Gardening Archives

Get Out Your Gardening Gloves! Follow Our Spring Flower and Fruit Planting Guide Per Region

Spring is the season of renewal and celebration. The world is once again fragrant and green and full of beautiful flowers. Even the occasional rain shower is welcomed — after all, the plants and flowers need water to flourish.

From avid gardeners to people who just like to look at and smell flowers, nurturing a garden carries with it lots of benefits: It brings beauty into the world, can improve your mood, and even provides fresh flowers and food for your enjoyment.

This guide highlights the best plants for your growing region and provides tips on how to care for them.

planting guide with usda plant hardiness zone map

Get in the zone

First, take the time to “get to know your zone” when planting outside, says Renato Cruz Sogueco, vice president of digital strategy and education at BloomNet. If you don’t know your zone, simply ask at your local garden center or input your zip code on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone website. You can also refer to the above map. Knowing your zone is the key to success, as it allows you to select plants that will thrive in your garden and are right for your location.

Zone information will also help you calculate your growing season, and identifies your first and last hard freeze dates. The period in between the freeze dates is your season. For example, in Philadelphia, garden zone 5B shows it is safe to plant between April 15 and Oct. 15.

Location, location, location

Another key to planting success is choosing the right location in your yard. Most flowers and fruit plants are easy to care for when placed in the optimal spot.Regardless of where you live, it is important to always read plant tags and descriptions. Most plants fail not from lack of care but from being placed in the wrong place in your yard. Plants meant for other growing zones should also not be purchased. If the information is not listed, a good rule of thumb is that most flowers and fruit plants require at least six hours of sunshine and good drainage.

Drainage is important, as very few plants like having their roots sitting in water. If you are planting in the ground, an easy test is to dig a hole and fill it with water. If it drains easily, it’s ready to plant in the ground. If it does not, you can either choose a different location or amend your soil with heavy bark or gravel.

For containers, you can drill extra drainage holes with a power drill or add a layer of small gravel to the bottom of your pot. Smaller planted pots can be moved indoors to decorate your home when in bloom.

Planting seeds and plants

As soon as late winter, you can start seeds and small plants indoors or prepare your garden plot for your growing season. Make sure to select seeds that are meant for your growing zone.

Also, when purchasing new plants, choose smaller-sized plants. This will save you time and energy not having to dig larger holes. And, with proper care, your plants will quickly grow and blossom.

Regional planting guide

Want to know what spring flowers and fruit plants to choose based on where you live? Here is a region-by-region listing of some of the more popular spring plants and fruit trees for you to consider, along with gardening tips.

Northeast planting guide

Flowers

When it comes to gorgeous spring blooms, the Northeast has some real showstoppers. Peonies, hellebores, cyclamen, and primroses can all be planted this time of year. Peonies are Ghitelman’s favorite spring flowers. “They come in many varieties and colors, and the scent of these beauties is simply mesmerizing,” she says. Peonies are easily made into beautiful bouquets because not only are their ruffled blooms gorgeous but their greenery is also attractive.

Flowering shrubs are another favorite. These plants have a spring flush, which occurs when flowers in a garden grow quickly and suddenly, giving it beauty and structure. They also re-bloom throughout the season.

planting guide with Classic Budding Rose — Classic Budding Rose

planting guide with Garden Hydrangea — Garden Hydrangea

planting guide pretty pink azalea — Pretty Pink Azalea

Azaleas, spirea, and hydrangeas are steady bloomers, and come in dwarf varieties that are perfect for containers and small space gardens.

Daisies are a popular choice for northeast gardens because they are easy to grow, bright and cheerful, and work well as borders or to fill in a garden space. They also bring life to a yard, attract wildlife and pollinators, and can be brought indoors for short periods if planted in small pots.

Flowers to plant: Peonies, dahlias, sunflowers, zinnias, bachelor buttons, roses, lavender, azaleas, hydrangeas, spirea, pansies, hellebores, primroses

Fruit

Flowering fruit trees, such as plum and cherry, are an easy and beautiful addition to your yard. The tree blossoms are a sure sign of spring and warmer days. Fresh fruit is also a healthy way to enjoy and share your garden with others.

