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Origins Farmhouses made their way to the United States in the 1700s. Built from wood and featuring expansive front porches, they were largely functional and didn’t feature many of the aesthetic elements we associate with farmhouse style today. Even their porches were not meant for relaxation but rather provided refuge from the outdoors and ample storage space for work equipment. “In New England, we have some of the country’s first farmhouses, and my favorite parts are the old wood beams and wide plank floors that show the marks and patina of history,” Rosenberg states....

Beets are a cool-season vegetable crop, so you might be able to get both an early crop planted in the spring as well as a crop planted in the summer or fall. Most beet varieties are ready to harvest about two months after planting. Selecting a Planting Site Beets are easy to grow from seed in the ground or in containers. They need a sunny spot with good soil drainage....

Light Grow Chinese yew in full sun to partial shade. Soil Grow Chinese yew in a soil that drains well. Water Chinese yew has average water needs. Fertilizer Fertilize in early spring with a granular, high-nitrogen fertilizer. The typical fertilizer suitable for the Taxus genus has an NPK mix of 12-6-4. Apply the fertilizer one foot from the trunk and extend it to the dripline. Use 0.33 pounds of fertilizer per one foot of plant height....

Known for a wide range of colors and long-lasting blooms, Cineraria comes in vibrant shades of pink, red, purple, blue, and many bi-colors. It is a mound-forming plant with large leaves that becomes covered with blossoms during its blooming season. Cineraria prefers cool weather, so as a garden plant it is usually grown for spring blossoms and then removed from the garden in favor of summer-blooming annuals after the bloom period is over....

Dieffenbachia is a fast-growing plant that can achieve 2 feet in height within a year of planting a rooted cutting, provided it gets enough light. Though the name “dumb cane” has fallen out of favor as a derogatory term, it was called that because the plant contains toxins that can inhibit speech. It is highly toxic to humans, dogs, and cats. Like many indoor houseplants, overwatering is a common problem with this plant....

These trees generally do not need any staking or other support structure on which to grow. And they also can be grown in containers as well as indoors when given enough light. Beyond enjoying its beauty, growers can also harvest eucalyptus for various uses. Wait until later in the growing season to harvest mature leaves and branches. If you just want the leaves, simply snip them off with pruners or by hand....

Cold sensitive at any temps below 60 degrees, heart-leaf philodendron is grown outdoors only in tropical climates. As a houseplant, it is normally propagated by stem cuttings in spring or early summer. It is a fairly slow-growing but long-lived plant that requires repotting only every two or three years. In a favorable indoor environment, it can live for decades. All philodendron species contain calcium oxalate crystals that can cause mouth irritations and digestive upset in humansand pets....

Light Cacti require four to six hours of bright sunlight daily. However, some species of both desert and forest cactus can burn in direct sunlight. Locate your cactus near a sunny window, and opt for a spot that receives filtered bright light in the summer and direct light (like a south- or west-facing window) in the winter. You can move your cactus outdoors during the summer to provide ample light requirements, but do so only when night temperatures warm to 50 degrees Fahrenheit or above....

While all lacecap hydrangeas share a round disk of short flowers encircled by showier, lacy flowers, the shrubs vary in size, bloom color, and bloom time. Wide, dark green serrated leaves provide a lush background for the large flower heads. Like most hydrangeas, these are fast-growing shrubs, averaging 2 feet or more per year. Planting time is in the fall or early spring. Lacecap hydrangea is toxic to humans, and toxic to pets....

Most varieties of lobelia have a somewhat trailing growth habit, although there are other varieties that clump. There are several different flower colors available, including a true sky blue. Other colors include purple, white, pink, and lilac. Most varieties have a tiny white “eye” in the center of each flower. While most varieties have green foliage, a few have a slight bronze tinge to the leaves. Lobelia’s small-but-numerous blooms appear through the summer and into the fall in most climates and attract pollinators, including butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds....

Slow-growing and compact, it’s a great plant for small spaces, providing it gets enough bright, indirect light to promote the eye-catching variegation. Philodendrons have a variety of growth habits, including trailing and climbing, but the Birkin is self-heading with a thick, upright, self-supporting stem, promoting a more tree-like appearance. As with other philodendrons, the Birkin is a plant you’ll want to keep out of reach if you have children or pets in the house....

The shrub has white or cream flowers that nearly cover the foliage at the peak of its bloom. Unfortunately, the flowers have an unpleasant odor, so most gardeners prefer to prune the shrub’s stems before they flower. If the flowers are left to bloom, they give way to small red pome fruit that can remain through winter and into the following spring. There is some disagreement about the toxicity of red tip photinia....

The Anacacho orchid tree grows well in the dry, lean soil of southwestern states and is becoming increasingly popular as a landscaping plant, and is cultivated along the Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida. It survives well in drought and dry weather and so is a perfect specimen for xeriscape gardening. It tends to have a full, shrublike form but can be pruned and trained to look like a tree....

Although it is a native of Asia, the red spider lily has adapted and become naturalized in the southeastern United States. Though not considered invasive, it is a fast and vigorous spreader and a good choice to interplant with annuals and perennials in spots where you want a vibrant splash of color in the late summer and early fall. Be aware that red spider lily, like other members of the Amaryllis family, contains lycorine compounds that are mildly toxic to humans and pets....