Spring has been incredible at The Garden Guy’s house, and I am absolutely thankful for the Superbena Stormburst verbena. Swallowtails and hummingbirds came really early this year, not only in Georgia but throughout the Southeast.

So while I have been waiting for lantanas, salvias, agastaches and cupheas to reach the blooming stage, the ...Read more

Petunias for pollinators could be paradise.

At least it seems this way at The Garden Guy’s house.

First off, my wife, Jan, and I are having the most beautiful spring. Not too long ago I wrote a column that planting a fall crop of Supertunias was a great idea. That is proving to be a huge understatement. The October planting survived the ...Read more

The Garden Guy traveled for a few days to speak in Lafayette, Louisiana, LA and returned home to see my "punch" had exploded in color. I am referring to Superbells Calibrachoas Pomegranate Punch, Grape Punch and Tangerine Punch. There are seven punch selections in what has now become a whopping 42 varieties of Superbells.

They are all so rich ...Read more

Dad, you’ve got to come look at this spring combination, said my color deign guru son, James. It made me want to scream wow because it was so beautiful. He chuckled, saying it was kind of an accident. The stunning partnership featured Double Play Candy Corn spirea and Primo Wild Rose heuchera. One of his crew had cut the spirea to the ground ...Read more

SAN DIEGO — Jim Usita didn't have to pay for anything he used to build his community garden — his sink, flower pots, drip irrigation system, white picket fence, even his American flag décor.

"That wood came from McDonald's. McDonald's was renovating, so I asked if I could take that plywood and I made a flag out of it," he said, chuckling. ...Read more

On more than one occasion I have been guilty of warning gardeners about the perils of being out phloxed by their neighbors. If this happens your neighbors will certainly have the MOST dazzling landscape in the neighborhood. Should you feel that this danger is creeping upon you and your flower border, then-remember the variety Intensia.

The ...Read more

Machu Morado is one of the most intriguing new plants in both name and performance. In reality it is a dream come true but I’ll explain. First it is a Mexican petunia or Ruellia, the gregarious "Uncle Buck" of the Acanthus family. A lot of gardening folks think it is a petunia.

These are the purple blue flowers that look so mystical in color ...Read more

It’s fun to see what all of the horticultural pundits write about after the plant trials run their course across the country. I can tell you that Medusa was, and still is, the talk of the town. I know you are already wondering Medusa who, and does she have snakes coming out of her head? The answer is NO and she is Sweet Caroline Medusa Green ...Read more

A quinceanera is a celebration of a girl’s 15th birthday, with its cultural roots in Mexico and throughout Latin America. While I am not exactly sure of the birthday, it was 15 years ago that our girl of the plant world Senorita Rosalita cleome won her first award. Today she has won 237 of the top awards in the country and forever changed the ...Read more

The Garden Guy was looking at photos of last year’s trials and I was struck by one of a Mecardonia. I have never written about this plant and was thinking there is a great chance for my readers who do not know about how wonderful and tough as nails this flower is, particularly the award-winning variety GoldDust.

GoldDust, a Proven Winners ...Read more

The National Garden Bureau has declared 2021 "The Year of the Hardy Hibiscus" and The Garden Guy thinks this is absolutely terrific. Actually, I would go a-step further and say it is Summerific!

By hardy hibiscus, the bureau is referring to those with native DNA. You may not be aware but the hardy hibiscus commonly referred to as rose mallow is...Read more

Two Garden Treasures have come together for a magnificent purpose and that is getting food to those who need it most. It is a story that is still being written and one that will tug at gardeners' hearts across the country.

The first Garden Treasure is so aptly named. It is a tomato out of the University of Florida breeding line. It checks off ...Read more

Last summer as my wife Jan and I were relaxing on the patio, a little breeze suddenly placed us under the spell of a smell, a most tantalizing fragrance. If you have ever heard that old phrase "does your nose know what my nose knows," I can tell you her nose knows a lot more than most and she was ecstatic.

This botanical treat was coming ...Read more

Just saying the word coral sun warms the spirit and makes one forget the impending split of the polar vortex and plunge into a deep winter. Yes, coral sun conjures up a vision of a South Pacific sunset, sitting on a beach with an adult fruit drink with one of those tiny umbrellas.

Let me assure you that name also gives you the promise of ...Read more