Nothing makes a gardener’s stomach drop quite like walking out to water one morning, only to find the leaves on the plants you worked so hard to grow are wilting and yellow — or worse. While it certainly feels like garden infestations pop up overnight, more often than not, they build slowly as well-intentioned gardening habits create an environment tailor-made for unwelcome pests and pathogens.

Without realizing it, even seasoned gardeners can create the perfect storm of shelter, excess moisture, stressed plants and predictable food sources that draw pests in like a moth (larvae) to a — well, you get it.

The good news? Small changes in how you care for your plants can keep your garden from becoming a bug-and-bacteria buffet. Here are five common mistakes to avoid, along with easy fixes. 

Common Mistakes That Attract Garden Pests

1. Using too much — or too little — mulch in the garden

Mulch is the underappreciated workhorse of the garden. When applied correctly, it conserves moisture, moderates soil temperature, suppresses weeds and helps reduce the spread of disease.

Avoid these common mulching mistakes

However, misapplying mulch can create a host of problems. For example, excess mulch can trap moisture and create ideal habitats for slugs, fungi and rot — especially when piled against stems or trunks. “Mulch volcanoes” are a common culprit, as are heavy mulch layers around moisture-loving plants like hostas (Hosta spp. and hybrids).

Too little mulch can also stress plants by creating uneven moisture levels in the soil and allowing weeds to compete for water and nutrients.

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2. Watering plants at night

Evening watering often means foliage and turf stay wet overnight, creating ideal conditions for fungal diseases and some insects. Lawns are especially susceptible — diseases such as brown patch and dollar spot thrive with too much moisture.

Ornamentals aren’t immune, either. Prolonged leaf wetness can lead to powdery mildew, leaf spot diseases, root rot and increased pest activity on popular picks such as garden phlox (Phlox paniculata), bee balm (Monarda spp. and hybrids) and zinnia. (And if that wasn’t enough to deter you, nighttime watering can also increase mosquito activity.)

Watering earlier in the day, ideally in the morning, allows plants to absorb moisture while giving foliage time to dry before nightfall.

3. Replanting in the same spot after an infestation

Many pests and diseases are specific to certain types of plants and can hide in the soil between growing seasons. Replanting the same plants in the same location allows problems to recur and even intensify.

Avoid planting tomatoes or peppers where you previously had disease issues, and keep cucumbers, squash and melons away from the site of a squash bug infestation. And if you dig out your garden phlox because of a powdery mildew infestation, don’t plant more in the same spot. Same goes for black spot on roses (Rosa spp. and hybrids) or rust on hollyhocks (Alcea rosea).

Rotate vegetable crops to avoid recurring issues

Rotating crops disrupts pest life cycles by removing their preferred hosts. Even simple swaps — moving plants to a different bed or section each year — can significantly reduce recurring issues. See a simple crop rotation example in the illustration above.

4. Planting too early in spring

Many insects emerge and feed during early planting periods. While it’s hard to resist the temptation to get a jump on the growing season, plants put in the ground too soon may be exposed to peak pest activity before they’re strong enough to withstand the damage.

For example, bean leaf beetles often target early-planted green beans, while beans planted a few weeks later may escape the worst damage. Cucurbits planted at the first hint of warm weather can also be more vulnerable to squash bugs and cucumber beetles.

Early planting can negatively affect flowers, too. Tender annuals such as petunias (Petunia hybrids) or impatiens (Impatiens hybrids) planted when nighttime temperatures are still regularly in the 40s and 50s (F) may grow slowly, producing soft new growth that attracts aphids. Aphid populations can build quickly in the spring, before beneficial insects are abundant enough to control them.

Consider timing when harvesting crops

Harvest timing matters as well. Cool-season crops like lettuce, spinach and peas that linger too long in warm weather can attract late-season pests and disease, so be sure to enjoy your produce at peak freshness.

Adjust timing to help dodge garden pests

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5. Leaving diseased plant debris in the garden over winter

Many perennials, ornamental grasses and shrubs can provide critical shelter and food to animals throughout the colder months. However, sometimes leaving behind dead leaves and spent annuals provides insulation that allows insects, eggs, larvae and diseases to survive the winter. When spring arrives, those pests and pathogens are already in place to infest new growth.

For example, in vegetable gardens, squash vines left in beds can harbor squash vine borer eggs, while tomato debris may bring blight spores from one growing season to the next. Flower gardens face similar risks. Peony (Paeonia hybrids) foliage can contain botrytis blight (gray mold), and diseased rose leaves can carry black spot through winter.

Break the cycle by removing infected material

Removing spent plant material that is diseased or infested before the snow flies helps break pest and disease cycles. While you can compost or leave most healthy debris in place, you should discard anything that looks suspicious.

Plants that tend to harbor pests and disease overwinter

This list of edible and ornamental plants is especially prone to harboring pests and diseases if left standing over winter. Consider removing them if they show any signs of pests or disease during the season to avoid carrying those problems into your garden the following year.

Edible Plants

• Bean
• Cucumber
• Eggplant
• Melon
• Squash
• Pepper
• Potato
• Tomato

Ornamentals

• Bee balm
• Hosta
• Peony
• Garden phlox
• Rose
• Zinnia

Creating a flower-filled front yard from scratch

When Ellen Goldfarb first moved to her New Jersey home 40 years ago, the front yard was all lawn, with a few standard-issue shrubs skirting the foundation. Soon after, she removed many of those original shrubs and planted a cottage border along the driveway. Watch the Talk & Tour video above to hear more about how this front yard makeover came together.

Over the years, she added more garden space and removed lawn while establishing What’s Blooming?, a garden design and maintenance firm that she now runs with her daughter, Tracy Buttrick. Eventually, she says, “I was doing all of these nice gardens for people, and I wanted what they had.”

