News Articles

Stay updated with the latest developments and discoveries in the world of plants and horticulture with our News Articles category. Here, you’ll find timely updates on conservation efforts, botanical breakthroughs, gardening trends, and industry news. Whether it’s a new species discovery, tips for sustainable gardening, or global botanical initiatives, this section keeps you informed and connected to the ever-evolving plant world. Perfect for enthusiasts, researchers, and nature lovers looking to stay in the know.

Goats vs. Groundcover


I’ll start by saying I know this is probably a fools errand, but why not give it a shot. Zone 9B for reference with the hill in question being in partial shade. (viewable in the back on the photo I posted).

I have two extremely spoiled goats and one dirt slope that I am in a constant battle with over weeds. My goats have zero interest in being helpful citizens and actually eating weeds, but seem to take extreme pleasure in ripping up any plants that I like. They mostly keep my citrus trees in check, goats usually eat up and are not necessarily great ground grazers, although mine do love to rip things up and spit them out.

I would love to get some low ground cover to help with weeds and erosion prevention. I was thinking of trying out Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum). I have read that it is deer resistant due to the smell, but is not poisonous. I wouldn’t trust my goats with anything toxic to them, they share a single brain cell and have exactly zero survival sense. Does anyone have any thoughts or recommendations on things that may do well for ground cover and is a fast grower? My hope would be that it is not palatable enough for them to take a large interest in while it gets established and that stays low to the ground that can survive a dry climate.

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April garden views

I find myself confused about where exactly the plants in my garden should be in mid April (when I took these photos). We’ve had a sunny warmish stretch and I think I’ve mentally jumped ahead to May, I’m trying to tamp down my expectations and just enjoy what’s happening out there, which is a lot!

There are so many blooms on the Citrus trifoliata, if they all set fruit it will be a bumper crop.The Rhododendron stenopetalum ‘Linearifolium’ is also covered in blooms.
Continuing the walk around the front garden, my small Erica arborea var. alpina is covered in flowers and can no longer be called small. Wow. When did this plant get this big? (maybe the explosion of white just makes it seem larger?)
Also, how did I never notice the blooms are fragrant?
One of my Yucca nana is fixing to bloom!
Tiny flowers on the Pittosporum anomalum.
Entering the back garden now where the Impatiens omeiana are up and looking flawless.
The fact the Blechnum penna-marina (Austroblechnum penna-marina) is moving into and mingling with the back mondo makes me very happy. 
The shady bed along the side of the garage is all fluffy with new Adiantum venustum fronds and other fern species.
I’m thrilled to see Pyrrosia sp. SEH#1511 is putting out several new “fronds”…

Paris quadrifolia has been dissed on social media lately. Someone commented on post with a “Meh” and someone else said on their own Facebook post “I remember when I thought they were special” (their photo showed an area where the plant had spread). I still think they’re special!
Rodgersia (the brown leaves), sadly I’ve forgotten which species this is.
New growth on Rhododendron cardiobasis.

And blooms opening on the Magnolia laevifolia

Arisaema ringens, such a cool flower, it’s hard to believe it’s real (not fabricated).

Disporum longistylum ‘Night Heron’

Walking down on to the patio the new growth on these two mahonia are hard to miss.
Mahonia eurybracteata ‘Indianola Silver’ backed by M. x media ‘Marvel’.
It’s wonderful to enjoy Stachyurus salicifolius in bloom with leaves still on its branches. This is one of the plants that was hit hard the last few winters.
Not this year!

I did a little paint touch-up around the edge of the stock tank table planting, after a couple of years the orange was wearing thin and the ugly blue underneath was showing. I must say the planting itself just keeps getting better and better.
I added only two plants this spring, an Asplenium trichomanes and the Cassiope ‘Askival’ I brought home from the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden.
This Athyrium otophorum ‘Okanum’ likes life in the table planting.
And the fertile fronds of Blechnum spicant (aka Struthiopteris spicant) are extra stunning when they’re raised up closer to eye-level.

Backed up for an over all shot of the area.
This is the best the Loropetalum chinense ‘Sizzling Pink’ has ever looked. It was pruned back hard after the destruction of winter 2024 and it’s made a great rebound.
Daphniphyllum macropodum ‘Ki Midori Nakafu’

New foliage of Quercus dentata ‘Pinnatifida’.

And to wrap things up, a new frond on Blechnum brasiliense, the Brazilian tree fern. My tiny plant is anything but tree-sized, but what it lacks in height it makes up for with that color. 

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All material © 2009-2025 by Loree L Bohl. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

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Tips for aerating new garden bed? WORMS!?


Trying to figure out a way to manage densely packed clay soil for a new bed I planted last weekend. I couldn’t, and also didn’t want to, excavate the entire bed to replace or amend it with organic matter and sand, but I did dig larger holes with amended soil for the plants. I worry about them soaking in tubs of water.

I’m considering puncturing a container and placing it in a hole in the bed, then throwing compost and soil in it. My hope is that the worms (that are ever-present) will snack on it and create tunnels filled with castings. That’ll both aerated the soils and help distribute nutrients.

Is this a good idea? Does it work in clay soil?

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Would you plant vegetables/fruits or raise animals on land where treated lumber was burned?


Hey all, made a wordy post yesterday and didn’t get any replies. Trying again with a more direct question and less background detail.

If you have an area of land where you would like to plant a garden, fruit trees or raise chickens/goats would you be concerned if you knew lumber was burned there and it may have been treated?

Is there any way to know if it was treated? Would you have soil tested?

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Will heavy clay soil de-compact over time with wood chips?


I am trying to figure out how important an initial tilling is for a lawn to garden conversion in relatively heavy clay soil.

Western NY, the soil has decent organic material already but it is relatively dense – I can’t easily put my finger into it. But grass is growing just fine.

Should I till the garden rows now, or will it decompact over time if I fill the rows with a few inches of compost and cover with wood chips for a couple years?

And I guess related, are there any ideal hand tools for tilling or do I need to rent a machine?

Thanks in advance.

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