Gardening How-to Articles

Create a habitat for pollinators as well as the amazing array of less beloved, but still important, insects out there. Read › Make Your Garden a Haven for Insect Diversity

Early-blooming wildflowers like Virginia bluebells, spring beauty, and trout lily are harbingers of spring in the forest. Conserving them is important, and you can help do so by planting them in your garden. Read › Native Spring Ephemerals

Native plants are highly recommended for rain gardens because they are more pest resistant than nonnatives, require no fertilizer, and provide habitat for birds, butterflies, and other pollinators. Read › Native Plants for New York City Rain Gardens

Including pitcher plants, flytraps and other carnivorous plants in floral arrangements is very doable, and the results make wonderful, distinctive wedding centerpieces. Read about how I created our centerpieces and how you can do something similar. Read › Using Carnivorous Plants for Wedding Centerpieces

These hardy, sun-loving natives provide cool contrast to autumn foliage. Read › Asters: Stars of the Show in Fall

A member of the Amsonia genus, bluestar looks lovely year round. Plant it in border, container, or rain garden. Butterflies and hummingbirds love it. Read › Bluestar: A Native Perennial with Spring Flowers and Fall Color

This lovely native shrub produces exquisite late-spring flowers, and it can thrive in a wide range of locations, including small, shady Brooklyn gardens. Read › Mountain Laurel: A Shade-Tolerant Native With Beautiful Blossoms

Ferns make great garden plants. Here's what you need to know to select and care for them. Read › How to Grow Ferns in Your Garden

Witch-hazels flower when few other plants do, and there are two native species that make wonderful garden shrubs. Read › Native Witch-Hazel

When properly selected and planted, sedge lawns require little or no mowing, fertilizing, or chemicals, and some require less water than conventional turf. Read › Sedge Lawns: A Sustainable, Low-Maintenance Alternative to Grass