Front yard before

A sloping front lawn with a foundation planting of yews (Taxus spp. and hybrids), rhododendrons (Rhododendron hybrids), Japanese pieris (Pieris japonica) and other shrubs provided the blank slate for the front-yard showpiece you see below.

You Can Also Read this Feature on Ellen's Garden in the Summer issue of Garden Gate magazine!

Starting from scratch

So to divide up the 56-foot-wide by 35-foot-deep front yard and manage the slope better, Ellen had a curving 1-foot-tall stone wall installed that effectively created three distinct terraces. Then she converted the front yard into a garden filled with a variety of Japanese maples (Acer palmatum), boxwoods (Buxus spp. and hybrids), hydrangeas (Hydrangea spp. and hybrids) and other flowering shrubs and perennials, both for her own enjoyment and to showcase her work.

Creating levels in the garden

She likes to think of the levels that this change created as stages that allow the plants to show off better. However, even though the garden is full of plants, she takes care to position them so that the contrasting stone shows through here and there, even during the growing season, utilizing plants pruned into standards and a mix of different shapes and textures.

Want Ellen's List of Deer-Resistant Plants?

Download Ellen's Deer-Resistant Plant Palette

Smart plant choices

While she was initially drawn to flowers (and still is), Ellen recognizes that every good design needs structure. “I like organized chaos,” she says. Tidy ‘Wintergreen’ Korean boxwoods (Buxus sinica var. insularis), Japanese plum yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia) and deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara) all frame exuberant plantings on each terrace. Although Ellen starts with a list of flowers that she wants to include in a new garden design, when it’s time to put the design to paper, she always places the evergreens and other structural plants first.

Everything in the garden shouldn’t be a diva, the way the tall urn, yellow standard lantana or stately ‘Seiryu’ Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) are in the photo above. You need plenty of supporting cast too. Some favorites for these roles include black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia fulgida sullivantii), ornamental grasses, hydrangeas and ostrich ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris). She frequently turns to chartreuse-foliaged plants, such as hakonechloa (Matteuccia struthiopteris), as supporting cast members. She says, “Chartreuse just makes everything else look better.”

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Dealing with the deer problem

Walking through the neighborhood, you might not suspect that deer would be such voracious pests. But in recent years she’s had to work hard to keep them from eating her garden and her clients’ gardens as well. After much experimentation (and heartbreak), she’s discovered that evergreen shrubs like boxwoods, many junipers (Juniperus spp. and hybrids) and cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) tend to be deer-proof. She’s also had relatively good luck with bigleaf hydrangeas and roses like those in the Drift series.

But some years are worse than others. Last year a persistent doe and her two fawns even ate the black-eyed Susans and heleniums, which they usually avoid. Find a few of Ellen’s favorite deer-resistant flowers below.

Site deer-susceptible plants in protected areas

Over the years, she’s moved the most susceptible plants to more protected spots, such as the windowbox full of lettuce in the photo above, and many of her beloved David Austin^® roses, which she has relocated to the fenced-in backyard. But nothing is foolproof, so in addition, she has a local deer-control service spray their proprietary solution at least once a month during the growing season. She follows up with a spray bottle every week or so, covering tender new growth. 

Ellen’s favorite easy-care shrub roses

• Drift^®
• Knock Out^®
• Julia Child
• Easy Does It^®
• Bonica^® (she's had one for 40 years!)

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6 of Ellen’s Favorite Deer-Resistant Flowers

Want to see a bigger list of deer-resistant perennials, shrubs and trees? Download the full guide from Ellen here. Download her Deer-Resistant Plant Palette PDF here.

1. Helenium (Helenium spp. and hybrids)

These long-blooming perennials tolerate heavy soil well.

• Type: Perennial
  
• Blooms: Yellow, orange or red daisy-shaped flowers summer to fall
  
• Light: Full sun to part shade
  
• Soil: Average to wet well-drained soil
  
• Size: 2 to 5 ft. tall, 2 to 3 ft. wide
  
• Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9

2. Calamint (Calamintha nepeta)

The white, frothy flowers of well-behaved ‘Montrose White’ calamint complement so many plants and bloom from May through frost.

• Type: Perennial
  
• Blooms: Tiny white flowers late spring through frost
  
• Light: Full sun
  
• Soil: Dry to average well-drained soil
  
• Size: 12 to 24 in. tall and wide
  
• Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9

3. Allium (Allium hybrids)

After the jaunty purple lollipop blooms of ‘Millenium’ allium have faded, the dried seedheads still have garden interest.

• Type: Perennial
  
• Blooms: Small globe-shaped lavender or white blooms in early to late summer
  
• Light: Full sun
  
• Soil: Dry to medium well-drained soil
  
• Size: 12 to 18 in. tall and wide
  
• Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8

4. Angelonia (Angelonia angustifolia)

These flowers are everblooming, never reseed, seldom fall over and perform well with or without deadheading.

• Type: Tender perennial (usually grown as an annual)
  
• Blooms: Spiky white, purple, pink or raspberry blooms from spring through fall
  
• Light: Full sun
  
• Soil: Moist, well-drained soil
  
• Size: 12 to 30 in. tall, 10 to 18 in. wide
  
• Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11

5. Salvia (Salvia spp. and hybrids)

Hummingbirds adore the tubular flowers of salvia, especially the red varieties.

• Type: Tender perennial (usually grown as an annual)
  
• Blooms: Blue, purple, white, red or pink flowers in summer through fall
  
• Light: Full sun to part shade
  
• Soil: Moist, well-drained soil
  
• Size: 2 to 5 ft. tall and wide
  
• Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 7 to 11

6. Lantana (Lantana camara)

Reliable nonstop bloomers and standard forms provide height in just the right spots.

