurel in well-drained, cool, moist, acidic soil in USDA zones 5-9.
• Good drainage is essential to avoid rot. If drainage is an issue in your garden, consider planting this shrub in a raised bed.
• Mountain laurel will grow in deep shade to full sun but is happiest in moderate to partial shade. In full shade it will produce fewer flowers while too-bright sun can cause scorching of the leaves.
• Deadheading spent blooms will increase the next year’s flower production.

While mountain laurel can exceed  30 feet in the wild, in cultivation it rarely grows taller than 10 to 10 feet and seldom requires pruning. However, if your plant is outgrowing its spot in your garden, you can prune it just after flowering down almost to ground level. Kalmia latifolia is a slow grower but tolerates hard pruning very well and will grow again into a large shrub in several years time.

The nickname “calico bush” alludes to the tiny dots and lines on mountain laurel flowers, which are said to resemble the prints on calico fabric.  In addition to their distinctive appearance, the flowers have an unusual way of dispensing pollen. The stamens are arched, their tips held under pressure by the rim at the top of the flower petals.  When a bee or other pollinator lands on the flower, the weight of the insect releases the stamen which flings its load of pollen up like a tiny catapult.

While the flowers, which bloom in late spring, are its most distinctive feature, evergreen mountain laurel provides year-round interest with prominent buds that precede the flowers and brown seedpods which appear in late summer and  remain on the plant throughout the winter. In addition, as the plant ages, its branches can become gnarly with attractive peeling bark.  The flower colors of native mountain laurel species are mainly limited to pink and white but in recent years many hybrids have appeared which have widened the color choices.

Most prominent among hybridizers is Richard A. Jaynes the founder of the Broken Arrow Nursery in Hamden, Connecticut.   On the nursery’s website are listed 21 varieties of Kalmia latifolia which all are the company’s own introductions and include “Firecracker,” a small plant with bright red buds that mature into white flowers, “Minuet” which has deep maroon flowers with white markings, and “Peppermint” with pale pink flowers striped in deep red.  Jaynes is also the author of an exhaustive volume Kalmia Mountain Laurel and Related Species, required reading for the true mountain laurel connoisseur.

Get ideas on how to plant, grow, and care for more of our favorite shrubs and hedges with our Shrubs: A Field Guide. To see how mature shrubs will look in your garden, read:

• • Landscape Ideas: Blazing Color with Red Twig Dogwood, 5 Ways
  • Azaleas 101: A Field Guide to Planting, Care & Design
  • 10 Garden Ideas to Steal from Instagrammers
  • Winter Enchantment: 9 Best Witch Hazels for a Luminous Garden
  • 10 Best Garden Design Ideas for 2018

Organic gardening by definition makes everything happier. Instead of growing plants with the help of harsh chemical fertilizers and pesticides, organic gardeners nourish and replenish the soil with natural methods which are gentle on the environment and create welcoming habitats for insects, birds, and wildlife.

Whether you’re growing edible or ornamental plants, your garden can benefit from these 10 ideas to steal from organic gardeners around the world:

Fruit Cages

Fruit cages are a humane way to keep birds away from your berries. “If you’ve ever tried to grow soft fruits out in the open then you’ll know that birds of all shapes and sizes love delicious ripe berries just as much as we do. And they can strip plants bare with mechanical precision—normally on the very morning that you’ve decided to harvest your crop. So a fruit cage is a must if you want to grow soft fruits on any kind of scale,” writes our contributor Clare Coulson.

For a range of options, see Hardscaping 101: Fruit Cages.

Mown Grass Paths

Easy on the pocketbook as well as the environment, mown grass paths encourage rainwater to percolate back into the soil. See more at Landscape on a Budget: 10 Ideas for Mown Grass Paths.

Biodynamic Methods

A growing number of organic farmers are embracing Austrian philosopher and edible gardener Rudolf Steiner’s principles of biodynamic gardening, writes our contributor Clare Coulson. “Biodynamics is a two-fold approach to growing, whether on farms or on a smaller domestic scale. First, organic preparations are used at different times in the growing cycle. And secondly there is the biodynamic calendar—which encourages growers to look to the cosmos for the optimum planting time—the aspect, perhaps understandably, that prompts criticism  the movement. Of any growing practice or philosophy it is perhaps the most controversial, disputed by some scientists yet revered by the growers who follow it.”

See more in Landscaping 101: Biodynamics for the Edible Garden.

The Ideal Dimensions

If you’re designing a garden with raised bed, “It is vital to be able to reach the center of the beds from either side to avoid stepping on the beds, which compresses the soil,” writes our contributor Clare Coulson. “For most people, this means limiting the width to about four feet. If your bed is only accessible from one side, limit the width to a maximum of three feet.”

See more on the ideal dimensions, at Hardscaping 101: Raised Garden Beds.

