Help your plants beat the heat
Two factors that go hand in hand with each other are heat and drought stress on plants.

Calendula: herb of the year
Whether you pronounce it kah-LEND-yew-la (preferred pronunciation) or cow-len-DEW-la or call it pot marigold as it is known in England, calendula is a colorful addition to the flower and/or herb garden. 

Just another day with the spiders
Sunrise: As I’m watering plants in the greenhouse, the fuzzy, black-with-white-spotted daring jumping spider (salticidae), has warmed up from the sunrise hitting the top of the greenhouse, and drops down from the ceiling onto the angelwing begonia.

Thistle amaze you
On windy days in Wyoming in the late summer or autumn, one is fascinated by the curious spectacle of hundreds of strange round objects rolling and bouncing along the ground and piling up along fences.

Mosses n do we know enough?
What is so interesting about mosses? Everything! Even if you have mastered identifying other kinds of plants, once you begin studying the mosses’ incredible microscopic details, you will be confronted with forms, shapes and concepts unlike anything you have run into before.

How to choose a tree
Having just had to cut down what had become my favorite tree in my yard, a weeping birch, I am faced with a decision on its replacement.

Petunias are everyone’s favorite -- sometimes
The petunia is one of those annual flowers that has risen in popularity and faded into obscurity over and over again.

The beauty of Easter lilies
The Easter lily, or lilium longiflorum, has become a traditional symbol of beauty, hope and life at the Easter season.

Master Gardeners prepare for conference
Natrona County Master Gardeners will be presenting the 13th Annual Master Gardeners Spring Garden Conference on Saturday, March 29.

Examining the English ivy
Recently a particular plant caught my eye -- an English ivy.

Surviving the winter
Hardy plants have devised a wide variety of mechanisms to survive the extreme conditions of winter.

Wanted: a few good gardeners
Natrona County Master Gardeners are looking for a few good gardeners to sign up for upcoming training sessions.

Super plants
Most people have heard part of the horror story of marine biologists in June 2000 diving off the coast of San Diego to survey the native eelgrass in this coastal area.

Terrarium plantings
With the onset of winter months, it’s time to look indoors to promote your love of growing plants.

Vines: plants that deserve more credit
Vines can be a beautiful addition to your yard or garden, and they are one of the most versatile of all plants.

Four o’clocks n harvest those seeds
The desirability of an old-fashioned plant, such as four o’clocks, has become more important because of the environmental adversities, such as drought that many gardeners have experienced.

Plant for a last farewell
Fall is a wonderful time of the year, and after a hot summer, there is a renewed energy as we get into the next phase of the gardening season.

Chrysanthemums n for late fall beauty
There are many kinds of chrysanthemums, some annual and some perennial. The garden annual group that blooms in late summer is easy to grow from seeds sown in open ground as soon as it can be worked. They are suitable for mass color effects. These should be thinned to 12 to 24 inches apart to provide the best blooms. The perennial border kinds bloom profusely in a wide range of colors even after other flowering plants have been killed by frost. Planted in well-drained soil, they will grow for several years in most any climate if mulched during the winter. They are usually propagated by seeds which produce flowers the second year by division or by cuttings of young, firm shoots. The florist’s mum group has a good many varieties that are perfectly hardy and can be grown in the home garden. There are several other kinds of chrysanthemums, including many plants often called daisies that have a place in many home gardens.

Beautiful irises come in many colors
The vast family of beautiful perennials is one of the most important of all garden plants.

The magical plants of Hogwarts
I am not a would-be wizard, as in Harry Potter fiction, but for those who are, they can find many of the ”magical” herbs used to cast spells at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry growing today in various greenhouse gardens.

How to battle rust in hollyhocks
No doubt about it, hollyhocks (or Althaea Rosea) belong on the list of “old favorites” for cottage gardens along with iris, roses, Baby’s Breath, peonies, Lily of the Valley and nasturtiums -- just to name a few.

The Farmers Market is coming
The season has arrived once again to begin thinking about the mouth-watering taste of fresh garden produce!

Rooftop gardens
Imagine looking down from high above on numerous city blocks consisting of mile after mile of building after building and seeing all “green roofs.” Imagine also the huge beneficial effects of the kind of scenery one would be viewing.

The heuchera makes a comeback
Heucheras are amazing little plants. Commonly known as alum-root or coral bells, the heuchera has nearly 55 species.

Monitoring plant and animal changes
Climate change is monitored by a very interesting subject called phenology.

Phyto-what?
Phytoremediation, according to references available, is the use of green plants to remove pollutants from the environment or render them harmless.

Annual spring plant sale set May 12
The Natrona County Master Gardeners will be offering locally grown plants on Saturday, May 12, for the annual plant sale.

Colorful phlox can brighten up gardens
One of Wyoming’s more popular spring flowers is the moss or creeping phlox: a low-growing perennial that provides a nice splash of bright color, especially in rock gardens or between stepping stones.

Successful plant propagation at home
Spring is almost upon us here in the Cowboy State, and the recent warm weather has many avid gardeners itching to get some green back on their thumbs.

Pizzazz in the garden
The importance of a thoughtful selection of a color scheme for your flower beds cannot be overemphasized.