Planting Archives

Foodscaping in Containers is a great way to maximize beauty and bounty throughout the growing season. - National Garden Bureau

How to Foodscape in Containers

Foodscaping is a great way to maximize beauty and bounty throughout the growing season. The Foodscape concept is simple: combine ornamental and edible plants together. It is all about making the most of the square footage you have access to, and containers are an ideal place to start! Before you get started planting foodscape combinations,...

Shrubs for Cutting Gardens: Roses, Hydrangeas, and Other Long-Lasting Flowers

Design a cut flower garden with flowering shrubs that make fantastic flower arrangements If you grow hydrangea, spirea, flowering quince, or forsythia in your garden, your vases will overflow with beautiful blooms. Is there any greater pleasure for a gardener than harvesting and enjoying homegrown bounty, whether it’s a sun-warmed tomato or an armful of...

Growing and Enjoying Luffa Sponges

DIY Crafts & Gifts, Vegetables

Growing your own supply of natural sponges is easy and fun. Luffa (loofah) sponges do not come from the sea but from the vegetable garden. These natural scrubbers belong in the family of plants that include gourds, squashes, pumpkins, cucumbers, and melons. They are most closely related to cucumbers in appearance and growing habits. They...

Top 5 Flowers for Mother’s Day (plus Teachers, Nurses, and Armed Forces)

Flower Gardening

From carnations to tulips, bouquets to baskets, flowers are a time-honored gift for Mother’s Day. But what if you want to approach your floral gift-giving in a new and inspired way this year? We suggest that you leave the carnations and bouquets behind and opt for vibrant flowers potted in containers or given as a...

How to create a Kid's Storybook Gardens - Ideas for Kids Garden - National Garden Bureau

Storybook Gardens: The Cutest New Idea for Kids’ Gardens

Flower Gardening, Kid's Gardening

Storybook Garden Ideas for Your Kids! Storybook Gardens: The Cutest New Idea for Kids’ Gardens Encourage the love of reading and gardening with your favorite little people by pairing perfect books with great outdoor adventures! It’s easy to design and plant a creative play space based on beloved children’s storybooks. From how-to books for the...

Growing Hardy Hibiscus from Seed - National Garden Bureau

Grow Hardy Hibiscus from Seed!

Flower Gardening, Perennials, Seeds and Seed Starting

Easy Steps to Grow Your Own Hardy Hibiscus Yes, You Can Grow Hardy Hibiscus from Seed! When it comes to adding drama and flair to the garden, you don’t need to look any further than this year's featured flowering shrub; our very own, native Hardy Hibiscus. Hardy Hibiscus are deciduous shrubs, perennial in zones 4-9...

Ten Victorian Flowers We Still Love

Flower Gardening

Top 10 Victorian Flowers We Still Grow Today! How Victorian Flowers were Brought to Our Garden In the early decades of the nineteenth century gardeners cultivated vegetables and herbs. There was little time or energy for flower gardening since most of the population lived on farms where working the soil took up most hours of the...

Companions for NGB’s Plants of the Year

Garden Planning & Design, Planting Tips

Love This? Plant These, Too! Companions for Our Plants of the Year It’s a Major Award—but you’re the one who wins! Each year, National Garden Bureau selects five top-performing plants, designating them with the “Year of” status. One edible, one annual, one perennial, one bulb, and one shrub achieve the coveted “Year of” status. For...

Sweet Potato The Super Food - National Garden Bureau

Hidden Treasures

Recipes, Vegetables

Sweet Potato the Super Food Last year I utilized the new Treasure Island Sweet Potato vines in my patio containers and this gardener found a new appreciation for these tuberous vegetables. And I’m ready to celebrate this superfood with my fellow gardeners. This root vegetable has seen an increase in popularity, especially compared to ‘regular’...

The Inside Scoop for Buying Seeds & Plants - National Garden Bureau

Ask The Experts…about #SeedFacts

Seeds and Seed Starting

The “Inside Scoop” on seed and plant buying! #seedfacts How do I know if the seed I’m ordering is fresh? Look at the seed package date and if it lists a “Packed for” date, you’ll know exactly which garden season it was packed for. If you have not yet ordered, ask that question of customer...