Lawn and Garden

Many gardens have spots that are shady at least part of the time. The areas that get a mix of light and shade are perfect for planting partial shade annuals. Learn which annuals to use.

By Sue Loellbach

When planning a garden, most people mix different annual varieties for diversity in color, texture, and height. Learn about the yellow to orange annual flowers you can use to spice up your garden.

By C. Colston Burrell

Annuals are primed to germinate quickly when conditions are right, grow speedily, and then make loads of flowers, fruits, roots, and seeds. Learn about red annual flowers to give your garden a touch of fire.

By Betty Barr Mackey

Perennial flowers bloom year after year, without the need to replant. Learn the best perennials to plant in your garden. Read about the different types of perennial flowers, and which ones are best for you.

By Shane Wilson

When planning a garden, the height of your flowers is an important consideration. Learn to use perennials 12-24 inches high, and find the knee-high plants that will best fit your vision for a home garden.

By Shane Wilson

Some gardens offer a quiet escape from the stimulation of modern life. These latter gardens use blue and purple to create a peaceful atmosphere. Learn how blue to purple perennial flowers cool down your garden.

By Shane Wilson

Many gardeners have shady spots in their yards. The areas that get a mix of light and shade are perfect for planting partial shade perennials. In this article, we'll describe great perennials for part shade.

By Editors of Consumer Guide

Full sun perennials are flowers that need direct sun for at least six to eight hours a day. On this page, we list the full sun perennials by color and type to suit your garden.

By Brandi Kleinert Larsen

Some plants need just a little bit more support than the rest, either because of heavy clusters of flowers, slender stems, or a combination of both. Learn about various staking techniques in this article.

By C. Colston Burrell

Good soil is the first step to a great garden. The loose, dark earth of the gardens seen on television doesn't usually just happen, however. Learn how to make the most out of your soil.

By C. Colston Burrell

Perennials are distinct from annuals in that they return year after year, eliminating the need to buy and plant flowers every spring. Perennials generally bloom only one or two seasons per year. Learn about perennials.

By Editors of Consumer Guide

If you really want to make the most of your garden, you might also want to consider such plantings as ground covers. Find out how to design your landscape to grow ground covers beautifully.

By Editors of Consumer Guide

Annuals are flowers that bloom the first year they are planted, often flowering just a couple of months after sowing. Biennials produce only greenery the first year. Learn about annuals and biennials.

By Editors of Consumer Guide

With so many different kinds of fruit are available, it's hard to decide which to grow. We'll help your spring planting by giving you the gardening methods you need. Learn how to grow fruits.

By Editors of Consumer Guide

We can find cork in just about any wine bottle. Have you ever wondered where the cork comes from and how is the cork made into a bottle stopper? Find out the answer to those questions in this article from HowStuffWorks.

Dursban is a chemical that is widely used in the agricultural industry to help keep pests away from crops. Find out how the pesticide Dursban works with the help of this article.

Every year, there comes a time to pull out the oscillating sprinklers. Ever wonder just what makes an oscillating sprinkler oscillate? Find out!

By Marshall Brain

In built-in lawn sprinkling systems, there is a device called an anti-siphon valve. What is it for and how does it work? Find out what this part of an irrigation system does with the help of this article.

What is fertilizer and why do plants need it? What do the three numbers on most bags of fertilizer mean?

Oscillating sprinklers are great for watering a square area. But what if your lawn has curves? Traveling sprinklers spray the water exactly where you want it. Find out how they travel around your yard so you don't have to.

By Kristen Young

Whether you're growing prize roses for a state fair or planting cucumbers and potatoes for the table, you want those plants to thrive. Find out how irrigation systems can help keep our gardens lush and beautiful.

By Shane Speck

They say the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Why is that? Do you want a lawn that looks like a pristinely manicured golf course, a plush green carpet surrounding your house? Learn how to take your lawn from wilting mess to suburban Eden.

By Tom Harris

If grass grows in your yard, sooner or later, you'll have to consider how to keep it trimmed and tidy. For those who don't mind a little manual labor, the answer is mowing it. How do you pick the best mower?

By Echo Surina

Flowers have always played a part in our history. Even primitive man used flowers and plants to beautify his face, body, and his cave. Read this article to learn about the materials and techniques for arranging flowers, and the meanings of flowers.

By Editors of Consumer Guide

Reproducing plants out of season gave man a measure of control over nature. The allure of it sparked the imagination and inspired new methods for building structures devoted to plants. So how do greenhouses work?

By Sara Elliott