Ellen Wells

6 days ago | homesandgardens.com | Ellen Wells

If you love the idea of having fresh veg ready for the grill or picking your own plump juicy berries to top your morning yogurt, growing your own fruits and vegetables is the ultimate in flexibility. Your home doesn’t have to look farm-like either, thanks to crops we call edimentals. The East Coast has a cornucopia of edible crops that also look right at home tucked in with your ornamental plantings. Plant some leafy greens among your perennials and your neighbors will be none the wiser.

6 days ago | inkl.com | Ellen Wells

Hands holding freshly harvested asparagus spears. If you love the idea of having fresh veg ready for the grill or picking your own plump juicy berries to top your morning yogurt, growing your own fruits and vegetables is the ultimate in flexibility. Your home doesn’t have to look farm-like either, thanks to crops we call edimentals. The East Coast has a cornucopia of edible crops that also look right at home tucked in with your ornamental plantings.

1 week ago | gardeningknowhow.com | Ellen Wells

There’s so much that you do to support your region’s pollinating creatures. You plant pollinator-attracting annuals, perennials, and natives that give them food and nectar. You even provide materials they can use for nesting and shelter. There’s one more area, though, that many gardeners overlook. Pollinators need water. Just as you reach for a glass of water during the day to quench your thirst, pollinating insects and birds need water to accompany their metabolic processes.

2 weeks ago | homesandgardens.com | Ellen Wells

The color blue is pretty rare in nature, but the blue of lobelia (Lobelia erinus) is on the mark. This vibrant, low-growing annual brightens garden beds, borders, pots and even hanging baskets. It’s a favorite of gardeners and designers for its compact yet trailing habit, making it a star along walkways and mixed containers. Native to southern Africa, the annual lobelia actually thrives in cooler climates, providing a much-need pop of blue from spring through early summer, and once again in fall.

3 weeks ago | homesandgardens.com | Ellen Wells

Tecomaria capensis, commonly known as cape honeysuckle, is a fast-growing, evergreen or semi-evergreen shrub native to southern Africa. Brimming with vibrant, trumpet-shaped flowers in hues of orange and yellow, it adds a burst of color to gardens and attracts hummingbirds, butterflies and bees. Cape honeysuckle thrives in the warm sunny climates of USDA zones 9-11, but is no stranger to cooler regions grown as stunning container plant. It's not all flowery flash though.