First off, why would you need to change the blade on your secateurs? And the answer is if the blade has been damaged to the…

I’ve written several posts about secateurs (sometimes called pruners, even though technically a pruner is a person who is pruning–the tool used to prune is…

I have lots of cedars and a pretty small plot of land, so I’ve had to learn how to prune them. I have so many…

A trowel is a small shovel that fits in your hand. It’s one of my most reached for tools. The only other tools I use…

Filling planters with holiday arrangements marks the start of the Christmas season for me. I’ve been busy doing just that for the past couple weekends,…

Raking leaves is as much a part of our collective idea of “fall” as drinking hot chocolate is part of our idea of what’s supposed…

I like to move and/or divide most perennial plants in early spring, as close to when they emerge from the ground as possible, as I…

Succulent plants, especially members of the echeveria family, have become hugely popular the last few years, as well they should. They grow with next to…

I’ve been checking the weather forecast several times a day lately as I’m on the lookout for frost. I have my old sheets and burlap…

I love the look of ornamental grasses, especially in late summer and into fall when the plumes develop. When the sun hits them the right…

Tulips are the tempermental stars of the spring garden. They put on a gorgeous show but then, if you don’t treat them just right, they…

Whether you’ve just moved into a new garden where everything’s a mystery, or see something unfamiliar sprouting in a garden you’ve had for years, a…

It is infinitely more enjoyable, and better for your plants, to use sharp secateurs than dull ones. I’ve written elsewhere about how to choose a…