Replacing my old fence with a taller cedar fence gave me more than privacy. It gave me back control of my yard—and made it a place I could actually use.

Dahlias are spectacular, flamboyant, thirsty, demanding, and completely worth the trouble. Here’s what I’ve learned about growing these glorious garden prima donnas.

Inherited landscaping doesn't have to stay—or go. Learn how to evaluate existing landscape plants, decide what to keep, and build a landscape that works for you.

Foundation planting isn't about hiding your foundation—it's about solving problems. Follow along as I research, plant, and battle an underground network of Chinese elm roots to create a low-maintenance foundation planting that frames my home, guides visitors to the front door, and leaves room for the garden I envisioned.

I started having nightmares about the trees in my front yard. In them, I could hear the roots growing into my foundation. The trees leaned over my little ranch house until the house almost disappeared beneath them. I tried to start a garden but all my plants withered and died. So I declared war earlier than planned.

In Part 1 we learned how to tell the difference between ordinary weeds and invasive plants. Now comes the important part: getting rid of them before they take over your yard.

Invasive plants don’t just look messy—they can destroy ecosystems, damage property, and create years of expensive maintenance headaches. In Dealing with Invasive Plants, Part 1, learn how aggressive plants like kudzu spread, why some invasive species became such massive problems in the U.S., and what homeowners should know before planting anything that grows “a little too well.”

Learn how to choose foundation plants that fit your home, climate, and maintenance tolerance. This beginner-friendly guide covers anchor plants, evergreen shrubs, hydrangeas, fire-resistant landscaping ideas, and practical tips for creating a balanced, low-maintenance foundation planting.

Most homes look off because of the plants, not the house. Poor sizing, bad placement, and over-pruning create a landscape that fights the structure. This guide shows how to choose foundation and anchor plants that fit your space, reduce maintenance, and create a clean, cohesive look using proper planning, spacing, and plant selection.

Learn how to choose the right tree for your yard by evaluating size, roots, maintenance, and long-term impact before you plant.

This post is about why people plant trees...and how that decision can go spectacularly wrong. Because, if you get it wrong, you’re not just planting a tree—you’re planting a future expense, a maintenance headache, or a full-blown property problem.

A week after Phase One of Operation Garden wrapped, my oakleaf hydrangeas arrived—big, healthy, three-year-old plants from a local nursery. I splurged on the larger size, and honestly? Worth every penny the moment they went in the ground.

One of the biggest reasons for buying a single family home was to get a yard where I could garden. My new home’s yard was in abysmal shape but had fabulous garden potential. Here’s how I started to claw the yard back from decades of neglect.

After a decade of creating a huge suburban garden, I lived in a series of apartments where I couldn’t garden. Here’s how I re-educated my green thumb to design a garden that thrived in an urban space.