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The Impatient Gardener blog was started in 2009 and its library of posts includes practical how-tos, plant guides, favorite garden gear, successes and failures and much more. If you’re looking for something specific, the search function at the top of the page can help.

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Sakata Supercal new premium petunias
GardenPlants

Not a fan of petunias? Some new varieties might win you over

How do you feel about petunias? My guess is that you feel very strongly about them; you probably either love them or hate them.  I had no idea a flower could elicit such strong feeling in such vastly different directions, but I’ve recently become away that petunias are controversial. If you love them you see a plant that provides loads ...

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signs of verticillium wilt
GardenGarden designPlants

A soilborne disease wins a battle in my garden

One of the jobs for the weekend was digging out three large Viburnum lantana ‘Mohican’ shrubs from the “back” (which is really the side, but that is a story that is too long to go into) of the property. One by one, they’ve been fading, with more parts of each looking worse by the month. Given that we’d planted them ...

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orange dahlias, cannas and lilies
Friday Finds

Friday Finds for impatient gardeners + a surprise

This whole “Impatient Gardener” thing isn’t just a gimmick. I struggle with impatience, and although I’m getting better with it, this time of year is especially challenging on the impatience front.  The landscaper we hired to do the grading for the new vegetable garden told me it would be done this week and now it’s “probably next week.” I know ...

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rhubarb emerging
Garden

The first days in the spring garden

The first real days in the garden are special. The jobs at this time of year are not particularly exciting or interesting, but I usually write about them anyway because being back in the garden is special in and of itself. Although the weekend here wasn’t all that nice, we’re looking at some more seasonal temperatures for the week, which ...

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GardenGarden design

A garden of inspiration

Two weeks ago it was snowing at my house, but not until after it sleeted for awhile. It was miserable. Or so I was told. I was fortunate enough to be enjoying gorgeous California sunshine surrounded by amazing plants.  I have much to tell you about those plants, but first I wanted to share the detour I made to the ...

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calamintha nepeta closeup
GardenPlants

Plant to know: Calamintha nepeta ‘Montrose White’

I was skeptical when I first heard about Calamintha nepeta ‘Montrose White’. I’d been to multiple garden talks in which speakers extolled the virtues of this plant. It was a “must-have” they said. But I didn’t think it looked particularly spectacular in photos. Still, I’m a sucker for a new-to-me plant if multiple people have told me how great it ...

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Seedlings under lights
Garden

Friday Finds: Spring Dreaming Edition

Many gardeners in the north are looking at snow in the forecast this weekend. My most sincere condolences. That is just not OK. I wonder if this lousy spring is a harbinger of an equally cruddy summer to come or if Mother Nature will make up for lost temperatures and cook us this summer. I’m not sure I’d be happy ...

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Garden

The first moments in the spring garden

I didn’t intend to start cleaning up the garden over the weekend. The thermometer never got over 40 and there is snow cover on about 40 percent of the garden. But on Sunday, after  walk on the beach with the dogs (in which we saw two bald eagles fly just overhead, quite a rare sight here), the sun was warm ...

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