• Type: Tender perennial (usually grown as an annual)
  
• Blooms: Small white, yellow, pink, purple, red or orange flowers from spring through fall
  
• Light: Full sun
  
• Soil: Dry to medium well-drained soil
  
• Size: 1 to 4 ft. tall, 1 to 3 ft. wide
  
• Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11

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Summer gardening brings plenty of challenges. Discover reader-tested tips for dealing with slugs, deterring birds from nesting in rain gutters, and making the most of your garden space by sharing it with neighbors.

An easy way to use eggshells to deter snails and slugs

Constance has a problem with slugs and snails eating her hostas, so she applies ground eggshells to the areas around her hostas to deter the pests. To make the process easier, she realized she could reuse a grated parmesan cheese shaker — the durable plastic kind that dispenses from holes in the lid like you see above. Just wash the container out and let it fully dry before filling with clean, dry, ground eggshells and apply with ease. 

—Tip submitted by Constance Larson, ID

Deter nesting birds with this simple solution

To prevent birds from making nests in unsafe or inconvenient spots, Jim found that he could use two unexpected items: An old tuna can and a golf ball. In some spots, such as the one where a gutter or light attaches to siding, he just balances a can where the birds will knock it off if they try to land. It makes a clanging noise that scares them away.

If they’re trying to build nests on the flat tops of his lights, he secures the can to the top. Then he places a golf ball inside. The ball rolls around when birds try to land and nest, startling them and sending them off to a different location.

—Tip submitted by Jim Fameree, WI

Grow flowers from seed all season for budget-friendly containers

It’s more economical to change your containers from season to season when you are growing some of the plants from seed. Richard has a simple rotating system in place to keep his front yard container display stunning: At the same time he plants up the spring containers in the front yard, he plants seeds and seedlings in a few pots in the backyard too.

By the time the containers out front are fading, the seed-grown plants in the back have come into their own. Richard swaps the faded planters for fresh ones that keep his front entrance looking its best. Then in the backyard he refreshes the faded pots, pulling out some spent plants, replenishing potting mix and reseeding the empty spaces with cool-season plants that will be ready to show off by the time fall comes and he’s ready to swap the containers again.

—Tip submitted by Richard Sunberg, OH

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Upcycle a rusty firepit into a garden planter

Instead of tossing out your old metal fire pit, line it with landscape fabric or coir lining and plant it up! Anna’s old fire pit had a few holes caused by rust that could provide drainage. But if yours doesn’t, just carefully drill a few new ones. If the exterior is looking a little rusty, a couple layers of spray paint can give it a fresh new look.

—Tip submitted by Anna Ellenberger, PA

Create a neighborly growing space

If you are lacking space for a vegetable garden, you might want to team up. Kent and his neighbor both wanted a vegetable garden and decided that the flattest and sunniest location was where their side yards met. Together they built the raised bed in three stair-stepping sections to follow the slope of the yard, each with their own trellises. Then they each chose one section to plant and tend themselves, leaving the middle section for shared crops.

Pole beans and cucumbers grow on the 7 ½-foot-tall trellises that also help support tomatoes and peppers. Plus there’s always room to tuck in a few flowers. This has worked so well that they often have a big harvest they can share with friends and family.

—Tip submitted by Kent Young, IA

We Pay $50 for Tips We Publish in Garden Gate magazine!

Send us photos and a description of your garden tip for a chance to be featured in the magazine. Please include your name, address and daytime phone number in case we have questions.

Photos courtesy of contributors; Illustration by Carlie Hamilton

Reader Garden Award 2026 Runner-Up:

Congratulations to Shelly (Bell) Schnettler from Essexville, Michigan!

Shelly was born with a love for the land. Growing up on her family’s century farm in Michigan, she was eagerly learning to drive farm equipment while most kids were riding bikes. Her love of agriculture evolved into a passion for gardening, which led to her receiving local recognition and awards for her lively home landscape.

A garden for celebrating

A vibrant tapestry of blooms from flowering shrubs, perennials and annuals welcomed garden visitors with color and creativity, and the space became so special that three of her children decided to get married in the garden. A photo from one of these weddings can be seen above, the large bed creating a colorful backdrop for the ceremony.

Stay tuned! We'll be announcing more Reader Garden Award winners for 2026 in our Fall and Winter issue of Garden Gate magazine!

Honoring a lifelong love of gardening

Shelly died unexpectedly in November 2024 but left behind a legacy of love for plants that is still felt in her family and community. In honor of Shelly’s passion for gardening and agriculture, her family established the Bell Family Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship, Farm Girls for a Better Tomorrow, provides financial support to young women pursuing agriculture through formal education, homesteading projects or community leadership, and aims to preserve farming traditions and champion regenerative practices for future generations of farm girls like Shelly.

You can donate to Farm Girls for a Better Tomorrow here: bellfamilyfarmestate.com/donate

Thanks to Milwaukee^® Tool for providing a pruning tools package valued over $100 as our runner-up prize.

Enter your garden for a chance to be one of next year’s winners!

For details on entry guidelines for submitting your garden in the Garden Gate Reader Garden Award, click here.

See Our Previous Year's Reader Garden Award Winners:

• 2025: The Giving Garden, Sue & Bob Olson of Minnesota
• 2024: Multiseason Beauty With Perennials & Flowering Trees
  
• 2023: Grand Garden Experiment
  
• 2022: Charming Southern Backyard Garden
  
• 2021: Beautiful Hillside Garden
  
• 2020: Urban Garden Retreat
  

Try these natural pest control methods for a healthier garden

A 2005 study at the University of Illinois found that bagworm-infested shrubs surrounded by flowering plants had 71 percent higher rates of parasitism on the bagworms than shrubs that didn’t have flowers nearby. And while it’s true that you can buy some predatory insect species, growing flowers whose pollen and nectar feed beneficial insects, such as lady beetles, hoverflies or predatory wasps, is a more reliable (and easier!) way to bring them in.

