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1 month ago | 
finegardening.com | Danielle Sherry
What’s worse than deep, dark shade when you’re a gardener? The answer is simple for many folks: clay soil. Clay soil has a reputation for being one of the most difficult soil types to garden in. It’s heavy, dense, and tends to drain poorly, leaving plant roots vulnerable to rot in wet conditions and compacting to the point of concrete in dry spells. But despite its drawbacks, clay soil is not a curse—it’s a complex condition to deal with.
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Feb 10, 2025 | 
finegardening.com | Danielle Sherry
Patch of lawn, concrete sidewalk. Patch of lawn, asphalt driveway. Patch of lawn, concrete sidewalk. If this sounds familiar, that’s probably because you’ve driven through any standard suburban neighborhood across North America. But it doesn’t have to be this way. This past year I was visiting Madison, Wisconsin, and experienced that all-too-familiar malaise of seeing postage-stamp front lawns surrounded by concrete over and over again.
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Feb 10, 2025 | 
finegardening.com | Danielle Sherry |Christine Alexander
When Jeff Epping and his family first moved into their home on a quaint street in Madison, Wisconsin, the front yard was, well, less than stellar—especially for a man whose career was horticulture. “It had a boring patch of bluegrass lawn with ragged foundation plantings typical of many suburban houses,” Jeff says.
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Feb 10, 2025 | 
finegardening.com | Danielle Sherry |Christine Alexander
If ever there was a quintessential, charming Midwestern neighborhood, it quite possibly might be the one that John Mathews and his family live in. The homes along the tree-lined streets vary widely in style—from low-slung bungalows to traditional Capes. But the front yards? Those are all pretty standard fare. That is, until you pull up in front of the textural quilt that frames John’s house.
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Dec 9, 2024 | 
finegardening.com | Danielle Sherry |Christine Alexander
This garden, crafted by Jay Sifford, embodies a dream of blending the lush, shaded feel of the Pacific Northwest with the humid subtropical conditions of North Carolina. Featuring Japanese maples, conifers, and an array of ferns, this oasis brings a cool and calming greenery to a region more known for its warm climate.
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Oct 29, 2024 | 
finegardening.com | Danielle Sherry |Christine Alexander
When we say “foundation plants” you might think we’re talking about plants that are the backbones of our beds and borders. But that’s not what we mean in this instance. Today we’re discussing plants that are perfect for planting around your home’s foundation. These selections need to adhere to a certain set of requirements: they can’t get too big; they can’t be too small; they can’t have aggressive root systems; they must have multiple seasons of interest.
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Sep 24, 2024 | 
finegardening.com | Danielle Sherry |Christine Alexander
“I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done.” Lucille Ball said this in an interview during the peak of her fame in the 1950s. More than half a century later, the quote came to mind as I was walking around my property, thinking about my garden regrets. I regret not amending my soil as well as I should. I regret not having a landscape plan before putting plants in the ground. I regret not having more conifers.
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Aug 29, 2024 | 
finegardening.com | Danielle Sherry |Christine Alexander
“Uncontrollable changes in a garden are inevitable and wonderful opportunities,” says Donald Pell, a landscape designer in Chester County, Pennsylvania. To prove this is true, Donald and his associates created an incredible series of naturalistic gardens around their studio. This landscape has become an invaluable laboratory where Donald and his team learn from failures and from the many years of watching this landscape design evolve.
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Aug 23, 2024 | 
finegardening.com | Kimberly Toscano |Danielle Sherry
With growing interest in waterwise gardening and water conservation, homeowners are looking for alternatives to water-hogging lawns, which are not always necessary or practical. Turfgrass can often be replaced by native grass species, ground covers, or hardscape materials and still meet your individual needs. When selecting lawn replacements, it is important to consider the various roles lawns play in the landscape and plan accordingly.
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Aug 7, 2024 | 
finegardening.com | Danielle Sherry |Christine Alexander
Susan Calhoun’s garden in Poulsbo, Washington started out as an ugly patch of lawn that stretched along a property line. It was close to the shoreline and extremely close to a neighboring house. She craved privacy and four-season appeal but didn’t want to install a heavy line of shrubs or trees and create a claustrophobic “garden room.” Always having been a big fan of ornamental grasses and their undeniable texture, Susan decided to build a double border with grasses as the backbone.
