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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Backyard & Patio Garden Plans

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 Hosta virus X resistant and 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 dwarf 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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Upon arriving home, I anticipated at least one weekend of decent weather to put my garden to bed. The biggest job would be digging up my precious dahlias, separating the tubers and packing them away in vermiculite until spring. I just needed a day and a half of not terrible weather. Was that too much to ask?

Change of plans…

Yes, friends. It apparently was. The following weekend it snowed. And it snowed. And it snowed. Until mid-December.

So last winter my dahlias remained in the cold, hard ground and weren’t tucked safely inside their perfectly labeled containers in my basement. I admit I lamented for a bit, then decided to chill and just order new tubers.

Remaining flexible

Gardening is cool like that. There’s almost nothing you can mess up so terribly that you can’t just try again next year. It’s an excellent hobby for those of us who like to wing it and sometimes experiment without having all the facts.

Over the last 25 years, I’ve made quite a few gardening whoopsies. I’ve attempted to grow things that have no business growing year-round in zone 5. (Apparently, tropical hibiscus are only meant to be enjoyed in a pot for a season…rude.) I’ve overwatered every succulent I ever owned until I learned to cool it with the spray bottle. Some years I’ve thinned carrots with the audacity of a teenager tweezing her eyebrows in 1996 (no, I will not show you photos) and then the very next year forgotten to thin them at all.

There’s a place in gardening for every approach

Gardening is for everyone: the chronic rule followers with their detailed journals and subscriptions to Garden Gate magazine so they can dog-ear the crucial pages (me); the laissez-faire gardeners who let the seed packets at their local nursery speak to them to determine each season’s growing plans (also a little me); and even the folks who never intended to be gardeners, but left their rotting pumpkin out all winter and are now running a rogue pumpkin patch from their front yard (this one is actually not me, but sounds kind of fun). We can all thrive in gardening, and I think that’s pretty great. 

Jamie Seitz is about to get full-time fancy in her home state of Iowa: She’s begun training to become a certified Master Gardener, and you can believe you’re going to hear all about it.

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Pumpkin illustration generated with Adobe Firefly from the prompt, “pumpkin on a long vine”

Cultivating a tropical garden oasis

The time spent gardening with his grandmother, Olive, when he was a child inspired Deronis Cooper to pick up a trowel again shortly after he bought his townhome 17 years ago. Not only has he found the work of planning, planting and watering the garden satisfying, but being surrounded by beautiful flowers and foliage is great stress relief from his job as a Chicago police officer. Watch our Talk & Tour video with Deronis above and keep reading to learn more about this impressive garden!

A garden for everyone to enjoy

You can’t miss Deronis’ garden when you’re walking or driving down the block. He designs the space so that the bright colors and bold foliage that you see in the photos burst over and around the privacy fence, giving him, his neighbors and passersby plenty of enjoyment. The exuberant plantings often draw people over for a closer look, and Deronis is happy to give an impromptu tour and share his garden tips. He even connects and encourages others through social media. Known as “Grandma's Gardener,” he has gained quite a following and was even featured on the local news. Be sure to folling him on Instagram @grandmas_gardener to see what he's planting in the garden this season.

Now let’s take a look at this amazing space and find out what Deronis did to create a tropical oasis in the heart of the Midwest.

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Impressive front yard foliage

The wrought iron fence along the front yard in the photo above provides a sneak peek into the garden. But a colorful wall of coleus (Coleus scutellarioides), sweet potato vines (Ipomoea batatas), palms (Chamaedorea spp.) and Red Abyssinian bananas (Ensete maurelli) give Deronis a bit of privacy. The screening works so well that last summer a friend walked by and didn’t offer his typical “Hey, how’s it going?” even though Deronis was sitting in his usual spot.

An urban garden packed with curb appeal

To find bargains that stretch his gardening budget, Deronis often shops Facebook Marketplace. That’s where he found five 5-foot-long and 2-foot-tall rectangular metal storage boxes that he upcycled into the planters that sit behind the wrought iron fence. He brought them home, spray-painted them black and drilled holes in the bottom with a metal drill bit for drainage.

