Master Gardener sharing garden inspiration and helpful tips for growing your own garden.
10 Cool-Season Flowers That Love Mild Winters Although summers are hot in the low desert, our winters are mild. Several beautiful flowers grow well during the mild winter and bloom through early spring. In this post, I share my 10 favorite cool-season flowers that love mild winters. Keep reading to the end for my honorable-mention choices […] Read more…
Sunflowers are simple to grow and the seeds are a delicious snack too. Keep reading to learn how to grow edible sunflower seeds, when to harvest sunflowers for the plumpest kernels, and how to roast edible sunflower seeds. Disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more information. How to Grow, Harvest, and Roast […] Read more…
Heat-loving and drought-tolerant, strawflowers grow well in areas with hot summers (cue my happy dance!) Brightly-colored concentric rings adorn these tall stemmed beauties. This Australian native is also called “Everlasting flower” or “paper flower”. Strawflowers are an excellent choice for a cutting garden and provide long lasting blooms in the garden as well. Learn how […] Read more…
On a whim, I picked up a 6 pack of lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) at a local nursery several years ago. It was worth a try to see if they would survive the incredibly hot summers here in the low desert of Arizona. I wasn’t sure how to grow lisianthus, and was shocked when they grew […] Read more…
When I first saw the gorgeous blooms on ranunculus flowers, I didn’t think it was possible to grow them here in the low desert of Arizona. I’m glad I was wrong. Learning how to grow ranunculus is easier than you think. The stunning rose-like blooms with tissue-thin petals almost don’t look real. Ranunculus blooms come […] Read more…
Looking for a flower that doesn’t mind the heat? Tithonia (also known as Mexican sunflower) is a drought-tolerant and heat-loving annual plant native to Mexico and Central America. Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds love the bright blooms. Tall branching plants bloom for several months (right up until frost), and make an excellent cut flower. Learn how […] Read more…
Would you like to grow something unique? Learn how to grow toothache plant. Spilanthes is a heat-loving flower commonly called “toothache plant” due to the numbing sensation experienced after eating the leaves or flowers. Toothache plant contains a natural analgesic within its spicy and slightly bitter-tasting leaves and blooms. Learn how to grow toothache plant with these […] Read more…
Chamomile’s daisy-like flowers are a beautiful and practical addition to your garden. Roman and German chamomile are two common types of this popular herb. Learn differences between the two types and how to grow chamomile with these 5 tips. Disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more information. 5 Tips for How to […] Read more…
One of my earliest gardening memories is planting violas with my grandma in her flower garden in early spring. The name viola is a common name for the flower family “Violaceae”, which includes Johnny jump-up, pansies, violas, violets, and many others. These cheerful, edible, cool-season flowers are easy to grow and a delight in the garden. […] Read more…
Borage is a quick-growing herb that is easy to add to your garden. Pollinators love this annual herb with beautiful blue flowers. Borage leaves and flowers have a mild cucumber flavor and are a tasty addition to drinks, salads, and more. Learn how to grow borage outside and in containers with these 5 tips. Disclaimer: […] Read more…