College used to be the default setting for ambition: a near-mandatory checkbox on the path to middle-class security. But new polling suggests that belief is not just fading; it’s collapsing in real time. In a recent survey from TIPP Insights, data show some increasingly widening gaps between previous and current attitudes. The survey gained insight …
Gardening
Panicle hydrangeas (also known as hydrangea paniculata) make excellent hedgerows. When you plant them close together, they grow dense and thick. A single plant can cover a lot of ground, so you don’t have to buy that many to really make an impact. What are some of the top reasons to plant panicle hydrangea varieties? …
If you have fallen in love with the unique grouping of plants called succulents, you know that they come in a wide variety of forms, from sharp spikes to elegant rosettes. Most come in shades of green, but quite a few have dusky blue leaves or even pink hues. These pretty pink succulent plants make …
As gardeners, we know that plants hold immeasurable value, from intrinsic beauty to life-saving medicine. Yet an alarming number of plants have gone extinct, and one in five existing plants is in danger of disappearing as well. More than four thousand of these endangered plants grow in the US, and you can help save them …
Your grandmother planted marigolds next to her peppers every single year, and she was doing something right — just not for the reason she thought. Companion planting has been passed down through generations of home gardeners, often as intuition rather than instruction. Grow basil near your tomatoes, ring the garden with marigolds, and tuck nasturtiums …
Here’s a hard truth. That tray of cucumbers starts isn’t a shortcut — it’s a $6 mistake. For a surprisingly long list of common vegetables and flowers, buying nursery seedlings is slower, more expensive, and less successful than dropping a seed directly into warm soil. This April, when nursery tables are overflowing with tempting green …
Every spring, millions of gardeners spend real money on annuals that will be dead by October, and then do the whole thing again next year. There is a smarter way to garden, and it starts this month. April is the single best time to plant perennials because the soil is workable, your local nursery shelves …
It has the body of a mouse, the snout of an anteater, and the poor vision of a mole, and it’s creating tunnels and holes in your lawn. I’m talking, of course, about the shrew. This tiny mammal doesn’t actually cause nearly as much damage as the rodents it resembles (and eats!), but if you’d …
Gardens are full of beauty and sometimes hidden risk. Even popular ornamentals can contain toxins that can sicken pets, harm wildlife, or pose real danger to people, especially curious kids. This article covers 18 poisonous flowers. For each, you’ll find what makes a flower poisonous, tips to decide whether it’s worth planting, and safer alternatives. …
A bird bath can be the most beautiful, bird-filled corner of your yard—if you plant the right flowers around it. The best choices offer nectar, seeds, safe perches, and seasonal color without crowding the basin or blocking sightlines for wary birds. In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at 11 flowers to plant around …