When it’s time to plant these containers in spring, Deronis starts working inside the yard, then moves out to the sidewalk and reaches through the pickets to plant so there’s plenty of street-facing color too. The result is the luxurious growth you see above that stops so many passersby in their tracks.

Read the Full Feature in Our New Summer Issue – Buy Your Copy Here!

Impressive wine barrel containers anchor the corner of the lot

At the corner the wrought iron changes to a wooden privacy fence, and that transition is marked by the two 59-gallon barrels you see above. Though they’re hidden, you can’t miss the explosion of color they provide. Elephant ear (Colocasia spp. and hybrids), coleus and sweet potato vine are regular players, but Deronis likes to mix up the planting each year depending on what inspires him at the garden center. Last year’s combination also included purple fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum) and spider flower (Cleome hassleriana).

Large elephant ears and bananas keep the design proportional in this 35-inch-tall barrel (elephant ears regularly reach 7 feet tall in Deronis’ garden, and the biggest banana he grew was 14 feet.) While these two plants provide the height, a skirt of vigorous sweet potato vine balances them out. To keep plants growing strong, Deronis adds Osmocote^® slow-release fertilizer to the potting mix at planting and applies liquid plant food using the Miracle-Gro^® Garden Feeder hose attachment most every week.

Overwintering in place

At 115 pounds, the barrels are too awkward to move indoors over the winter, so he leaves them out, even though they’re unsealed oak. Because of year-round exposure, the last one required replacing after about eight years.

Keeping planters watered

Deronis says that keeping up with watering is his biggest challenge throughout the yard but especially for these barrels. On hot summer days he may drag the hose and watering wand over there two or three times a day to maintain its head-turning curb appeal.

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Layer plants for a lush tropical garden look

One of the first projects Deronis tackled when he started gardening was the 32-foot-long by 3-foot-deep raised bed that sits next to the townhome. It was initially filled with a mix of topsoil and peat moss for drainage. Now the bed gets topped off annually with a few bags of Miracle-Gro garden soil.

Mix foliage shapes for texture and interest all season

Since most of the plants in Deronis’ planting palette are foliage focused, he uses a variety of leaf sizes, shapes and colors to keep the interest high. Broad elephant ears (Colocasia spp. and hybrids), lacy palms and elongated bananas provide an engaging canopy for colorful coleus, palmate castor bean plant (Ricinus communis) and sweet potato vine.

A love for container gardens

Deronis was enamored by the amazing planters the city of Chicago sets up downtown every year so he decided to plant up a few of his own. One container led to another and another. Now all of the plants outside of the initial raised bed are growing in containers.

The pots come in a variety of shapes, sizes and materials. Many have bold colors to keep with the tropical theme and provide interest early in the season. Even in summer when plants are mature, you’ll catch a glimpse of a container.

Container tip: Easy color swap

If Deronis finds a container he likes but the color isn’t a good fit, he uses spray paint to get just the right shade that pops in his garden. Rust-Oleum^® is his favorite brand because it holds up to rain, snow and sunlight, there’s a large variety of colors to choose from and some have a dial on the nozzle so you can spray at different angles.

Create layers for interesting garden design

To make sure he can see and appreciate every specimen in the containers, Deronis uses the thriller, filler, spiller formula at planting time. In his designs, he used the tall elephant ear as the thriller that steps down to the midsized coleus filler and finally a skirt of sweet potato vine spills down to the ground.

You can see this layered effect from a distance in the photo above. Tall containers with thrillers are in back and shorter ones are up front. Filling every level with plant-packed containers is a great way to get that lush look so typical of tropical garden design.

Add plants with height for privacy

For extra screening and planting space, Deronis secured 36-inch-long by 9-inch-tall windowboxes along the top rail of the privacy fence. You can see the placement more clearly in the small “before” photo. They also help blend the tallest tropicals into the planting and further obscure the edge of the fence. When you can’t quite tell where the edge of the fence is, the yard feels larger too.

