Karen Chapman

  • garden utilizing deer-resistant plants
    Design

    A Garden Plan for a Beautiful, Deer-Resistant Border

    Creating a garden with a backbone of colorful, interesting foliage ensures interest even when nothing is in bloom or if inquisitive deer decide to taste-test the flower buds. Varying the…

  • managing deer in garden
    How-To

    4 Techniques for Managing Deer in Your Garden

    I asked four horticulturists from around the country with decades of gardening experience how they deal with deer. Here are some of the strategies they use and advice they give…

  • deer resistant plants
    Design

    32 Plants for Sun and Shade That the Deer Won’t Devour

    Deer have always munched on garden plants, but due to continued loss of habitat and natural predators, deer populations and their garden-devouring forays are on the rise across the United…

  • How-To

    3 Things That Don’t Work (Reliably) as Deer Repellent

    Are deer munching your favorite plants? Desperate gardeners sometimes resort to desperate measures to ensure that beloved flowers don't become breakfast for local grazers, but there are some tactics that…

  • Design

    Deer-Resistant Combinations

    One of my greatest challenges as a designer and deer-plagued gardener is unpredictability. There are no rules. No guarantees. Just guidelines. I’ve watched deer devour thorny shrubs and trample fragrant…

  • How-To

    How to Create a Pest-Proof Vegetable Garden

    When my husband, Andy, and I moved to our new home in rural Washington, we knew we wanted a large vegetable garden. However, with our new idyllic location came to…

  • containers for the shade
    Design

    Ideas for Stylish Shady Container Gardens

    Low light doesn't have to cramp your creativity or limit your plant choices

  • ‘Cleopatra’ foxtail lily
    Article

    Big Blooms That Don’t Flop

    Like most gardeners, I swoon at the sight of a border filled with towering delphiniums, head-high dahlias, and deliciously fragrant peonies. These are the coveted candies of the quintessential cottage…

  • Design

    Small Trees That Like Shade

    A tiny shady spot in need of year-round structure: This is a scenario that gives even the most seasoned gardener nightmares. But areas like this are in every landscape—whether it’s…

  • Sagae Hosta
    Pacific Northwest Regional Reports

    Regional Picks: Perennial Hole Fillers – Northwest

      1. ‘Georgia Blue’ Speedwell Name: Veronica peduncularis ‘Georgia Blue’ USDA Hardiness Zones: 6 to 8 Size: 6 inches tall and 1 foot wide Conditions: Full sun to partial shade;…