Strawberry plants also are easily grown in the ground or containers. They love to spread and can cover a garden space in a season or two. Make sure to choose “everbearing” varieties so you will have berries well into summer.

Fruit to plant: Rhubarb, strawberries, blueberries, cherries, raspberries, apples, plums, pears

Southeast planting guide

Flowers

In the Southeast, spring is associated with the scent of its most popular and fragrant flowers. When you think of hyacinth bulbs, gardenias, climbing jasmine vines, and magnolia trees, you instantly picture southern gardens.

planting guide with Magnolia Tree — Magnolia Tree

Heavenly Hyacinth Bulbs in mesh container — Heavenly Hyacinth Bulbs

planting guide with Blooming Gardenia Plant in Basket — Blooming Gardenia Plant

Old-fashioned flowers, such as delphiniums, hollyhocks, snapdragons, and foxgloves, may not have the same aromatic allure, but their interesting shapes and beautiful colors make them popular choices to plant in the Southeast.

Flowers to plant: Flowering bulbs, gardenias, azaleas, bachelor buttons, poppies, lupine, cosmos, camellias, delphinium, hollyhock, snapdragon, foxgloves, begonia

Fruit

Citrus trees are a good addition to a yard or patio in the Southeast. Look for varieties that command higher prices and less availability in your local supermarket, such as kumquats, key limes, pink lemons, and seedless limes. Many of these fruit-bearing trees also come in dwarf varieties, making them ideal container plants and perfect for gift giving. Fruit shrubs, such as blueberries and kiwi fruits, can also be planted in the spring.

Midwest planting guide

Flowers

You can scatter wildflower seeds and start your sunflowers as early as spring in the Midwest. Growing plants and flowers from seed have been done for generations. A fun idea, and a great way to build community, are to host a “seed swap,” where everyone brings extra seeds they have at home and exchanges them with one another. This is also a good way to learn more about local plants.

planting guide with Gift Set Heirloom Seed Packets Herb Clippers and Organic Herbal Soap — Heirloom Seed Packet Gift Set

planting guide with Herb garden trio — Herb Garden Trio

Wildflowers dream bouquet — Wildflower Dreams Bouquet

Succession planting is a popular method that involves planting every two to three weeks to start a new crop of flowers for an ever-blooming garden. Bachelor buttons, cosmos, marigolds, sunflowers, and zinnias are all easy flowers to start from seed.

Flowers to plant: Sunflowers, wildflowers, zinnias, roses, poppies, snapdragons, bachelor buttons, cosmos, bee balm, lavender, marigolds, rosemary, calendula

Fruit

Spring plants, such as strawberries, blueberries, and fresh herbs, are popular choices in a Midwestern garden. For fresh fruit, apples, peaches, and pears grow well.

The best fruit: Apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, plums, strawberries, blueberries

Northwest planting guide

Flowers

The Pacific Northwest is a versatile region with a growing season from April to November.

planting guide Happy Daisy — Happy Daisy

planting guide with white azalea plant — White Azalea Plant

planting guide Lovely Lavender Rose — Lavish Lavender Rose

Many gardeners in the Northwest favor perennial plants and flowers for their ease of care; varieties such as daisies come back year after year and can fill a space quickly. They also attract birds, bees, and butterflies to your garden. Planting for pollinators is a hot trend right now, and you will find many of the most popular flowers in the Northwest are done so for this very reason.

Flowers to plant: Dahlias, bachelor buttons, borage, flowering bulbs, poppies, carnations, pansies, primroses, roses, hellebores, cyclamen, lilac, azalea, rhododendron

Fruit

Everyone has their favorite berry, and spring is the time to plant them. Make sure to read the plant labels as some varieties can quickly spread out and cover a space.

People often plant blackberries and raspberries along their borders or to cover a fence. Fruit trees are also a nice addition to your yard. If you have limited space, look for trees that have been grafted with a few different varieties. This is an emerging trend where you can grow two different types of fruit on the same tree!

If you are planning an urban garden, look for fruit plants that do well in small spaces or containers.