The windowboxes can be a challenge to keep watered, especially as summer heats up, but Deronis is out with the hose daily making sure they stay in tip-top shape.

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Create a secret tropical garden getaway

As a plant lover, Deronis savors all the variety he finds at the garden center and tries out new plants each year to see if they fit with his tropical mix. If it grows vigorously and can compete with all the other strong growing specimens he’s discovered over the years he’ll grow it again. But having a cohesive look for the yard is also important. To do that, he repeats a few reliable favorites. In addition, Deronis repeats different plants that have similar colors, such as the burgundy coleus with the red ti plant (Cordyline fruticosa) in the photo above, along with other warm-toned coleus varieties with the red-leaf hibiscus (Hibiscus acetosella) and dark foliaged sweet potato vines (Ipomoea batatas) in the photo below.

Create cohesion with repetition of color

Another key to cohesion is the black metal garden furniture. Deronis likes the durability of metal, and the dark color recedes into the background so the garden takes center stage.

More garden room

Expanding up the fire escape was a natural next step for Deronis. Windowboxes and hanging baskets packed with sweet potato vines, petunias (Petunia hybrid), coleus and other finds — you can see how well they cover the structures. The hanging baskets were a challenge at first, but he discovered a helpful solution in “Hanging basket help” below.

Go vertical!

By gardening up the fire escape, Deronis creates even more drama and incorporates the structure into the rest of the garden. An added bonus is that he can hide a lot of tools and materials on ground level behind the dense foliage.

Hanging basket help

To build on the drama that fills the yard below Deronis added windowboxes that straddle the railing on the fire escape. Those did a great job, but he wanted to fill in the gaps on the pickets. Railscapes^™ Plant Clip was the solution. The arms wrap around the basket and each end fits between the pickets so that tension keeps the basket in place and level.

Tropical garden plant care

Foliage plays a starring role in tropical garden design, and there are lots of tender perennials with gorgeous leaves to choose from. Deronis starts shopping for plants in spring when nighttime temperatures are staying around 50 degrees F. That way he doesn’t have to worry about covering plants to avoid frost damage.

He plants the big barrels on the corner first, then fills the large Crescent container in the middle of the yard. A couple of large purple pots by the front door are next, and then he moves on to the rest of the yard. It usually takes him three to four weeks to get the whole garden planted.

Easy-care plantings

Once all the planting is done, care is pretty simple — watering is the biggest job. Though the yard faces west, there’s a mature tree near the front of the yard, and the privacy fence provides some late afternoon shade.

Mixing in a slow-release plant food at planting time ensures the tropicals have plenty of nutrition without a lot of extra effort. Because most of the plants are foliage-focused, there’s no deadheading. Deronis doesn’t mind when a coleus blooms — he leaves it in place, and it becomes another colorful accent for the garden.

To end the season, Deronis gives away his tender plants to the community

By the end of October, short days and cooler temperatures are causing these tender perennials to slow down, so Deronis puts out an all-call on social media for everyone to come and take the plants. He doesn’t have room to overwinter them indoors. More importantly, he likes to encourage other gardeners to try new plants so they can bring some beauty to their own yard and neighborhood.

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Nimblewill (Muhlenbergia schreberi)

What this weed looks like

This fine-textured native perennial grass can grow up to 24 inches tall, but in turf areas the wiry stems are kept shorter because of mowing. However, you might not notice it in your lawn until cold weather arrives. Then the sprawling, densely branched mats of warm-season grass turn brown faster than most turfgrasses, as you can see in the photo above, and it remains brown until spring.

From midsummer into fall, narrow heads, or panicles, rise just above the leaves loaded with tiny flowers that form lots of seeds. Even if the plant is mowed, it will continue to produce seeds.

Where to find nimblewill

This weed hides best in lawns, but seeds also sprout in beds, borders and vegetable gardens. Tolerant of shade to full sun, moist to dry conditions, it’s happy almost anywhere.