For example, if your peonies attract adult tiphia wasps, they’ll lay eggs on nearby adult Japanese and Oriental beetles. And the larvae of hoverflies and lady beetles are voracious predators of aphids, plant hoppers, caterpillars and other pests.

Natural pest control tips

Follow these tips and grow the plants at right to make your garden more attractive to beneficial insects.

• Grow long-blooming plants

That way there are always flowers for beneficial insects to feed on. While it’s often the larvae that feed on pests, adults can have a short lifespan and need food at just the right time to feed, reproduce and lay eggs.

• Beneficial insects need water too

Add a few stones to a birdbath so insects have shallow areas where they can safely access moisture.

• Flower shape makes a difference

Many beneficial insect adults feed on nectar and pollen but have small mouthparts. Make it easy for them to access by growing umbel-shaped and daisy-shaped blooms.

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6 Plants That Help Attract Beneficial Insects to the Garden

1. Dill (Anethum graveolens)

Type: Tender perennial (usually grown as an annual)
Blooms: Airy yellow flowers on top of long stems from summer to early fall; host plant to swallowtail butterflies
Light: Full sun
Size: 3 to 5 ft. tall, 2 to 3 ft. wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 7 to 11
Attractive to beneficial insects including: Lady beetles, lacewings, ichneumon wasps

2. Goldenrod (Solidago spp. and hybrids)

Type: Perennial
Blooms: Plumes, spikes or long arching stems covered in small individual flowers from late summer to fall
Light: Full sun to part shade
Size: 1 to 6 ft. tall, 2 to 3 ft. wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9
Attractive to beneficial insects: Hoverflies, leatherwing soldier beetles

3. Peony (Paeonia hybrids)

Type: Perennial
Blooms: Single or double pink, white, purple, yellow or red blooms in early to late spring
Light: Full sun
Size: 2 to 4 ft. tall and wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8
Attractive to beneficial insects: Tiphia wasps

4. Pot marigold (Calendula officinalis)

Type: Annual
Blooms: Daisy-shaped blooms in golden yellow, orange, pink, peach, cream or bronze from late spring to frost
Light: Full sun to part shade
Size: 12 to 24 in. tall, 12 to 18 in. wide
Attractive to beneficial insects: Lady beetles, hoverflies

5. Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota)

Type: Biennial
Blooms: White blooms in summer; be cautious of toxic sap
Light: Full sun to part shade
Size: 36 to 48 in. tall, 6 to 12 in. wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 11
Attractive to beneficial insects: Hoverflies, lacewings, lady beetles

6. Sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima)

Type: Tender perennial (usually grown as an annual)
Blooms: Clusters of individual white, purple or lavender flowers form a mass of color from late spring to frost
Light: Full sun to part shade
Size: 3 to 9 in. tall, 6 to 14 in. wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11
Attractive to beneficial insects including: Hoverflies

PHOTOS: stock.adobe.com, jonnysek (Dill); stock.adobe.com, Gerry (Queen Anne’s lace)

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From the Wild Side: Drinks All Around

One hot, sunny day last summer, I killed a bee. Not on purpose — I work hard to not kill bees — but it was my fault. I had walked outside to check the hummingbird feeder and to add water to the “ant well,” the little reservoir that keeps ants from reaching the homemade nectar farther down. And there she was: a bumblebee floating alone in the cup, looking terribly small and certainly dead. Her fluffy stripes were messy and matted, while the pollen she’d stored on her thighs was now melting into yellow sludge.

I’ve used that cup for years, not so much to discourage ants as to encourage chickadees. They and the goldfinches and tufted titmice all prefer to take private, dainty sips from the ant well rather than catch communal drinks at any of my birdbaths-of-the-masses. And who can blame them? Birds can’t take a bath or a dump in an ant well. But apparently, bumblebees can drown in one. I already use sticks as safety ladders in every other possible water source, but that was the day I learned that hummer feeders need one too.

Did you know?

A hummingbird’s diet is 80 percent meat (tiny insects and spiders), but fresh sugar-water is always welcome, especially during spring and fall migration. Clean the feeder every two or three days to avoid mold.

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Water for All Types of Wildlife

The thing is, no drowning should ever happen on my watch. Not when I pile bumpy stones in the birdbaths, angle sticks in the pond and heap gravel in the butterfly puddling dish. I cover water barrels with netting, tip saucers after rain and leave a scrap of chicken wire in the watering can. And I’ve spent untold hours tweaking ways to make it almost impossible for my Mosquito Buckets of Doom to doom anything but mosquitoes. I didn’t invent the mosquito-bucket trick, but I did invent the name, and my version was the first to feature an escape ramp, should anyone other than a mosquito fall in.

Simple solutions can save a life

Water is life, so I hate when my water kills things. I want every creature, whether bird, skink, snake, squirrel, possum, chipmunk or bug to come for drinks and then leave in one piece. Providing water, even one dish of it, is essential for adding habitat back to where we live. How did I fix the ant well? With a short stub of a stick rough enough for a bee to grab, but small enough for a chickadee to have room for his drink too. 

Secret water sources: Weeping plants

There is another source of water I should mention. Although it likely happens in everyone’s yard, it’s kind of a secret and kind of a miracle, and it never needs a safety ramp: plants that weep water. Some species have hydathodes, one-way nozzles that let extra water seep up and out of the leaf margins at night, and only when the humidity is right and the soil is wet, and only at leaves low to the ground. The process is called guttation.

