Salvias are sometimes called “super shrubs,” at least in this column, because they are easy to cultivate; diverse in form, size and blossom color; and well suited for gardens in summer-dry climates, ...

Q: I have an esperanza that has grown to 8 feet tall but does not flower. Last year, it froze to the ground but came back and had three flower clusters in October. A: Poor flowering has several causes ...

We want our gardens to look good, pleasing to the eye, whenever possible, but occasions arise when our gardens need tough love. Right now, in late winter, is one such occasion, particularly for ...

Unlike herbaceous perennial plants that die back to the ground each winter, subshrubs maintain a woody framework of branches from which new growth emerges in spring. Unlike herbaceous perennial plants ...

Q. I have lots of plants that probably need pruning back in the winter but I’m not sure how much to prune back or when to do it. Plus, it seems to me that they have better protection against frosts ...

A good haircut does a lot of us good, and it is true in the plant world as well, especially with annuals and perennials. In the middle of the summer, some perennials need a heavy pruning to bloom ...