Fruit to plant: Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, apples, pears

Southwest

Flowers

Many gardeners in the Southwest have to start planting their fruit and flowers early in the spring due to the hot summer temperatures. Planting in the spring gives the plants time to get established and develop strong root systems.

planting guide Sending Sunshine Yellow Rose — Sending Sunshine Yellow Rose

planting guide with Honey Bee Farms Daisy — Honey Bee Farms Daisy

Planting bright flowers, such as angelonia, cosmos, and zinnias, is recommended. All of these thrive in full sun and hot temperatures, and will also attract pollinators to your yard.

“The key to growing flowers in the Southwest is to start your seeds early,” says Callie Works-Leary, founder of the Dallas Garden School. She loves planting marigolds, cape daisies, sunflowers, and gomphrena in her Texas garden.

Flowers to plant: Angelonia, cosmos, zinnias, gomphrena, sunflowers, daisies, marigolds, lavender, salvia, sweet peas, roses, rosemary

Fruit

The Southwest region, with its high temperatures and desert-type climate, is a bit of a challenge when it comes to growing fruit trees. Many types of fruit trees need an extended period of cold to produce fruit, called “chill hours,” so be sure to select ones that can survive without a long stretch of cold weather. Many citruses, avocado, and stone fruits successfully grow in this region. The key is to get new plants in the springtime so they can get established before the hot summer growing season.

Fruit to plant: Citrus, avocado, apricots, peaches, nectarines

20 Types of Flowering Weeds

Weeds are everywhere, and the bane of gardeners worldwide. But what are they? How are weeds different from the flowers that you plant in your garden? It’s a matter of perception. Weeds are just rapidly spreading plants that have sprouted in a place where they’re not wanted, and they are usually wildflowers. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a weed as “a plant that is not valued where it is growing and is usually of vigorous growth.”

Many are unattractive, invasive, and annoying, and some are downright dangerous. On the other hand, some weeds can be beautiful. Wildflower gardens are composed of plants that would be considered weeds in a manicured rose garden. Will you think of that unusual wildflower that popped up in your flower bed a good weed that you keep? It’s up to you as a gardener to decide which will enhance your garden and which you will discard.

Here are 20 common plants that you see along roadsides, lawns, and gardens that are usually thought of as flowering weeds.

1. Black nightshades (Solanum nigrum)

Black nightshades are classified as broadleaf annuals, and they are commonly found in lawns or gardens that have really rich soil. These weeds are visually described as being climbing or bushy plants, and they typically produce white or purple flowers — they are also known to produce red or purple fruits. If you notice any signs of these in your yard you’ll want to remove them as soon as possible, as all parts of the plant are considered to be poisonous.

2. Chicory (Chicorium intybus)

This cheerful, flowering weed is widespread throughout North America. It reaches four feet in height with bright blue flowers that grow right against the stems. Cultivated varieties of chicory (radicchio and Belgian endive) are used for salad greens, and the roots can be used as a coffee substitute and sweetener. Chicory was used as a substitute for coffee in World War II, and blends of coffee and chicory have been popular in Europe and the Middle East for centuries. The young leaves of wild chicory can be used as salad greens, too, before they mature and become bitter. So whether you call it a wildflower or pretty weed, chicory is one of those plants that you can leave on the roadside or cultivate in your yard.

3. Common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis)

Common evening primrose is native to the United States and is a biennial, meaning that it blooms the second year. It is a distinctive plant with unusual characteristics. Its four-petaled, yellow flowers are nocturnal. They open in the evening and wilt the next day, and the four-parted sticky stigma in the center of the flowers is in the shape of a cross. These beautiful plants grow in the sun to partial shade in most kinds of soil, making them adaptable all over the U.S. Are they weeds, wildflowers, or garden plants? They can be any of the three depending on your perspective.

4. Common ragworts (Jacobaea vulgaris, syn)

Common ragworts are described as having lobed leaves that are blue or green in color and yellow flowers that are shaped like a star. Since common ragworts do re-seed at a pretty fast rate, it’s important that you remove the first few as soon as you notice them to prevent future growth.

Tip: Common ragworts produce toxins, so as you remove them, make sure you wear gloves to protect your hands.

