Romanticized in film and novels, the traditional plantation garden is often envisioned as a spacious ornamental landscape with sweeping lawn vistas and long allees of oak trees leading to an elegant manor. While this landscape may have been true in some cases, landscape historians report that this image is “gone with the wind,” as many plantations were really working farms and offered little time for maintaining vast ornamental gardens.   >> read article

Mention the genus Tillandsia to most gardeners, and you get a puzzled look. No, I’m not talking about the eight-legged spider (that the mere mention of its name invokes fear). I said, “Tillandsia,” not tarantula. These plants don’t bite! Even though Tillandsia, the largest genus of the bromeliad family of plants, has several species that resemble the ominous tarantula, rest assured that no harm will come to you by owning these unique plants ...   >> read article

Are you a garden expert, a weekend gardener or just a novice? Challenge your gardening knowledge by taking this short quiz — you may be surprised to see where you rank. Answers are posted at the end. Good luck!   >> read article

With mild winters, beautiful beaches, majestic mountains and friendly people, who would turn down the chance to visit the South? Unfortunately, some botanical visitors have overstayed their welcome and set down roots. For the following species, things that started off as a garden trial have turned into a forest invasion.   >> read article

Gardens are getting smaller and gardening time is getting shorter - that has been true for several years now and will probably continue to be true. But another prevailing trend is that container gardening is strong and getting stronger, not only because of time and space, but because containers offer quick satisfaction with minimal effort. You don't have to be trained in design to create stunning focal points for your garden; you just need to follow a few simple guidelines to set yourself up for success.   >> read article