I grew up in a midcentury modern house that boasted a very large pot of mother-in-law’s tongue, and it took me years to actually appreciate the plant and own one myself. Today, I have a nostalgic affection for mother-in-law's tongue (Sansevieria),... more »

For outdoor lovers and botanical admirers, winter can be a challenging season. But for the folks at Flora Grubb Gardens in San Francisco, the challenge only fuels their creativity... more »

Plants and pets aren't always a perfect combination. A surprising number of plants, including landscape and houseplant favorites, are toxic and even lethal if Rover or Fluffy decides they're edible. Below are just a few of the more than 300 plants that... more »

Well, I suppose I'm not really telling the truth here. You can indeed unintentionally kill these houseplants — but only if you love them to death. So if you are one of those gardeners who say, "I can't grow houseplants; I always kill them," take... more »

After renovating the living room in her San Francisco condo, Stephanie Van Dyke wanted a living wall to add some life to the large, open space, but she experienced some frustration at first. "Most of the ideas I found were far too complicated and/or expensive,"... more »

There's a moment in the 2002 Charlie Kaufman film Adaptation, which is based on Susan Orlean's book The Orchid Thief, when the toothless orchid hunter wades through chest-high swamp water in search of a rare varietal called the Ghost Orchid.... more »

Terrariums have been popping up all over the place, from design portfolios to home store catalogs. What’s the attraction? It’s simple: convenience and style. Terrariums require little watering, take up little space and... more »

Just because this plant enjoys the spotlight around the holidays, don't forget to enjoy it year-round — its striking form and foliage are difficult to find in any other plant. You might be wondering why I'm writing about Thanksgiving cactus now. The... more »

The palm tree is one of the most beautiful objects in the natural world, in my opinion. It's positively sculptural: stately trunk, shapely leaves, sharp lines. And then there are the associations we have: warmth, relaxation, calm, fantasy. When... more »

Freshman gardeners sometimes think they need to do everything "correctly" — like buying new state-of-the-art tools, planters and soil. The secret that veteran gardeners know is that creative gardening can be done with a little humor, a little money... more »

Not everyone is born with a green thumb, myself included, but I still love the presence of plant life in my home. Faux plants are not my style, so I opt for living varieties that have simple needs and low maintenance requirements. Succulents are... more »

A houseplant breathes life and energy into a home, but it is its vessel that gives it style. A weathered terra-cotta pot makes a potted herb look as if it hails from southern France, while a slick, ceramic planter can turn an everyday specimen like a... more »

Air plants, a category of plants formally known as epiphytes, get their name from seemingly living on air. Although they appear to require nothing in the way of water or food, air plants actually gather their nutrients and moisture from the atmosphere... more »

Celebrate the beauty of nature this Earth Day by bringing it into the home. A 2012 book, Bringing Nature Home: Floral Arrangements Inspired by Nature, by Ngoc Minh Ngo (Rizzoli... more »