Backyard Stories

Every garden has a story, and that's why we created Backyard Stories. Explore our collection of real-life gardening tales told from the backyards of gardeners we know and love, featuring all the ups and downs, trials and errors, hits and misses, and more.

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  • Ebony Blooms
    Four black tulips on stems against a white background
    I have always had a fascination with black flowers and foliage. I suppose this is because the hue is not something normally observed in nature. . . .
  • Spring Woodland Wildflowers Of Michigan
    White trillium flowers growing on the forest floor with a small path running down the middle
    It would be impossible to pick one native plant I love best in my home state of Michigan. As a group, my favorites are definitely . . .
  • My Noisy Garden Is Good For My Health
    A beautiful garden full of blooming flowers
    “Stop and smell the roses” is a familiar gardening metaphor meant to remind us that life is short, and we should make the time to . . .
  • Creative Ways To Keep Plants Warm
    A camellia bud and leaves covered in frost
    Although I don’t grow vegetables currently, I still like to extend my garden’s growing season. I live and garden in Michigan, and the longer I . . .
  • And The Lemon Flower Is Sweet
    A closeup shot of three white Meyer lemon blossoms blooming on a tree
    I have many bigger trees in my garden. I have bushier trees, taller trees, and even trees with more flowers on them. The primary fragrance . . .
  • The Rewarding Battle Of Starting Seeds Indoors
    Countless tiny seedlings growing in seed trays
    It’s nearing that time of year again. Soon enough there will be seed starting trays covering my kitchen table until it’s warm enough outdoors for . . .
  • Plants With Personality
    A Christmas cactus in full bloom in a brown pot on a windowsill
    Who can resist a little anthropomorphism? It seems to be human nature to assign our mannerisms to inanimate objects. That is probably why ships are . . .
  • Which Is Better?
    A lettuce seedling with root ball intact waits to be transplanted into a garden
    When mulling the question of whether I prefer planting from seed or transplants, I have to think back on which I do the most, and . . .
  • The Seedy Side Of Town
    A large black binder with a label on the front that reads "Now Entering the SEEDY Side of Town"
    I love plant seeds! Probably a little too much. Vegetable seeds. Flower seeds. Herb seeds. Any seeds. I love them all! And I have many. . . .
  • High Yield Flowers For The Home Cutting Garden
    Many multicolored zinna flowers growing in a garden
    Over the years, my cut flower garden has grown to encompass nearly every bit of usable space within my small backyard. Though there are several . . .
  • My Grandmother’s Flowers
    Two clusters of orange trumpet vine flowers blooming on the vine
    Perhaps it’s because I’m a gardener, but plants and flowers evoke special memories for me. Orange trumpet creeper vines (Campsis radicans) are one such flower. . . .
  • Mass Planting Spring Crocus
    Many purple crocus flowers blooming on a lawn
    Spring flowering bulbs are an excellent source of early season color in the landscape. Often among the first plants to awaken and begin flowering, spring . . .
  • Animals Or Vegetables?
    A deer munching on the leaves of a low growing bush
    Two of the most destructive types of wildlife in my garden are rabbits and deer. I hesitate to call them pests because they are native . . .
  • Wintertime Is Planning Time
    Many spikes of delphinium flowers in shades of purple, pink, white, and blue
    For a gardener, winter has its downsides, but also some perks. Winter is a time to take a break from all the gardening chores as . . .
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