Topics
Special Series
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Groundcovers for Tree Beds
Short-growing and creeping plants protect soil, hold moisture, and suppress weeds. Plant them in your tree beds to act as living mulch.
By Maureen O’Brien -
Compost Can Help Gardens Hold More Water
Adding compost to your garden beds can help your soil absorb and retain water. This allows you to water less often and also mitigates run-off that leads to water pollution.
By Aaron Lee -
Search for Plants from Peter Rabbit at the Garden
Have fun in the Garden with a Beatrix Potter–inspired scavenger hunt!
By Alvina Lai -
Weed of the Month: White Snakeroot
This weed looks harmless, but it was once a secret scourge that probably killed Abraham Lincoln's mother.
By Saara Nafici -
Eat Local: Wild Rocket and Lettuce Soup
Wild rocket is a mustard-family cousin of arugula that grows like a weed. It has pretty flowers and peppery leaves, both of which can be used in this tasty soup.
By Sarah Owens -
Birds of Brooklyn: White-Throated Sparrow
This delightful little brown bird flies south from Canada and arrives in New York City in mid-October. You'll see it helping itself to the seeds it finds in parks, gardens, and backyard feeders all winter.
By Joe Giunta -
Asters: Stars of the Show in Fall
These hardy, sun-loving natives provide cool contrast to autumn foliage.
By Stephanie Cohen -
What Kinds of Plants Grow in the Water Garden?
Riparian plants don't float like water-lilies. They grow at the water's edge, where they help clean the water and prevent erosion.
By Sarah Schmidt -
Weed of the Month: Jimson Weed
Appreciate this witchy weed's beautiful blooms and spiky seedpods, but beware. Its notoriously toxic seeds and leaves can cause convulsions, hallucinations or even death, and climate change is making its poisons even more powerful.
By Saara Nafici -
A Japanese-Style Backyard Garden in Brooklyn
Take inspiration from the Japanese garden tradition and create a serene retreat that will look beautiful all year.
By Sarah Schmidt