Edible Hedges

“Green living fences can border gardens large and small. Is it time choose a hedge instead of a fence?” asks our contributor Jeanne Rostaing. It’s an added bonus when the shrubs in a hedge produce edible fruits. See more in Hardscaping 101: Hedges.

French Intensive Gardening

In the organic garden at Slide Ranch in west Marin County in northern California, ornamental and edible varieties are planted together, a feature of the French intensive gardening method to maximize productivity while minimizing irrigation. See more ways to get the most out of a small space in The Postage Stamp Garden.

Warm Walls

Warm brick walls are a perfect spot to train espaliered fruit trees, writes contributor Clare Coulson. They’ll absorb heat from the sun and hold it (as well as provide a wind break for tender plants).

Wild Farming

At Scribe Winery in northern California, organic farming techniques invite birds and insects into the garden and rows of grapevines. The winery’s owners dub the practice “wild farming,” because it encourages horticultural worlds to collide.

Grid System

“A great kitchen garden depends on a delicate balance, hovering between ‘organized’ and ‘chaos’,” writes our contributor Kendra Wilson. “No matter how decadent the top half is, a grid of sharp lines keeps an edible garden organized at the base.”

The solution? Use permanent landscape edging. For more inspiration, see Hardscaping 101: Metal Landscape Edging.

Simple Materials

Are you designing a new garden, or rehabbing last year’s? Start with our curated Garden Design 101 guides, for growing tips and inspiration for Edible Gardens Design and Hardscape 101 projects including Gravel Gardens, Fences & Gates, and Pavers. See more ideas for designing a sustainable garden:

• 10 Best Garden Design Trends for 2018
• Unconventional Wisdom: 8 Revolutionary Ideas for Your Garden from Thomas Rainer
• 9 Radical Ways to Face Climate Change, with Brooklyn’s Rebecca McMackin
• 10 Ideas to Steal from Botanical Gardens Around the World

There’s no need to sacrifice curb appeal to save water. We rounded up some of our favorite low-water ideas—from check dams to dry streams to drought-tolerant plants that look like sculpture in a landscape—to make your garden feel friendly to both the environment and passersby.

Check Dams

Landscape architect Christine Ten Eyck turned to an ancient technique for conserving water when she built check dams in tiered garden beds (shown above) in her front garden in Austin, Texas.

How do check dams work? First used in dry climates in North Africa in Roman or pre-Roman times, check dams—temporary barriers such as rocks that cause water to pool—slow the rate of runoff and instead direct rainwater flow toward garden plants.

Check dams are particularly effective in sloped gardens where the force of gravity can be counted on to direct water flow. (Ten Eyck’s (the house sits eight feet higher than the street.)

Covering Ground

Ground cover is essential in exposed areas for retaining moisture and preventing soil erosion. Drought tolerant succulents like Sempervivum thrive in an informal setting like this.

Dry Streams

At the Gallica vineyard, a dry creek made of smooth river rocks serves a dual purpose: It directs the flow of rainwater and creates a striking visual element in the landscape.  Edging the dry creek are grasses (clumps of Carex comans ‘Amazon Mist’) and deep purple drifts of Teucrium cossonii ‘Majoricum’.

Decomposed Granite

Soft underfoot, decomposed granite comes in soft, natural colors—shades of gray and tan, mostly—and allows rainwater to percolate into the water table below. See more in our curated design guide to Gravel 101 and in  Hardscaping 101: Decomposed Granite.

Rain Barrels

Collect rainwater in rain barrels or rainwater collection urns and use it to irrigate the garden, cutting down on water bills and wasted runoff.

Artful Arrangements

A wooden-plank trestle table draws the eye to the center of a grove, creating a focal point that makes the landscape feel endless—and endlessly green. Instead of placing furniture at the perimeter of the garden where it creates a visual boundary, site seating and dining areas in an open spot.

Silver Foliage

“Silver- and felty-leafed plants do well in drought, with verbascum providing height here. Deep color thrives in a harsh environment, in the form of blue purple agastache, globes of echinops, and salvia,” writes our contributor Kendra Wilson.

Specimen Plants

A focal plant—such as a potted succulent, like euphorbia, in front of a high hedge of mature ivy—adds a layer of texture and warmth to a gravel courtyard.

For more ideas, see Specimen Trees: Are They Worth It?

Succulents as Art

A vertical garden of succulents creates a focal point on a fence or facade without requiring more than a few inches of depth.

Sculptural Shapes

If you’re designing a water-wise garden or adding water-saving features to an existing landscape, start with our Hardscape 101 design guides, including River Rocks 101 and The New Gravel Backyard. For more reading, see:

• 10 Garden Ideas to Steal from Australia
• Fields of Green: 5 Favorite Lawn Substitutes
• Garden Visit: Drought-Tolerant in Southern California
• Hardscaping 101: Erosion Control

“What sets Cor-ten apart from regular steel–and one of its biggest benefits in the garden–is that it becomes harder and stronger when exposed to weather over time,” writes Meredith.

