Peony is a favorite flower of many northern gardens.  The sweet-scented flowers are large and range in colors of pink, red, white and pale yellow with attractive stems of pink to red. 

Anise Hyssop or Agastache foeniculum is a tough plant, easy to grow, beautiful to behold and a one of the premier plants for feeding pollinators. Add to those virtues, Anise hyssop is drought tolerant and does not attract deer or rabbits. As a perennial native to the American Midwest, this plant belongs in your garden.

Your spectacular bearded iris have finished blooming. What do you to keep them coming back just as gorgeous next year? Irises need to be divided every 2 to 5 years in order to maintain full, healthy blooms and avoid insects such as the iris borer or diseases such as soft rot. The good news is that it is relatively easy to do!

Now that the Peony and Iris blossoms are gone for the season it's the perfect time to dig and divide the crowded plants. This article will help you prepare these plants for next year's season of beautiful blooms.

Enhance your home’s curb appeal and enrobe it in fall color by growing Boston Ivy on your home or patio. Boston Ivy is easy to grow, requires little maintenance, and provides lush green color in the Spring and Summer turning to vivid reddish-purple in the Fall.

Creating season-long interest in your flowerbed is a rewarding part of our hobby. Watching as plants come alive and change throughout the season creates renewed interest and excitement. When the temperatures start to cool off with the approach of fall, you may find a lack of flowering plants in your bed. There are several choices of striking ornamental grasses to choose from, but what about flowers?

Fall is a great time for planting!

Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) can be a charming addition to your landscape. In this article you will learn about its interesting history and growing tips.

Goldenrod (Solidago sp.) – A Much Maligned Masterpiece

Dakota County Parks and Recreation is restoring the county’s native prairies. The goal is to grow the same types of plants that have successfully supported local insects, mammals, and birds for thousands of years. Prairie restoration rebuilds prairies by planting prairie seeds in areas that have changed to another land use. This article explains the how and why of native prairie restoration through the experience of Master Gardeners in Dakota County. Learn how you, too, can help wildlife and the environment by developing your own “pocket prairie” garden.

Jack-in-the-Pulpit is a shade requiring native plant best grown in rich, moist woods or marshes. Read about this unique and fascinating long-lived perennial here.

Interest in Ornamental Grasses has exploded. They can fit into any garden theme. They provide height, movement, and long season color to your landscape. Most questions about ornamental grasses consist of when to plant them, trimming grasses and how and when to divide them.