I have heard many a seasoned plant person say that if they had to choose only one plant to grow in their garden it would be Allium. Why do gardeners love this genus of plants? Because Allium has hundreds of species ranging in shape and size, blooming from early spring to late fall, and deer don’t like any of them! In addition, while they are hardy with strong stems they are well mannered and don’t try to push out…

It's been a rainier winter and spring than most here in the northeast, and many of us are having issues with drainage in places we never had them before. In some cases it might be best to wait and see if the problem persists or if the excessive rainfall is just an aberration. In my case I have an herb garden that hugs the back of our house and extends about…

  We asked Wendy Kiang-Spray, accomplished gardener and cook, to share with our readers some of her wisdom about growing and cooking Asian vegetables.  We are giving away a copy of her book, "The Chinese Kitchen Garden," in which she introduces growing techniques and family recipes inspired by her parents and grandparents. Wendy is a first-generation Chinese American who grew up watching her parents grow and prepare vegetables in the ways of their homeland. She dedicates her book to them…

One of the most satisfying parts of gardening for me is to take part in the miracle of plant propagation. It can be as simple as pinching off a stem and dropping it in a glass of water or as complicated as grafting a branch from one plant onto the root stock of another. Boom!  A plant is born. There are two primary ways plants procreate: sexually and asexually. Sexual propagation is through seeds, and it is the primary way…

At this time of year a little gardening therapy can go a long way. There isn’t much that can be done outdoors where I live in Zone 6 until the ground thaws and dries out a little. But there’s plenty you can be doing indoors, and for me the fun begins with grow lights. Many houseplants need 12-16 hours of light a day to thrive, and seedlings like 16-18 hours a day.  That doesn’t mean that they will die with…

Womanswork has gathered our favorite garden gloves, tools and other gardening essentials for a giveaway this month! The total retail value of this giveaway is $223.40. To enter write a comment below saying you would like to win our "Think Spring" prize and you will be entered to win. It's that simple! If you prefer to enter via Instagram, find us at @womansworkco, like our post and tag a friend. You will automatically be entered and so will your friends…

  When Katie Lane writes on her blog "you really can’t beat that feeling of harvesting something that you’ve raised from a tiny seed," it's easy to become a fan.  Her adventures ‘up the allotment’ on Plot 15C in Hampshire England have made her small community garden an internet star in the UK. Katie's colorful writing has given her potting shed, which sits on…

  Amaryllis and paperwhite bulbs blooming exuberantly around the house are now a part of my winter garden tradition. I like to have paperwhites for the holidays and I enjoy amaryllis from January through March. I stagger the planting so there's always something blooming. For paperwhites I allow 3-5 weeks to bloom, and for amaryllis, 6-8 weeks. Start with an amaryllis bulb and a favorite…

  Five stories up, a rooftop garden is a retreat from the lively streets of London below. The L-shaped garden, full of fragrant plants and cozy seating, wraps around the top floor of the triplex apartment which writer and garden historian Catherine Horwood shares with her husband Paddy Barwise. When the garden was created they installed wood trellises, a pergola and side rails with built-in plant troughs. The garden faces due south so the hardscaping structures provide a break from…

  When Sarah Green and her husband Richard moved into their home 20 years ago, she brought roses from her previous garden 10 minutes away.  Roses are notoriously uncomfortable with being transplanted, but the ‘Queen of Denmark’ and other old fashioned varieties Sarah had received as a wedding gift from her uncle held sentimental value. “I rushed them over,” she recalls, “and planted them in the new garden where they are still going strong.” An enthusiastic gardener and plant person,…