5. Common St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum)

This yellow-flowered weed is native across temperate Europe and Asia, but has naturalized and become invasive throughout the Americas. St. John’s wort has been used medicinally for centuries for the treatment of wounds, and is currently popular as an herbal antidepressant. It spreads rapidly, and its clusters of half-inch, bright yellow flowers are pretty enough to be used as a two-foot-tall filler for bare spots in the garden.

6. Creeping buttercups (Ranunculus repens)

Creeping buttercups are most commonly found in soils that are damp, so if you want to keep these at bay you’ll need to keep a close watch on how well-drained your soil is. These weeds have small but bright yellow flowers, and they grow and spread as quickly as they do as a result of their root system.

7. Creeping thistles (Cirsium arvense)

Similar name to the above, but very, very different! You’re more likely to see creeping thistles in lawns that were just seeded or in bare spots of already existing lawns, and visually, they have light purple flowers —not yellow. Additionally, their leaves are said to be spiky, so you definitely won’t want to have them growing anywhere that you might walk! To remove these, you’ll want to use a fork or a daisy grubber.

8. Daisy weeds (Bellis Perennis)

Daisy weeds are considered to be one of the most common perennial weeds that pop up in lawns. Their main characteristics include white petals that surround a yellow center, and you’ll be able to tell that these are in fact a weed by looking closely at the leaves – daisy weeds have green leaves that resemble spoons. If you’ve ever tried to remove daisy weeds by mowing you’ll know that they are extremely resilient, so you’ll need to invest in a daisy grubber to keep them away.

9. Dandelions (Taraxacum)

Visually, you may recognize these better when they have a fluffy, white ball on top of the stem (we’re sure you’ve made a wish on one in the past), but before a dandelion becomes this, it is actually what looks like a yellow flower. Typically you’ll see these in abundance in spring and fall, and they’ll be easy to pick out since they can grow to be pretty tall. And though the best way to prevent dandelions from popping up in your lawn is to have thick, healthy grass, there are herbicides you can use to spray them that won’t damage your grass too.

10. Field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)

Field Bindweed, with its white, bell-shaped flowers, is a trailing, climbing vine native to Europe and Asia. It grows along roadsides and fields, and can easily invade your yard. This pretty weed resembles and is related to morning glory, but it is hard to contain and will compete with your other flowers for nutrients and sun if allowed to get a roothold. Bindweed spreads by underground rhizomes and deep roots that must be dug out to permanently get rid of the plant. It is also best to remove it before the flowers go to seed since they can remain viable in the soil for up to 20 years.

11. Fleabane (Erigeron sp.)

Fleabanes are delicate, half- to three-quarter inch, daisy-like flowers with yellow centers and numerous, fine white petals. There are several species of fleabane, and they all bloom from spring to fall. They are a common sight along roadsides, in meadows, fields, woodlands, and yards. Most species grow in the bright sun, but others do best in shady locations. Fleabanes are beautiful in wildflower gardens, so it’s up to you whether you allow them to grow in your yard.

12. Goldenrod (Solidago sp.)

There are between 60-70 species of goldenrod in the United States with plume-shaped, flat-topped, or narrow, spike-like, yellow flower heads. These weeds are a familiar sight along roadsides, in fields and meadows, thickets, and in open, sunny clearings. They foreshadow the coming of autumn since most of the species bloom from July through October. Goldenrods are not good plants for the garden, but are often used in fall-themed flower arrangements.

13. Henbits (Lamium amplexicaule)

Henbits are winter annuals that produce pink or purple flowers on top of their green foliage. The good news with henbits is that they are usually pretty easy to remove by hand. However, if you don’t catch them in time, they begin to take over your lawn or garden. In that case, you’ll want to opt for using a post-emergent herbicide to remove them.

14. Jimsonweed, thorn apple, devil’s snare (Datura stramonium)

Jimsonweed is a plant that you would not want in your yard. It has 3″-5″ long, white to light purple, trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom at night, and coarsely toothed leaves. It is thought to be native to Central America, as are all of its cousins in the nightshade family, and it has spread and naturalized throughout the United States. The flower is beautiful, but the plant contains hallucinogenic alkaloids that can be toxic. For your family’s safety, it would be best to remove this weed.

