By Tamara Galbraith

Need to brighten up a moist, semi-shady spot in your spring garden? Consider planting some columbines.

Columbine's Latin name of "Aquilegia" translates to "dove," and one look at the elegant, spurred wingtips of the columbine flower will tell you why.

The color range of columbines is certainly one of its biggest attractions for gardeners. Look for hybrids such as the stunning scarlet and white 'Crimson Star,' the gorgeous sky blue and white Rocky Mountain columbine (Aquilegia caerulea), or the golden longspur columbine (Aquilegia longissima). There are also clematis-flowered types (Aquilegia vulgaris stellata) with names like 'Nora Barlow' and 'Black Barlow.'

Keep in mind that the hotter the region where you are, the more shade columbines will require. Even the most pampered columbines will only last a few seasons, but the trade-off in early spring breathless beauty is well worth it.

Columbines do insist on a nice moist soil. Adding a good organic amendment, such as Gardner & Bloome Harvest Supreme, and mulching will help the soil retain moisture.

By Tamara Galbraith

Got vampires...and a lot of time? Then growing garlic is a must for you.

Ok, so most of us don't have problems with neckbiters, but don't let that stop you from pushing a couple of cloves into the ground and starting some garlic this spring. And it really is that simple...you'll just have to have some patience before harvest.

Garlic is hardy to USDA Zone 2. It generally likes cool weather and lots of moisture to get the foliage off to a good start, then warmer temps for bulb development. Typically, a garlic clove needs about eight months to completely mature into a full-sized bulb.

'Softneck' and 'Hardneck' are the two general categories of garlic. Different types within each category range from the Silverskins, which are the softneck Italian garlics, and Artichokes, a purplish softneck, to the Purple-striped hardnecks.

Garlic won't just reward you upon harvest, either. While taking its sweet time to grow in your garden, garlic can repel fungal diseases and insects from other nearby plants. And although you may not have a vampire problem, garlic is great for chasing away another bloodsucker — mosquitoes.

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By Tamara Galbraith

As a child, I remember staring transfixed at the hundreds of ants scurrying over the bulbous buds of my mother's peonies. Within a few days, the ants disappeared, the buds burst open, and the air was doused in fuchsia and fragrance.

There are typically two types of peonies offered to home gardeners: Paeonia spp. hybrids (garden or species peony) and Paeonia suffruticosa (tree peony), although there are several dwarf-types now popping up around the country that are known as rock garden peonies.

Most gardeners will opt for the bushy garden peony, which is further broken down into the following types: single, semi-double, double, bomb or Japanese, depending on the petal count and layout. Peonies are also separated by flowering seasoning, kind of like tulips. There are early bloomers, mid- and late-bloomers.

Peonies typically like sunny, well-drained conditions and will last for many years. Amend with Gardner & Bloome Planting Mix before planting to help your peonies grow even better.

And oh, about those ants? They aren't harmful to your peonies, so leave them alone. They are attracted to the sweet scent and beauty of peonies...just as you will be!