Imagine the heart-shaped leaf of a wild violet rimmed with tiny, clear beads that sparkle in the sun. Or curvy columbine leaves fringed with droplets. I’ve seen guttation on tomato leaves, kale, grapevine, jewelweed, and bee balm, and some days on every single blade of grass.

Fireflies get thirsty too!

You know what else is low to the ground at daybreak? Thirsty fireflies. It’s now a highlight of a summer morning to run out and watch fireflies suck the violets and sip the grass. They must be tired after a night of trying to make more fireflies, and each guttation drop contains valuable carbs and protein — a breakfast of champions. And the best part is that no one can drown in a drop.

Joanna, author of "This Is How a Robin Drinks: Essays on Urban Nature," writes about everyday wonders in everyday habitat loss on Instagram @jo_brichetto and at SidewalkNature.com.

Bring a tropical feel to your patio, porch or deck with bold tropical plants in containers. Whether you love dramatic foliage, vibrant flowers or a mix of both, tropical container gardens create lush, eye-catching displays all season long.

Even better, many tender tropical plants can be overwintered in colder climates, making them a smart investment year after year. Get inspired with our favorite tropical plant combinations for containers below, and learn how to create stunning, tropical-style arrangements for your own outdoor space.

Tropical plants make a spectacular focal point in full sun

Nothing says “Wow” like a showstopping tropical plant used as a specimen in a container, either by itself or with other supporting players. Here, a red Abyssinian banana does just that. But its pot-mates are pretty, too, and provide just enough color and filler to show the banana off to its best advantage. Formal in its composition, this planter could serve as a striking focal point in an informal setting as well with a change of container.

Let these plants dry a touch between waterings, but give them a good soaking when you do water. Keep reading to learn how to take care of bananas and other tropical plants through winter.

Container plant list (number to plant)

A) Red Abyssinian banana Ensete ventricosum ‘Maurelii’ (1)
B) Canna Canna ‘America’ (4)
C) Geranium Pelargonium Caliente^® Mix (24)
D) Creeping Jenny Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’ (4)
Container is 36 in. square

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Add a touch of purple to cool down tropical plants

Cool and refreshing, this combination of purple and yellow-green would give off a tranquil feeling even if it wasn’t next to water. Relax and enjoy the soft flowing verbena draping over the edge of the container, knowing you don’t have to work hard at all to take care of it. Just snip off spent blooms to keep the plant full and floriferous.

Container plant list (number to plant)

A) Canna Canna ‘Bengal Tiger’ (1)
B) Licorice vine Helichrysum petiolare ‘Lemon Licorice’ (2)
C) Euphorbia Euphorbia hypericifolia ‘Hip Hop’ (2)
D) Verbena Verbena canadensis ‘Homestead Purple’ (4)
Container is 18 in. square

3 ways to overwinter tropical plants

Tropical plants can stay outside until night temperatures get below 50 degrees F. Here is how to care for them once you bring them indoors.

1. Keep it as a house plant

Place plants like crotons (Codiaeum spp.), sprengeri fern (Asparagus sprengerii), ivy (Hedera helix) and ficus (Ficus spp.) in a sunny south-facing window with plenty of humidity.

2. Let it go dormant

A container-grown plant, such as banana (Musa hybrids), can be cared for like a house plant if you have the space. Or cut the stems back to 6 in. tall, place the pot in a cool, dark location and let it dry out. In late winter, start watering and new growth will begin in a few weeks.

3. Dig it up and overwinter tender bulbs

Cut elephant ear (Colocasia hybrids), caladium (Codiaeum hybrids) and canna (Canna hybrids) back after frost has killed the foliage. Dig bulbs or tubers, and let them dry for up to a week, then store them in slightly damp peat moss in a cool (45 degrees F), dry location.

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Little tropical container, big impact!

A bold container doesn’t have to be big — just look at this eye-catching arrangement. It grabs your attention with tropical colors and patterned foliage. Guests will be drawn to this gorgeous container; use it to lead them to a patio seating area for lively conversation.

Though lantana is drought tolerant, croton and New Guinea impatiens are thirsty, so check the soil and water when it is just dry to the touch and before foliage wilts. Terra-cotta containers are breathable and will dry out faster than glazed ceramic or plastic pots, so keep an eye on it every day in the summer.

Container plant list (number to plant)

A) Croton Codiaeum variegatum pictum ‘Petra’ (1)
B) New Guinea impatiens Impatiens hawkeri (2)
C) Lantana Lantana camara Little Lucky^™ Orange (1)
Container is 12 in. in diameter

Fast-growing container planting bursting with color for part shade

This simple container has all the elements for a great container planting that uses the classic "thriller, filler, spiller" recipe. And vigorous growers like the sweet potato vine, elephant ear, impatiens and asparagus fern here fill up a container fast — perfect for spots you want to call attention to all season.

But don’t put this in too much sun —‘Tricolor’ sweet potato vine’s white variegation can burn in hot midday heat, so keep it in a partly shady spot.

Container plant list (number to plant)

A) Elephant ear Colocasia esculenta ‘Mojito’ (1)
B) Asparagus fern Asparagus densiflorus ‘Sprengeri’ (1)
C) New Guinea impatiens Impatiens Devine^™ Blue Pearl (4)
D) Begonia Begonia Dragon Wing^® Pink (1)
E) Sweet potato vine Ipomoea batatas ‘Tricolor’ (2)

Container is 20 in. square

In the garden, the color blue can create a mood of calm serenity, cooling a vibrant scene and providing a spot to rest the eye. Combining it with bright colors brings depth and contrast. Some plants have near-blue flowers to fulfill these garden duties, but many hostas have near-blue foliage, which makes them indispensable in a shade garden.