15. Milkweed (Asclepias sp.)

Milkweeds, with their dense clusters of pinkish-purple flowers, are a source of nectar for monarch butterflies. They are native to North America, and are frequently seen in fields and meadows. One species, butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), is a popular garden flower for butterfly gardens. All of the Milkweed species are large-textured plants that love full sun and moist soil.

16. Oxalis (corniculata)

Don’t let an oxalis plant fool you into thinking it’s a clover! Although its leaves look like clovers, you’ll be able to tell the difference by looking for flowers — oxalis plants produce a cup-shaped yellow flower in both summer and fall. Since these are known to grow in shady and sunny areas, there’s a good chance you might see them in your yard. You can keep them at bay by adding mulch in the spring.

17. Queen Anne’s lace, wild carrot (Daucus carota)

This is a pretty flowering weed with a flat, white, lacy flower head that you will see along sunny roadsides and meadows during the summer. Queen Anne’s Lace is a biennial that is native to temperate Europe and southwest Asia that has naturalized all over North America. It is directly related to garden carrots. In fact, its roots can be eaten when they are young before they become woody with age, and the leaves, flowers, and seeds are also safe to eat. But be careful! This pretty wildflower looks very much like poison hemlock (Conium maculatum), a weed that is highly toxic to humans and pets. The way you can tell them apart is that Queen Anne’s lace has green, hairy stems and poison hemlock’s stems are blotchy purple and smooth (without hair).

18. White clovers (trifolium repens)

White clover weeds are normally found growing in soil that is rich in nutrients and are best described as producing white or pink flowers. These too are perennial weeds and are known to have three-lobed leaves. You are more likely to see these particular weeds in areas of your lawn that receive sun and partial shade. Although we usually think of weeds as being a nuisance, these could actually be somewhat helpful since they release nitrogen into soil.

19. Wild roses (Rosa sp.)

Native wild roses grow all over the United States in pastures, meadows, woodlands, hedgerows, and yards. They are shrubby and do more spreading than their highly bred cousins. Their charming, pink or white flowers are simple, with five flat petals, and they bloom anywhere from May to August depending on the species. Wild roses have a following, and are preferred by some for their rustic beauty. Others consider them weeds. When planted in a garden, they do need to be pruned back to keep them contained since they will spread and overtake an area.

20. Wild violets (Viola odorata)

Just like daisy weeds and white clovers, violets are perennial weeds. These produce flowers that are either white or lavender in color, and although they may look pretty, they can become pretty invasive and difficult to manage if you don’t treat them with the proper herbicide quickly. Generally speaking, these weeds appear in thin lawns rather than thick, so check shady areas of your yard for signs of them (grass is typically thinner in shady spots).

5 Health Benefits of Gardening

There are a number of reasons why people may love to garden. For example, it’s relaxing, it makes your home look nice, and it gives you a chance to get outdoors and enjoy the nice weather. But aside from its recreational benefits, did you know that gardening also offers a ton of health benefits, too? It’s true: Spending time in your garden can result in you feeling better both physically and mentally — here’s how.

health benefits of gardening with mother and daughter gardening

1. Gardening can help reduce stress

Studies have shown that gardening can result in decreased cortisol levels. Cortisol is what many refer to as the stress hormone, so when your body experiences a decrease in it, that could translate to a reduction of stress.

2. Gardening can promote good heart health

If you’ve spent time gardening, then you know it can give you a good workout. Between preparing your tools and materials, cleaning up once you’re done, and actually planting, your body will be moving quite a bit, and we all know that regular exercise is important to keep our hearts healthy. Even if you garden for only about 15 minutes a day, what matters is that you are up and moving.

3. Gardening can keep you strong

Gardeners work with their hands and arms a ton, so the act of gardening can help strengthen those muscle groups in particular. In fact, gardening is sometimes used in rehabilitation programs since it can be so useful in regaining strength and movement in certain parts of the body. Since you don’t want to overwork anything, though, it’s important to make sure that your body is always positioned comfortably and that you adjust movements every so often so that you don’t strain yourself.

4. Gardening can help prevent illness

Spending time in the sun gives your body a chance to soak up vitamin D, and we’re sure you’ve heard that vitamin D is important for your immune system. In addition to the sun, the soil you’re working with may also help your immune system: Mycobacterium vaccae, which is considered to be friendly soil bacteria, has shown that it can help alleviate what one might experience with allergies, for example.

