shrubs Archives - Karen Hugg

The east side of a house is a beautiful place. It might be a narrow walkway between homes or a border at the front entry, or in my case, a patch of lawn where the dogs run. Regardless, an eastern exposure is a wonderful gardening thing. Why? Because plants get morning sun but are protected from afternoon blasts of heat. Also, the east side is often sheltered from harsh winds. It’s like the Goldilock’s bed of growing conditions. If you’re […]

Gardening

How to Avoid the 8 Mistakes New Gardeners Make

March 29, 2024March 29, 2024

New shade border of heucheras, hosta, japanese forest greass, hydrangea, pieris, sarcoccoca

Hi all, it’s spring again and I thought some folks might benefit from a shortened version of an article I wrote for The Washington Post last year. It’s about the biggest mistakes new gardeners make and how to avoid them. These are things I saw often when working with clients. If you have questions, ask me in the comments and I’ll respond. Cheers! 1 Not figuring out what kind of soil you have If you plant sun-loving perennials that like […]

Gardening

How to Install a Gravel Path in the Garden

March 18, 2023March 18, 2023

My husband had always wanted a path on the side of our house. The side yard was dappled shade, growing a thin layer of grass in summer that faded to mud in winter. But instead of calling an expensive contractor, I decided to take on the task of installing a path myself. I thought a lot about the choice of materials. While concrete was appealing because of its permanence, I was reluctant to pave more earth and create more runoff. […]

Gardening

7 Outstanding Plants For Early Fall Blooms

September 3, 2022March 22, 2024

At this time of year, most blooming plants have finished their show and are just enduring the heat until the rains come. Buddleia, phygelius, fuchsia, echinacea, and cistus still offer a few blooms, thank goodness, but late summer / early fall is not when they shine. Here are 7 of my favorite plants that bloom in late August or early September in my garden. Silk Tree Albizia julibrissin, or Silk Tree (above photo), is an elegant, feathery tree that has […]

Gardening

3 Beautiful Blue Plants That Will Survive a Heat Wave

July 18, 2022July 18, 2022

As much of the U.S. (and Europe) copes with warmer heat waves, you may be looking for plants that can thrive in hot sun. Blue plants often fit this profile since they create a waxy coating that protects them from hot sun and helps them hold water. And what’s even more enjoyable for us is that waxy coating makes them appear blue, thus creating an unusually pretty accent in the garden. So if you want a tough, interesting looking plant, […]