Smart Gardener

The Smart Gardener is published monthly as part of the Chicago Botanic Garden's eNewsletter. Find previous articles below, or sign up for our eNewsletter today to receive The Smart Gardener in your inbox!

Title Month
Vertical Gardening
Use Them or Lose Them: The Plants in your Spice Cabinet
January
Plan Now for a Gorgeous Fall Garden
March
Marsala: The "It" Color of the Year
April
Building Your Soil, Part 1
May
Pruning Mature Roses?
June
Tall, Dark & Handsome...in the Garden
July
After 'Annabelle'
August
Drop by Drop: How Honey Happens
September
Building Your Soil, Part 2
October
Five Reasons to Raise a Hoophouse
November
50 New Year's Resolutions for Gardeners
January
Ready, Set, Seed Germination Test!
February
12 Plants for a More Fragrant Garden
March
I'm Afraid to Grow Vegetables
April
Ten Weeds to Pull Now
June
Peppers are Hot
August
Ornamental grasses for fall—and throughout the year
September
Flying Jewels: Gardening for Hummingbirds
October
Fresh Flowers and Foliage Set the Scene for Celebration
November
Sowing Seeds Indoors
January
The Moonlight Garden: A Composition in White
February
Spring Greens: Success with Cool-Season Edibles
March
Wildlife in the Garden: Protecting your Plants
April
Growing Potatoes: This Spud’s for You!
May
Growing Potatoes: This Spud’s for You!
May
Roses: Visiting the Queen of Flowers
June
Insect Pests: Is something bugging your garden?
July
Color in the Garden
August
Time to Plant Garlic
September
Spooky Plants
October
Feeding the Birds: Seeds, Shrubs, Berries
November
Handmade Wreaths by Ever-Creative Staff
December
Garden-centric Gift Ideas
December
Good Reads for Gardeners
February
Perennials: Time to Divide and Multiply
April
Warm-Season Veggies: Five Faves to Know and Grow
May
Grow a Living Fence
June
Extending the Harvest: Get Ready to Sow Cool-Season Crops
July
The Peak of the Prairie: Plants to Know and Grow
August
Fall Garden Chores
September
Shrubs with Great Fall Color
October
Bringing Houseplants Indoors
November
Photographing the Garden in Winter
December
Herbal Tea
February
Woodland Wonders
March
Attracting Birds to Your Garden
May
Companion Plants
June
Weather Woes
July
Late-Summer Color
August
Thinking Ahead to Spring: Early Risers
September
Fall Lawn Care
October
All About Mulch
November
The Garden in Winter
December
Growing Bulbs Indoors
January
Irresistible Houseplants
January House plant
Smart Learning
January Education gardening
Brighten the Winter with Houseplants
January
Holiday Plants...That Keep on Giving
January Kalanchoe blossfeldiana
Winter Photography
January
Better Than Googling
January Seed catalogue
Orchids in Your Living Room?
January Orchid show
Getting Started with Starting Seeds
February Seed starting
An Orchid FAQ: How to Repot
February Potted orchid
Which witch hazel should be in your yard?
February Witch hazel
Ten Herbs to Start Growing
February Rosemary
Vanilla: Sweet—and Savory
February Vanilla
Early Spring Crops
March Pea
Sow Your Spaghetti Sauce Now
March Tomato Sauce
Theme Gardens
March Fairy Garden
Rethink your first salad of the year
March Lettuce variety
Successful Seed Starting: When, Why, How
March Seeds sprouting
Create Your Own Garden Art
March Mosaic art
Your Garden as a Sanctuary
April Seating
In Praise of Mini-Daffodils
April Miniature Daffodils
Fritillaria
April Crown imperial fritillary
Indoor Plants are Waking Up
April Panda Plant
Daffodils: Plan Now, Plant Later
April Daffodils
Spring-Flowering Ornamental Trees
April magnolia
The Elements of Design
May Garden design
Plant a Pollinator Strip
May Pollinator: Bee
Viburnums
May Korean spice viburnum (Viburnum carlesii )
The Value of Native Plants
May Shooting-star
A Tomato of a Different Color
May Heirloom Tomatoes
Top 5 Reasons to GYO (Grow Your Own) Fruit Trees
May Quince in bloom
Flowers for the Vegetable Garden
June Sunflowers in a vegetable garden
Underused Shrubs
June Shrub: Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)
The Zen Garden
June Japanese Island
The Language of Weeds
June Violets
Peppers
June Peppers
How to Water Wisely this Summer
July Watering
Your Garden Can "Bee" Attractive to Pollinators
July
Terrific Tomatoes
July Totatoes
Gardening for Butterflies
July Gardening for butterflies
Phlox Cultivars
July Phlox
Comeback Kids
July Blanket flower, a perennial flower
Terrific Trios
July Containers
Zinnias: The Hardest-Working Flower in the Summer Garden
August Zinnia
Rain Gardens
August Butterfly
Picture-Perfect Waterlilies
August Waterlilies
Handling the Harvest
August Heirloom Tomatoes
The Secret to a Successful Garden Next Year? Document It This Year!
September English Oak Meadow_1400x787
Native Asters Shine in the Garden
September Aster
Perennials and Shrubs for Tough Spots
September
Toad Lilies
September Toad lily
Anemones, Fall-blooming
September Anemone vitifolia 'Robustissima'
Curating the Aging Garden
September Landscape-bench
Fall's deepest, darkest secret: purple foliage
October Smoke tree
The Big Orange (and White and Blue)
October Pumpkins
Striking Gold
October Ginkgo tree leaves
The Color Red
October Full Moon maple (Acer Japonicum)
Trick or Treat
October Gourds
Redbor Kale
November  brassica-oleracea-redbor-kale
Parsing Parsnips
November Parsnip
Good Form: Holiday Crafts from the Garden
November Wreath: lotuspod
Cold Weather
November Cold Weather
Bring your garden to the celebration!
November Red wreath
Plant Now, Applause Later
November Daffodils
Feeling Grateful for Gardens
November Oak Tree
Savor the Flavor
December Savory Herbs
Tempting Topiaries
December Topiary circle garden
Tracks in the Snow
December
O, Tannenbaum: Cone-Shaped Conifers for Your Front Yard
December Picea glauca 'Spruce Lane'
Keep evergreens ever safe and happy
December Macedonian Pine (pinus-peuce)
Fresh All Winter: Grow Herbs Indoors
December Basil