Enter for a Chance to Win 3 Blue Hostas from NH Hostas this Summer!

What makes hostas blue?

Blue hostas are glaucous, meaning the leaves have a white, waxy or powdery coating (often called a “bloom”) that reflects light. Dark green foliage will appear more intensely blue than a lighter shade under this bloom. And new growth has a thicker glaucous layer than mature leaves, resulting in a bluer color.

Hostas are some of the easiest and most rewarding plants in the shade garden. They thrive in part to full shade with average soil that is kept moist but not wet. Morning sun promotes the best color because hot afternoon sun can degrade the glaucous layer and fade the blue.

Divide blue hostas to get more plants

Since hostas rarely come true from seed, your blue hosta’s seedlings won’t necessarily be blue. To ensure that you keep the color going, divide when clumps become overcrowded. And don’t be fooled by those internet posts advertising royal blue–colored hostas from seed that practically glow — it’s a scam. No blue hosta is ever that blue.

Now let's take a look at 11 hostas with naturally blue foliage — there’s more variety than you might think! 

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Best blue hostas to grow in your garden

Look for varieties marked with the American Hosta Society: Hosta of the Year Award

This designation is awarded to time-tested varieties that have shown excellent garden performance. Visit the American Hosta Society at americanhostasociety.org for the complete list.

‘Elegans’ Hosta sieboldiana

Introduced in 1905, ‘Elegans’ is a time-honored garden favorite and the parent of hundreds of cultivars of blue-foliaged hostas over the years. The large, rounded leaves emerge blue-gray in spring and turn smoky as the glaucous coating fades in summer, remaining dark green by frost. As plants age, the leaves become more corrugated, growing in thick clumps. Slow-spreading ‘Elegans’ can eventually fill a space 4 feet or larger. White midsummer flowers have a slight lavender tinge and sit just above the mound of foliage.

Since ‘Elegans’ grows up to 3 feet tall, put it in a shady border with old-fashioned bleeding heart or tulips, where it can fill in space vacated by these plants as their foliage fades in the heat of summer. It works perfectly as a low-maintenance mass planting in a tucked-away spot. Avoid companion plants with small or delicate foliage that might be overwhelmed by this hosta’s enormous leaves. Pair it with a broad-leaved brunnera to cover any bare legs.

Type: Perennial
Features: Large, rounded, corrugated blue-gray leaves, white blooms with lavender tinge in midsummer
Size: 24 to 36 in. tall (40 in. in bloom), 36 to 48 in. wide 
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9

Plant companions for shade:

• Brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla)
• Old-fashioned bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectablilis)
• Tulip (Tulipa spp. and hybrids)

‘Abiqua Drinking Gourd’ hosta

2014 Hosta of the Year

With deep blue-green leaves nearly a foot across and cupped up to 3 inches deep, ‘Abiqua Drinking Gourd’ lives up to its name by collecting water from rain or overnight dew. Indeed, I once had an elderly cat who would make his morning rounds through the hosta plants, licking water off the leaf tips and stopping for a refreshing sip from this plant’s foliar pools in particular. Not only are the leaves significantly cupped, they are also thick and heavily seersuckered, giving this plant added slug resistance. White flowers held just above the foliage draw hummingbirds in early summer.

Grow this variety as a specimen plant

‘Abiqua Drinking Gourd’ needs a prominent place in the garden — grow it as a specimen plant to highlight its unique texture alone near an entryway or in a large container. Or surround it with shade-loving ground covers, such as hakonechloa, whose spiky chartreuse foliage is a striking contrast to the blue-green hosta. ‘Rozanne’ perennial geranium makes another fine companion: It has violet-blue flowers and mounding foliage that turns red in the fall.

Type: Perennial 
Features: Large dark blue-green cupped leaves with heavy seersuckering and white flowers in early summer 
Size: 18 to 24 in. tall (22 in. in bloom), 36 to 48 in. wide 
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8

Shade companion plants:

• Hakonechloa (Hakonechloa macra)
• Perennial geranium (Geranium hybrid)

‘Krossa Regal’ hosta

‘Krossa Regal’ is outstanding when it blooms — its lavender flower scapes literally stand several feet above the 3-foot-tall foliage. Once those flowers are spent, cut them back so you can appreciate its unusual vase-shaped habit. Leaves are a frosty blue-green, aging to dark green as the summer heats up and often turning yellow to orange in fall. They are slightly wavy and show off deep veins.

With its unique shape, ‘Krossa Regal’ makes a perfect specimen — plant a single clump in a container alone or in the center of a shady island bed with a colorful Japanese painted fern at its base to highlight this large hosta. Site it in the back of the border with smaller variegated hostas to add color and promote the differences in habit and texture. Goat’s beard’s smaller, finer-textured foliage makes it a nice companion.

Type: Perennial 
Features: Wavy blue-green leaves with a vaselike habit, lavender flowers on tall scapes in mid- to late summer 
Size: 30 to 36 in. tall (60 to 72 in. in bloom), 36 to 72 in. wide 
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8

Pairs well with:

• Goat’s beard (Aruncus dioicus)
• Japanese painted fern (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum)

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‘Blue Mouse Ears’ hosta

2008 Hosta of the Year

Like a baby bunny, ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ is sweet and adorable. But unlike the bunny, you’ll want this hosta in your garden. Growing just 6 to 8 inches tall in compact, mounded clumps of perfectly rounded leaves, it catches your eye by its shape as well as the frosty gray-green to blue-green color. The almost rubbery foliage is usually not appealing to slugs. In mid- to late summer, flower scapes rise just above the foliage and form balloon-like buds along the stem that pop open into tiny, dangling lavender bells that bees and hummingbirds love.

