Mix things up and add a bit of sparkle to your landscape this season.

You decided to save money or perhaps try something new and ordered bare root plants from a catalog or through the internet. Now you are wondering what to do with them once they arrive.

So what do you do when those bare root perennials, shrubs, roses, or fruit plants you ordered arrive before you and your garden are ready or the weather is suitable for planting? Don’t despair you can preserve your investment with minimal effort.

Reduce maintenance and improve your plants’ health by creating large planting beds around trees and shrubs.

A beautiful landscape can feed your body as well as your mind and spirit, when you include some edible ornamental plants.

As you pack it in for the winter, don’t forget about your garden tools.

The brilliant fall color in our landscapes is a magical transformation that happens each year. And the science behind it all is just as intriguing.

A forsythia bloom in fall? It’s not as unusual as you think.

Is your gardening “To do” list much longer than the time you have to dedicate to caring for your landscape? Consider hiring a professional for large jobs, those that require special skills or for tasks you just don’t like to do.

Mums are the traditional fall flower – but don’t stop there. You can find plenty of plants to add to your landscape’s fall display.

Don’t sacrifice beauty for function when you can have both. Select long blooming shrubs that can screen bad views, create barriers and serve as the framework or a focal point in your landscape.

A break in the cold winter temperatures can be a welcome reprieve for gardeners, but not such a good thing for our spring flowering bulbs.

You don’t need to sacrifice beauty to grow a few edibles in your landscape. Many ornamental plants grown for their beauty also produce edible fruit.

Trees, shrubs and perennials are great for container gardens. But as winter approaches we need to provide a bit of care to help them through the winter.

Use shrubs in the landscape for extra color, a bit of privacy and year round beauty.

Prepare your lawn mower now for the grass cutting season ahead. You will minimize breakdowns, frustration, and improve the health and beauty of your lawn.

All your hard work on the lawn and landscape can be undone with a quick toss of deicing salt. A little care now will eliminate the frustration and time needed next spring to repair winter damaged plants.

They’re cute, they’re furry and they love to eat – the plants in your landscape. At any time of year you may find yourself doing battle with the rabbits, deer, or other wildlife.

Tame those floppy potentilla and spirea and bring other overgrown summer flowering shrubs down to size in late winter through early spring.

Late spring is the time to bring overgrown lilacs, forsythia and other spring blooming shrubs down to size.

Add a bit of season long color to your landscape with purple leafed shrubs.

Rake your way to a healthy lawn. As the snow recedes from the lawn break out the leaf rake and fluff up the grass. This helps reduce the risk of pink and gray snow mold developing and damaging your lawn. These fungal diseases are most common when heavy snow falls or ice covers non-frozen turf or after late winter snow storms. The damage is usually seen where snow lingers late in the season. Symptoms appear as circular areas of matted brown grass. You may even see a gray or pink cobweb-like growth over these areas. A light raking dries the grass, making it less susceptible to these diseases.

Don’t drag that Christmas tree to the curb. Give it a second life in your landscape.

Cut trees make great windbreaks in the landscape. Strategically place discarded Christmas trees on the windward side of rhododendron, boxwood and other broadleaf evergreens to reduce problems with winter burn.

We walk on it, play sports on it and expect it to look great all year long – our lawns.

Add structure and a year round framework to your shady landscape with shrubs.

Birds can add color and motion to your landscape year round. Planting shrubs that provide food and shelter is an easy and affordable way to bring birds into your backyard.

Your mailbox and dining room table are overflowing with catalogs filled with pictures of beautiful flowers and scrumptious vegetables. With so many choices it can be a bit overwhelming – I can help.

Moving trees and shrubs can be tricky and heavy work. Make the move in spring before growth begins or in fall as the plants go dormant for greatest success.

Walk off some of those holiday calories and gather ideas for your garden. Look for trees and shrubs that provide interesting form, bark and texture in the winter.

Tired of constant pruning or need a change from those green gumdrops, hockey pucks and meatballs? With a bit of time and patience you can convert these back to their natural beauty.

Missing bark at the base of trees and shrubs, damaged perennial roots, and trails in the lawn are sure signs that voles have been at work.

Save energy, care for new trees, and conserve water in one easy step.

Make this the fall you protect your evergreens before winter winds and snowloads cause your arborvitae to split and rhododendrons to wither.

Help your roses through the winter and be rewarded with beautiful blooms next season.