How to Make a Witchy Garden
I've been gardening for 15 years, and somewhere around year eight, a client asked me to make her backyard "feel like a witch lived there." I laughed. Then I spent the next three years figuring out what that phrase means,…
Garden Trellis Best Practices for Climbing Plants
So you bought a gorgeous trellis, stuck it in the ground, planted your clematis or your sweet peas, and now you're standing in your yard wondering why nothing is climbing. Sound familiar? You're not doing anything wrong. You just weren't…
The Ultimate List of Plants That Benefit from a Trellis
If you have ever bought a trellis, stuck it in the ground, and then watched your plant completely ignore it, you are not alone. I have done this. I put a gorgeous cedar trellis behind my cucumbers one spring, felt…
How to Maintain a Trellis So It Doesn’t Collapse
I have watched a trellis fall over at 7am with a full grown clematis on it. My neighbor screamed. I ran outside in my pajamas thinking a tree fell. It was just a trellis nobody bothered to check since spring…
What Will Grow Quickly Up a Trellis? 7 Fast-Growing Climbers for a Stunning Garden
You bought the trellis. It's leaning against your fence looking hopeful and empty. And you're standing there wondering why nothing is climbing it yet. I've been gardening for 15 years, and I promise you this: the trellis isn't the problem…
11 Genius Trellis Alternatives That Work Even Better
So you don't want to buy a trellis. Maybe it's the price tag. Maybe your garden style doesn't call for one more piece of wood leaning against the fence. Or maybe, like me, you bought a trellis once, watched it…
What Is the Best Shape for a Trellis?
If you've been trying to figure out what shape trellis to buy, I need you to stop for a second. Because here's the thing nobody tells you: the trellis that looks perfect in the photo is often the exact wrong…
What to Feed Birds from the Kitchen: A Complete Guide
I have spent the better part of 15 years with my hands in birdseed, suet, and yes, kitchen scraps. I have watched cardinals fight over orange halves and chickadees turn their tiny heads sideways at a piece of toast. So…
12 Golden Bird Feeder Rules Every Backyard Birder Should Know
So you got a bird feeder. Maybe it was a gift, maybe you bought one. Either way, welcome to the club. Here's the thing nobody warns you about: Hanging up a feeder and filling it with seed is the easy…
8 Places You Should Never Put a Bird Feeder
I have been hanging, moving, and rehanging bird feeders for over fifteen years. I have lost count of how many times I thought I found the "perfect spot," only to find a pile of feathers under my window the next…