Use this miniature hosta in the front of the border or containers

With its petite stature, ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ can get lost in the garden, so plant with that in mind. Set it at the front of the border in a small mass planting near low-growing companions, such as corydalis or lilyturf. It tolerates dry shade, so try it in a woodland bed with epimedium. Tuck it into a sparsely planted shady rock garden, where its whorls of leaves will look lush and soft compared to a stone background. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ is terrific in containers, either in combination with shade-loving annuals or alone as a table centerpiece. Pop a potful in the garden to fill a space where spring bulbs have gone dormant.

Type: Perennial 
Features: Rounded blue leaves in petite mounds with lavender bell-shaped flowers in mid- to late summer 
Size: 6 to 8 in. tall (12 in. in bloom), 10 to 12 in. wide 
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8

Grows well with:

• Corydalis (Corydalis lutea)
• Epimedium (Epimedium spp. and hybrids)
• Lilyturf (Liriope muscari)

‘Blue Perfection’ hosta

While most hostas have minimal scent, ‘Blue Perfection’ has H. plantaginea (often referred to as fragrant hosta) in its genealogy, so its light lavender flowers will be a delight to your nose. Unlike other hostas, ‘Blue Perfection’ keeps producing new foliage through the growing season: There are always new blue leaves to keep the color showing, even in hot summers.

So you can enjoy the fragrance, plant ‘Blue Perfection’ around a patio or just below a raised deck where the scent can waft up to the seating area on a summer evening. A fast-growing hosta, it is a good choice for a mass planting, especially if you need it to fill in quickly. Plant it mid-border with lacy cinnamon ferns in back and a skirt of red or bronze heucherellas, such as ‘Redstone Falls’, for contrast in texture and color.

Type: Perennial 
Features: Blue foliage ages dark green with fragrant light lavender blooms in late summer
Size: 18 to 24 in. tall (41 in. in bloom), 48 to 54 in. wide 
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9

Grows well with:

• Cinnamon fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum)
• Heucherella (Heucherella hybrids)

‘Skylight’ hosta

An extra waxy coating on its thick, slightly puckered leaves gives ‘Skylight’ its particularly light baby blue color. It also provides more slug resistance than other hostas. Growing 16 inches tall, it spreads up to 40 inches across, filling in a shady border with a luminescent glow.

Plant ‘Skylight’ in the shade of a similarly hued blue spruce. Contrast the light blue with bright orange flowers of annual Beacon^® Orange impatiens for a striking combination. Coral bells make nice companions — try peachy-orange ‘Paprika’ for a warm, spicy combo, or cool it down with ‘Obsidian’, which has near-black foliage. Enter for a chance to win a ‘Skylight’ hosta plant from NH Hostas here!

Type: Perennial 
Features: Light baby blue–colored leaves with lavender flowers in early summer 
Size: 16 in. tall (24 in. in bloom), 40 in. wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8

Grows well with:

• Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens)
• Coral bells (Heuchera hybrids)
• Impatiens (Impatiens walleriana)

‘Halcyon’ hosta

The word “halcyon” signifies calm, peaceful happiness, and a garden with ‘Halcyon’ hosta can give that feeling. Its frosty blue-green foliage is cool and serene. The spear-shaped leaves are ribbed, hold their color long into the summer and are relatively slug resistant. Hummingbirds like the lavender flowers that appear in summer as well.

Long a favorite with gardeners, ‘Halcyon’ performs admirably in mass plantings under shade trees to lighten the understory. Pair it with chartreuse ‘Sun King’ aralia or lady’s mantle to give a dark corner a wow factor.

Sports of ‘Halcyon’ have gone on to become popular cultivars. A sport is a naturally occurring genetic mutation. Through tissue culture and division, these little surprises were multiplied, all with the notable blue color but often with striking variegation. ‘First Frost’ and ‘June’ are two such introductions.

Type: Perennial 
Features: Frosty blue-green, spear-shaped, ribbed leaves with lavender flowers on long scapes in summer 
Size: 18 to 24 in. tall (28 in. in bloom), 24 to 36 in. wide 
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8

Grows well with:

• Aralia (Aralia cordata)
• Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis)

‘Silly String’ hosta

In the garden, ‘Silly String’ hosta has just the kind of dynamic foliage to start a party! Distinctive narrow, wavy leaves burst from compact clumps to give an electric vibe. Intense powder blue leaves become sedate blue-green later in the summer, topped by lavender flowers. Trim those off if you want to get the most visual appeal of the foliage texture, but leave them standing if you want visits from pollinators and hummingbirds.

With its unique foliage, this hosta makes a great container plant or specimen. Plant one in a tall, skinny container to emphasize its lines, rising from a bed of ligularia or male fern. Create an easy-care bed of all hostas that is a study in texture by pairing it with large-leaved dark green cultivars and small, mounding chartreuse varieties. Or grow a colorful bed by grouping ‘Silly String’ with variegated hostas, such as ‘Sagae’, which has enormous blue-green leaves edged in cream, or ‘Patriot’, which features dark green foliage with white margins.

Type: Perennial 
Features: Long, narrow blue leaves with lavender to purple blooms in midsummer
Size: 14 in. tall (17 to 27 in. in bloom), 28 in. wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9

Grows well with:

• Ligularia (Ligularia dentata)
• Male fern (Dryopteris filix-mas)

‘First Frost’ hosta

2010 Hosta of the Year

A sport of ‘Halcyon’, ‘First Frost’ glows in the shade with leaves that emerge bright yellow on the margins with deep blue centers in spring. As summer progresses, the yellow lightens to a creamy white. Tight, dense mounds make this hosta look tidy all year, with or without its lavender midsummer blooms.

