Gardening news from around the web

5 top trends for transforming your outdoor space

(BPT) - Homeowners today are reimagining their outdoor spaces, moving beyond a basic patio and grill to create thoughtfully designed areas that blend style, comfort, and functionality. According to …
AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Clever ideas for tiny yard spaces
Faux hedges If your outdoor patio or side yard is hemmed in by something like a chain-link or cinder block wall or planter box, consider installing a faux green hedge. This is the perfect …
Sid Triantafilou of Greco Linden Hills Painting paints houses in residential neighborhoods, including East Isles, near Lake of the Isles. (Photo by Lulu Jaeckel)
Homeowners experiment with paint colors, say local painters
Whale gray, dry sage and french press are some of the popular names of interior paint colors right now at Benjamin Moore, a paint company.  Sid Triantafilou, a local painter and owner of …
Welcome to the land of 10,000 gardens
Focus on what's strong. Not what's wrong.  This is the essence of asset-based community development .​​ It's also what sustainable community building looks like and how we can create …
They wanted to save the boulevard trees along six blocks of 29th Ave. and they came together to do just that. Then they celebrated together at Arbeiter Brewing. (Photo by submitted)
Motivated by a common goal
Residents along six blocks of 29th Ave. S have banded together to save 40 ash trees. “These are public trees that the whole community benefits from,” observed Loey Colebeck. “Many …
Woodworker Bill Dossett (left) and Joe Hayes look over a set of windows being restored. According to Dossett, the dust collection system in the new building is an upgrade that has made a big difference for staff. Plus there's a room just for planing.
Hayes Window expands into new location, offers storm windows
Lost your storm windows over the years? Have windows you can’t open anymore because they were painted shut? Does the glass rattle in the wind? These problems don’t mean that you need to …
Window-box gardening has been a Philly tradition since the 1800s. Sonja Dümpelmann, CC BY-SA
The hidden history of Philadelphia’s window-box gardens and their role in urban reform
A landscape historian explains how a Victorian tradition became a tool for social change in 19th- and 20th-century Philadelphia.
Prep your yard for spring: How to refresh your outdoor spaces and create your own oasis
(BPT) - Spring is right around the corner, making it the perfect time to start prepping your outdoor spaces for entertaining. From clearing away built-up winter grime on siding to freshening up …
Planning for spring's garden? Bees like variety and don't care about your neighbors' yards
The Conversation shares new research from University of Tennessee assistant professor Laura Russo showing that bees zero in on the flowers they like and ignore the surrounding landscape.
Transitional gardening: How to choose plants that can thrive moving from cold to warm weather
(BPT) - Keep your garden vibrant all season long with these cold weather-resistant plants.As winter continues to keep temps fluctuating, many gardeners assume their work is done until spring. …
Transform Your Garden in 2025 with These 10 Award-Winning Plants and Products
(BPT) - As winter turns into spring, it's time for gardeners to consider which plants they'll cultivate in planters, pots and gardens. If you're in the midst of planning your garden and need …
American mistletoe's genus *Phoradendron* means 'thief of trees' in Greek.

This evergreen plant has some tricky ways to get ahead, but it’s a valuable part of the ecosystem.
Read more.

Meet the peach that traveled the Trail of Tears and the elders working to save it

Grist follows the journey of the Indian peach through genocide, climate change, and more challenges.

From watering via ice cubes to spritzing with hydrogen peroxide – 4 misguided plant health trends on social media

The internet is full of advice on just about everything, including plant care. As the director of a plant diagnostic laboratory and expert on plant medicine, I help people manage their plants’ health
Lifestyle news
Most popular and emerging diamond shapes by state
VRAI looks at the most popular and emerging diamond shape trends in select states—and the styles that may complement them best.
Do women like beards? What science says
Hims looks at what research says about women's perceptions of men with beards.
These states have investigated miscarriages and stillbirths as crimes
The Marshall Project reports on a recent arrest in Georgia that highlights the criminal suspicion which surrounds pregnancy loss in several states.
'Stop the Bleed' kits could help shooting victims. Why don't more people know about them?
The Trace reports that violence prevention leaders say a city program, which could help bystanders save lives, is missing a key opportunity.
Cities have a public bathroom crisis. Are smart, portable bathrooms the way forward?
Next City reports that one toilet startup is using social psychology and gig labor to help address L.A.'s public bathroom problem, but advocates have questions.