5. Gardening can boost self-esteem

Nothing feels quite as good as seeing the seed you planted grow into something beautiful. Watching your garden come to life and seeing your accomplishments right before your very eyes can work wonders when it comes to developing positive feelings toward yourself.

Now, this isn’t to say that you should cancel your gym membership and stop worrying about eating a healthy and balanced diet. But if you are looking for additional ways to keep your mind and body in check, gardening is a great place to start.

4 Tips for Gardening with Your Dog

Did you know that Responsible Dog Ownership Day is in September? For all you dog moms and dog dads out there, we know that you probably view every day as an opportunity to give your pet the best possible care. But in honor of this observance, we’re touching on one more task you may not have given much thought to: gardening with your dog.

Gardening with dogs with dog and flowers

Even though summer is ending and you may not be spending as much time in your garden as you did the past couple of months, there are certain plants and flowers that thrive in the fall — and if you’re like us, that means you’ll definitely head out to the garden at least a few more times before the cold sets in. And should your a-DOG-able pet join you as you head outdoors, here are four tips to help keep them safe.

1. Be mindful of fertilizer

Of course your plants need food to thrive, but just like you wouldn’t indulge in theirs, neither should your pets. In fact, if your dog consumes any fertilizer from your garden, it could really take a toll on their stomach. As a result, your best bet is to keep dogs away for a while after tending to your plants and flowers.

2. Steer clear of cocoa bean mulch

Although this type of mulch is known to produce a chocolate-like smell (yum!) and looks great in any garden, it, too, can cause trouble for your furry friends. Known to contain theobromine, which is toxic for dogs, this gardening product could lead to health problems (such as vomiting and muscle tremors) in your pets.

3. Clean up after yourself

Always make sure to put all gardening tools back in their proper place. Even though some may be small, they can still be sharp and harmful to dogs. The same goes for the plants and flowers themselves. If you haven’t finished your work but plan to return to it later, store leftovers at a height that your pets can’t reach; even if they are pet-safe plants, plants and pets may not always be a good mix if you’d like to avoid a mess!

4. Research plants and flowers first

One of the most important things you can do to ensure your dog is kept safe in your garden is research which plants and flowers are safe for pets. While you may be a fan of azaleas, hyacinths, or larkspur, certain parts of certain plants may be poisonous for dogs. Therefore, if you have a dog at home, your garden should always be filled with pet-safe flowers and plants only.

Visit Gardens with Garden Conservancy Days 2013

You drive through a lovely neighborhood and catch a glimpse of cascading roses through a wrought iron gate. A long bluestone driveway curves away under a canopy of flowering dogwoods and disappears. The scent of lilacs drifts over a dry-stacked stone wall.

Private Gardens with Flowers and a Fountain

What gorgeous gardens are concealed behind those tall walls and closed gates? Every year you have one day—or maybe two—to find out. That’s because on those days the members and supporters of the Garden Conservancy open the gates of their private gardens to visitors.

The Garden Conservancy, a nonprofit organization devoted to the preservation of extraordinary gardens in the United States, organizes the annual Open Days as both a fundraiser and a way of spreading the word about its mission. How better to discover that mission than by strolling through a 50-year-old garden that is the pride of its owner and creator? As a result, thousands of visitors have a chance to visit hundreds of private gardens throughout the nation. Click here to see schedule.

Founded in 1989, the conservancy has assumed responsibility for preserving 16 remarkable gardens in locations that range from Alcatraz to New Orleans, from Washington State to Washington, Connecticut. The organization has helped another 90 gardens survive various challenges. The goal is to keep these special places safe and growing and make them available to the public—for more than one day a year.

May, naturally, is a prime season for gardens, and some spectacular ones will be open throughout the month. Some of the past featured gardens include a 1926 garden pavilion that was photographed by Julius Schulman not too many years ago in Pasadena, California; a white garden in Lynwood, New York, which comes complete with a nymphaeum and a labyrinth, as well as acres of “Ice Follies” daffodils; and a Knoxville, Tennessee, hilltop estate that is listed in the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Gardens.