Pair ‘First Frost’ in the middle of the border with its parent, ‘Halcyon’, to appreciate its color contrast. Highlight the blue center with a blue-flowered pulmonaria. A bit of morning sun keeps the foliage color brighter, where it will show off a cheerful spring display with blue-flowering brunnera or yellow ‘City of Haarlem’ hyacinths.

Type: Perennial 
Features: Yellow leaf margins around blue centers with light lavender flowers in midsummer
Size: 14 to 16 in. tall (28 in. in bloom), 36 in. wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9

Grows well with:

• Brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla)
• Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis)
• Pulmonaria (Pulmonaria spp. and hybrids)

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‘Skywriter’ hosta

2025 Hosta of the Year

Not only is the foliage of ‘Skywriter’ an eye-catching steel blue, but the wide leaves have silvery undersides exposed by the wavy edges, with purple stems visible through the loose, upright habit. In summer, purple scapes hoist lavender flowers aloft to complete the look.

Plant ‘Skywriter’ as a focal point in a shade vignette to draw attention to its unique color. Highlight the purple stems with a carpet of Black Scallop bugleweed. In a spot with morning sun, combine ‘Skywriter’ with honeybush, blue fescue and a blue-flowering bigleaf hydrangea, such as ‘Nikko Blue’, to create a monochromatic border filled with dramatic texture.

Type: Perennial
Features: Steel blue leaves with silvery undersides and purple petioles, blooms are lavender on purple scapes in midsummer 
Size: 14 to 16 in. tall (30 in. in bloom), 30 in. wide 
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9

Grows well with:

• Bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)
• Blue fescue (Festuca glauca)
• Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans)
• Honeybush (Melianthus major)

‘June’ hosta

2001 Hosta of the Year

‘June’ is another popular sport of ‘Halcyon’, with unusual variegated leaves whose blue-green margins bleed into a light yellow-green before brightening to golden yellow in the center. Each leaf has colorful streaks that create excitement and invite close inspection. Light lavender flowers appear in midsummer.

As with many variegated hostas, more light will give this plant better color, but avoid planting where it will be exposed to hot midday sun. Highlight its gold leaf centers by planting with yellow-flowering golden spur columbine or a low skirt of yellow archangel.

Type: Perennial 
Features: Leaves have blue-green edges that progress to yellow-green then to golden yellow in the center with pale lavender blooms in midsummer
Size: 12 to 15 in. tall (20 in. in bloom), 24 to 30 in. wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8

Grows well with:

• Golden columbine (Aquilegia chrysantha)
• Yellow archangel (Lamium galeobdolon)

Blue hosta plant sources

• Bluestone Perennials, bluestoneperennials.com, 800-852-5243
• Garden Crossings, gardencrossings.com, 616-875-6355
• NH Hostas, nhhostas.com, 603-879-0085

Q: I find seeds for brightly colored hostas being sold online, but where can I buy plants?

A: Well, as the old adage goes, buyer beware.

The advertisements selling seeds for vividly colored hostas (Hosta spp. and hybrids) like the one above are, at best, misleading. As of now there are no bright blue, vivid red or rich purple hosta cultivars. The images have been doctored. Want more proof?

Scroll to the site’s Terms of Use page and it will explain that the company is not responsible for plants that don’t match the images in the ad. It’s better to buy from local or reputable online companies who will stand behind their stock.

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Try these reliable & colorful hostas

So, what is colorful in the hosta world these days? The lists below show a few proven standards and new introductions to try.

Red-leaved hostas are still elusive

It's safe to say that true red-leaved hostas have yet to be found. However, several cultivars have red or burgundy petioles (leaf stems) that can add a colorful accent to the garden. Here are a few of our favorites:

• ‘Island Breeze’ hosta (above)
• ‘Cherry Berry’ hosta
• ‘Red Dragon’ hosta

Trusted blue hostas

Blue hostas are the most shade tolerant, in hues of gray- or blue green, often with a waxy coating. Try a few of these reliable blue varieties:

• ‘Halcyon’ hosta (above)
• ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ hosta
• ‘Blue Angel’ hosta

Love blue hostas? Enter our sweepstakes for a chance to win 3 unique varieties from NH Hostas this summer!

Hostas with yellow or gold foliage

Bright yellows and golds shine in the shade. But most show the best color if they get sun part of the day. Try these cultivars to brighten your garden beds and borders:

• ‘Coast to Coast’ hosta (above)
• ‘Lemontini’ hosta
• ‘Lipstick Blonde’ hosta

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White Mulberry (Morus alba)

How to identify the plant

Along with lots of birds and animals, you might think of white mulberry as a 20- to 60-foot-tall tree with tasty fruit. But its rampant seeding makes this non-native an invasive pest that squeezes out native species.

Leaves on young plants are heart shaped with toothed margins, but as the plant matures, they can be deeply lobed or mitten shaped. Unlike the native red mulberry (Morus rubra), the leaves of white mulberry have a soft gloss on top and are smooth on the underside. Pale green spring catkins are followed by red to dark purple blackberry-shaped fruit in early summer.

The root system is shallow and bright yellow to orange. Break a twig and it oozes milky sap. Older bark is furrowed with a slightly orange-gray color. Mature trees tend to break easily in storms.

Where to find white mulberry

Seedlings sprout almost anywhere in North America, in sun or shade, good soil or poor.

How to control white mulberry

Seeds are spread by birds and animals, so remove plants before they set fruit. Pull or hoe out seedlings. Saplings can be dug. Cut down larger plants. Repeat cutting new sprouts or cover the stump with black plastic to deprive the plant of food so it eventually dies. If you need to resort to a chemical solution, look for a nonselective herbicide that can be applied to a cut stump.

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