How to get rid of nimblewill grass

You can easily pull or hoe it from beds and borders. In a lawn, rake over a cluster to gather stems before pulling or digging. Be sure you get all of the pieces or it will quickly regrow. Nonselective herbicides will kill it, but they also kill plants it has sprawled into. Selective herbicides, such as mesotrione, are effective in cool-season turfgrasses. Apply it in summer when the weed is actively growing. However, it’s best to contact a lawn professional to be sure it‘s safe to use on your turf.

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Nimblewill photo in summer by Emily Summerbell, CC BY 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Designer tips for stunning container gardens

Landscape designer Christina Salwitz, owner of The Personal Garden Coach, has been growing and designing colorful containers for her Seattle, Washington, clients for years. Her best advice for a head-turning design is to “think outside the pot” to come up with new and creative container designs. While the traditional thriller, filler and spiller recipe is a great way to get started, don’t let it limit your container creativity.

Though Christina is all about breaking the rules when it comes to trying new plant combinations, she does have a few tips to guide you along the way and lots of gorgeous containers for inspiration. Plus find two patio planter designs, complete with plant lists so you can recreate them in your own garden.

1. Experiment with different container plants

Be adventurous with your plant combinations. If you like a plant’s flower or foliage color, habit or leaf shape, give it a try — the results just might be amazing!

2. Create easy combos with the rule of 3

Christina uses three heights, three colors and three textures to guide her plantings. But this is just a guideline — feel free to ignore it when inspiration strikes.

3. Serendipity happens with garden design

Be open to plants not behaving the way you expect. Not every design turns out as planned, and that’s OK.

4. Choose double-duty container plants

Get the most out of your container plantings by buying plants that can do “double duty” in the garden. Whether it’s a young specimen tree that can be moved into the garden later or perennials that can be planted in the border in fall, these versatile plants add long-term value. Watch the video below to see Christina’s container tips in action.

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Bold patio planter ideas from a design pro

Plant a patio container that looks good from every angle

This container sits on a patio that greets friends and family to outdoor gatherings, so it needed 360-degree beauty. Because the New Zealand flax is planted off-center, the planting has a different look from every angle. Christina expected the celosia and crassula to grow upright habits. Instead, the stems were more relaxed but the combination still looked great.

The celosia’s vibrant blooms balance the sweeping vaselike foliage of the flax, creating a dynamic look that’s easy to see from anywhere in the yard.

Container plant list (number to plant)

A) New Zealand flaxPhormium ‘Black Adder’ (1)
B) Licorice vineHelichrysum petiolare ‘Limelight’ (2)
C) CelosiaCelosia argentea spicata ‘Intenz’ (5)
D) CrassulaCrassula capitella ‘Campfire’ (1)
E) Sweet potato vineIpomoea batatas ‘Sweet Caroline Red’ (1)

Container is 14 inches in diameter

Mix annuals and perennials for long-lasting patio planters

Getting plants in the right spot in the border makes a difference in how well they grow, and Christina has found that it makes a difference in containers, too. On the hottest, most exposed side of this pot she placed the sedum and annual geranium. The other side (with the coleus) gets a bit of shade from the border and the taller container behind. Campfire coleus can grow to 28 inches tall and may need a trim once or twice so it doesn’t overshadow its sun-loving neighbors.

Double-duty plant tip

If you live where winters get below freezing, transplant the sedum in the ground a few weeks before the last expected frost and overwinter the New Zealand flax and echeveria indoors until spring.

Container plant list

A) CordylineCordyline australis ‘Red Star’
B) ColeusPlectranthus scutellarioides Campfire
C) GeraniumPelargonium hybrid
D) EcheveriaEcheveria ‘Ruffles’
E) SedumSedum hybrid
F) Coral bellsHeuchera Forever^® Purple
Container is 14 inches in diameter

Container designs by Christina Salwitz, The Personal Garden Coach

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