This year, you can visit one of the conservancy’s conservation projects in Valatie, New York. The Victorian Woodland Garden, created by Kevin Lee Jacobs, the founder of AGardenForTheHouse.com, is a testament to how even the plainest piece of land can be turned into a magical landscape. Jacobs transformed an asphalt parking lot into an extravagantly lush rose garden complete with boxwoods, yews, heirloom bulbs, flowering perennials and a Serpantine Garden. A little farther south in Wappinger’s Falls, New York, climb the all-natural cliffs and ledges in Anne Spiegel’s dreamy rock garden. If you’re inspired by Asian design, be sure to tour the Sakonnet Garden in Little Compton, Rhode Island, where you can see a mass of Asian species rhododendrons, azaleas, orchids, anemonies, poppies and more. The Harland Hand Memorial Garden in El Cerrito, California, offers breathtaking views of the San Francisco Bay, while the Garden at George Mathews House in Charleston, South Carolina, warmly welcomes visitors with its southern charm.

Whether you live in Texas or North Carolina, in Northern California or Illinois, for five dollars a garden, you can open the gate and walk along the paths of someone’s private Eden. At the same time, you can help make sure beautiful gardens remain for another generation to enjoy.

For more information, visit www.gardenconservancy.org/opendays.

How to Make a Container Herb Garden

Herbs love sunshine and warm weather. That means they really don’t like it in the refrigerator, so when you buy a bunch of basil, use what you need and carefully store the remainder in your crisper, it turns into black slime overnight. Why not grow your own container herb garden? Herbs are generally very sturdy and forgiving plants—after all, many of them are weeds in their native lands—and they do well in containers. It’s so handy, too, to be able to step outside your kitchen door and snip off exactly as much as you need. Here is a selection of basic culinary herbs that will flourish in containers:

Parsley (flat leaf or curly)
Basil
Oregano
Marjoram
Thyme
Sage
Rosemary
Dill
Chives
Tarragon
Mint
Cilantro/coriander

There’s no need to start with seeds: All of these are readily available in four-inch pots from any garden center—for about the same price you’d pay for a bunch of cut herbs at the supermarket—which means you can start using them immediately.

What sort of container is best? You have lots of options, depending on your budget and your sense of style: You can buy lovely terra-cotta or ceramic pots, stop by a dollar store for inexpensive plastic containers, or rummage around among your garden castoffs for something suitable. You could build or buy a trough and plant rows of herbs if that suits your space. The critical criteria: the container must be at least eight inches deep to give the roots room to grow, and it must have a hole for drainage.

Herbs in general need six hours of sunlight a day, and they require very good drainage. Choose a well-balanced potting mix, preferably organic (you’re going to be eating these leaves, after all), and pick up an organic plant food while you’re at it; you need to feed container plants about once a week.

You could put together an attractive grouping of herbs in a single large pot. Choose herbs with similar sunlight and water needs. Start with something fairly tall for the center, then surround it with lower plants and finish with a couple of supine herbs that will tumble over the rim. If, for instance, you planted basil in the center, with oregano and marjoram and thyme around it, you’d have a container garden of pretty and fragrant herbs—and just about everything you need for spaghetti sauce.

Herbs aren’t just delicious; they are also beautiful. There are multiple varieties of every herb, sometimes with slight differences in flavor, leaf shape and color, and sometimes with large differences. Lemon thyme may look a lot like English thyme, but the flavor is distinctly different. There are so many different kinds of basil—Thai, opal, Genova, cinnamon, etc.—that you could create a useful and decorative display in a single pot.

Almost all herbs produce flowers, so you could factor that in to your selection—lavender chive blossoms, white thyme flowers, purple sage, pink basil blossoms. It’s a good idea to periodically cut the flowers; they are lovely in salads.

If you have the space and inclination, you could add some non-culinary herbs to your container garden. A pot of lavender beside your door could waft you to Provence every time you passed it. Do you like chamomile tea? You can easily grow the herb—Matricaria recutita, or German chamomile—and harvest the flowers for your tea. Mint will thrive under almost any conditions and provide you with plenty of fragrant leaves for tea and juleps and mojitos. The one thing it doesn’t like? Cold.

It will turn into black slime.