low-water landscaping

7 Dry-Climate Selections That Thrive With Minimal Water

May 16, 2026 by Brandon Marcus Leave a Comment

Dry summers, rising water bills, and stubbornly hot afternoons don’t have to turn a garden into a struggle zone. The right plants actually enjoy the heat and barely flinch when the watering can stays on the shelf for a few extra days. Smart gardeners across the United States are leaning into drought-tough selections that bring…

5 Reasons Why Every Gardener Should Focus On Native Plants

February 10, 2026 by Catherine Reed Leave a Comment

If you’re trying to garden on a budget, the fastest wins usually come from doing less, not more. The smartest “less” is choosing plants that already know how to live where you live, without constant babysitting. That’s why native plants are such a frugal gardener’s cheat code: they can lower water use, reduce inputs, and…

How To Get Free Seeds From The Government by Amanda Blankenship Seeds might seem like a small expense, but any seasoned…
Should I Use Enviro Ice On My Plants? by Kathryn Vercillo Every week, I receive food from Hungryroot. It's a great…
From Trash to Treasure: Transform Shredded Paper Into Garden Gold by Amanda Blankenship Should you use shredded paper as garden mulch? It might…
What Happens to Plants If You Use Enviro Ice on Them? by Amanda Blankenship About a year ago, I wrote our first article about…

How to Save Marigold Seeds for Next Year

Before you pull those fading marigolds out of your garden this fall, take a closer look at their dried flower heads. Hidden inside those shriveled blooms could be dozens of seeds capable of producing another colorful display next spring, without spending another dollar at the garden center. Marigolds are among the easiest annual flowers for…

Which Annuals Can Reseed If Left Alone

What if some of the flowers you planted this year could come back next spring without spending another dollar at the garden center? While most gardeners treat annual flowers as one-season investments, certain varieties have a surprising ability to return year after year. The secret is allowing them to complete their natural life cycle instead…

How to Cut Back Leggy Annuals Before Composting Them

Those scraggly petunias, stretched-out marigolds, and tired zinnias might not look like much by the end of fall. After months of flowering, many annuals become woody, overgrown, or covered in dying leaves, making them tempting candidates for the trash. But before you pull everything out and toss it away, there’s a better way to handle…

How to Dry Sunflower Heads for Seeds and Wildlife

Before you toss those drooping sunflower heads into the compost pile this fall, consider what you’re throwing away. Those faded blooms could provide free seeds for next year’s garden, nutritious food for backyard birds, or even a natural alternative to expensive store-bought bird feeders. Sunflowers are one of the few garden plants that continue providing…