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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.

seeds
EdiblesGardenPlants

Seed basics: Organic, GMO & how to read those packets

 This post is sponsored by Jung Seed Company but, as always, the words and opinions here are my own. Is it just me, or are more people into growing plants from seed? In the past couple years I feel like so many people have asked me about seeds or shared their seed-starting tips and stories. Whether this is really the case …

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phalenopsis orchid
Plants

Just a little orchid bragging

I don’t often talk about houseplants here, and on the rare occasion that I do, it’s done reluctantly. I’m just not all that comfortable with them, and I certainly don’t have the passion for them that I have for all the great things that grow outdoors.  I have a few houseplants that get special treatment and seem to be enjoying …

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blue yellow border garden
Other

Why a gardening show had me in tears

I have to admit something. I cried watching a gardening television show. Not during the reveal of some kind of makeover for a deserving family. Nope. I cried watching Monty Don talk about American gardens.  Let me back up a bit. For those who are unfamiliar, Monty Don is perhaps the most well-known gardener in the world. He has been …

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perennial planting
Garden

What garden projects will 2020 bring?

Well I’m predictable, that’s for sure.  Every couple years, almost without fail, I take on a really big garden project. I cannot explain what compels me to follow this arbitrary yet somehow predictable schedule, but I do. And so, since I spent much of 2018 building the dream vegetable garden, and part of last year finishing that vegetable garden, another …

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Penhill dark monarch dahlia
GardenPlants

The first plant orders of the 2020 season

Most winters, I make it until at least January before I start ordering plants for a gardening summer that might as well be a light year away, but this year I got a head start. It wasn’t my intention to start buying when I should have been Christmas shopping for other people, but the early gardener gets the good stuff. …

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holiday containers urn
ContainersGarden

Winter containers both extravagant and simple

In what has become something akin to a tradition around here, we’re just days away from Christmas and the outside of my house is fully decorated (at least as fully decorated as anything gets around here), and the inside has a long way to go.  I’ll be honest, I have a lot more fun doing outdoor holiday containers than decorating …

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Garden designOther

Book review: A deep dive into an inspirational public garden

I’m coming to the conclusion that public gardens may be among the most under appreciated spaces on the planet. That’s not to say that they are not appreciated, just that they are not appreciated enough.  I’m delighted every time I go to a public garden and I always enjoy it more than I expected to. I’ve particularly loved visiting Huntington Botanical …

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deer resistant design
Garden

Book review: Proving that beautiful gardens and deer can co-exist

I have written thousands of words on this blog about deer: plants deer avoid, ways to fend off deer attacks, homemade deer spray, complaining about deer. Lots of complaining about deer.  And a lot of you reading this have deer issues too. I know because not only do you commiserate (particularly with the complaining), but also because I get a …

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