“Cor-ten is the trade name of a material manufactured by U.S. Steel. But, like Kleenex, the copyrighted name is now commonly invoked to refer to a whole category of products. In Cor-ten’s case, that’s any steel that develops a protective layer of rust when exposed to weather,” she says.

Frost- and crack-resistant, this metal will develop an attractive surface patina but will never rust through. We’ve rounded up 10 stylish hardscape and garden elements—from planters on wheels to metal frames for raised garden beds:

See more of our favorite uses for Cor-ten steel in 10 Genius Garden Hacks with Rusted Metal and Landscaping Ideas: 8 Surprising Ways to Use Cor-ten Steel in a Garden. If you’re planning a hardscape project for spring, see:

• Hardscape 101: A Design Guide to Creating Essential Landscape Elements
• Exteriors & Facades 101
• 10 Easy Pieces: Raised Bed Kits

Cherry Tree, Prunus: “Symbol of Spring”

Of all the spring-flowering trees, cherries are among the most evocative, and symbolic of a new season. Cherry blossom is the national flower of Japan, and that country’s hanami is the blossom-viewing festival whose tradition has spread to all places where cherries are planted en masse. Flowering cherries’ wide variety of sizes and forms suits them beautifully to home gardens, allowing you to celebrate local bloom in your own yard.

Read on to learn more about what cherries to grow for blooming pleasure.

Photography by Marie Viljoen, unless otherwise noted.

Most flowering cherries are Prunus hybrids and cultivars originating in Japan. One of the best ways to familiarize yourself with different cherry habits and bloom times is to visit a local botanic garden or arboretum in early and mid spring. There is no lovelier place to spread a blanket, lie on your back and gaze up at the layers of petal glory.

Until bud-break, though, read on for our top cherry choices and how to keep them flourishing:

Higan: Prunus × subhirtella ‘Autumnalis’

Higan is the magical cherry that will bloom lightly just before winter, confusing and delighting humans. It blossoms again, far more profusely, in mid spring. Unlike many other flowering cherries, Higan has good disease resistance. Their flowers can be single or double, and vary from the palest of pinks to rose.

Prunus ‘Okame’

Prunus ‘Kanzan’

Like all ornamental cherries, ‘Kanzan’ benefits from occasional interior pruning to allow for good air circulation and sunlight penetration (which helps prevent disease); hardy from zones 5 to 9.

 Yoshino: Prunus × yedoensis

Larger than many flowering cherries, Yoshinos top out at about 45 feet. The small, bitter fruit make this cherry a good choice for bird-friendly gardens (and patient jelly makers). It is hardy from zones 5 to 8.

Nanking cherry: Prunus tomentosa

Here is a floriferous cherry whose cold hardiness and abundant, tart, grape-sized fruit make it ideal for very hard winters as well as hungry gardeners. Bushy Nanking cherries create spectacular hedges and are as useful in a kitchen garden as they are for ornament. Plant two or more for best fruit-set. Hardy from zones 3 to 7.

Black Cherry: Prunus serotina

In late summer its fruit ripens to a glossy black, tasting like a cross between ripe plums and bitter grapefruit. This indigenous tree is less prone to the pests that bother flowering cherries. Black cherry is hardy from zones 3 to 9.

Cheat Sheet

• Flowering cherries are relatively fast-growing, making them good choices for short- and medium-term gratification.
• The life expectancy of exotic cherries is around 25 and 50 years.
• Manage your cherry expectations: Like other member of the rose family, the trees are susceptible to pests and diseases and must be monitored carefully for general health.

Keep It Alive

• Most cherries are adaptable when it comes to soil type and pH.
• They appreciate plenty of moisture but do require impeccable drainage—soggy soil will lead to serious problems.
• Full sun (meaning six-plus hours of direct sunlight) is best for optimum cherry health and bloom.
• Test your soil before adding any fertilizer: The test will tell you what is missing, or present, already.
• Feed your tree annually in early spring, before bud break.
• Do give it a top dressing of compost, but do not mound it around the trunk, or it will rot.
• Fungal diseases like brown rot kill branch tips, and affect overall health. Always prune off any diseased or affected twigs and branches.
• In the worst cases a fungicide should be applied.

For more of our favorite flowering trees, see our curated design guide to Trees 101, including Apple Trees 101, Dogwood Trees 101, and Lemon Trees 101. For more inspiration, see:

• Cherry Blossoms: 6 Flowering Trees to Grow at Home
• 8 Cold-Climate Flowering Shrubs and Small Trees for Early Spring
• Flowering Magnolias: 7 Favorite Trees to Plant