Category Archives: Weekend Gardener
This unusual cherry tree thrives in North Carolina yards
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend Gardener I have always been fascinated by unusual plants, trees, shrubs and flowers that I rarely see, especially those growing in North Carolina. Autumn-blooming cherry, Hi...
Feb 01, 2026
How native plants can turn your yard into a bird habitat
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend Gardener I have spent many hours looking out our window into the backyard. It gives Melissa and me great pleasure. The same can be said for the joy of watching the many bird...
Jan 21, 2026
Bell-shaped blooms and quiet charm: discovering the Carolina Silverbell
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend Gardener Alas, another plant I have never owned and rarely seen in the landscapes in the Triangle. Of course, I normally don't trespass to look for plants so there may be a ...
Jan 18, 2026
Why this winter flower challenges even seasoned gardeners
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend Gardener Our friend Phil Campbell and her brother, who owns a separate nursery near Mt Airy, grow extraordinary plants of all kinds. Every year Phil brings down poinsettias ...
Dec 28, 2025
Meet the real holiday cacti and learn the easy way to keep them thriving
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend GardenerThere is one thing we don't have a lot of in my house and that's houseplants. I have absolutely no reason why. I have had a pothos and a snake plant on my desk at wo...
Dec 09, 2025
Tending God's earth: a journey of faith through gardening
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend Gardener I have always believed that God is in everything. There can be nothing on Earth to which this idea applies more than a garden. Don't forget - one of God's first cre...
Nov 30, 2025
This NC plant eats bugs for breakfast - and looks beautiful doing it
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend Gardener Most of us have seen or have some knowledge of the most iconic plant in the world: It's the "Venus Flytrap", which is native to a small area of southeastern North C...
Nov 16, 2025
Composting Made Easy: Tips from the WPTF Weekend Gardener
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend Gardener One of the most economical and practical things you can do for the plants in your landscape and vegetable garden is to start a compost pile. We've discussed it fair...
Oct 26, 2025
Ironweed: The resilient perennial transforming North Carolina landscapes
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend GardenerWe all want resilient plants for our landscape. Frankly we want something that is cost effective. A plant which fulfills that description and expectation is "Ironwee...
Oct 12, 2025
Witchy native shrub brings spring bottlebrush blooms and fiery fall color
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend GardenerIf you have ever wanted to grow your own bottle brushes, then you have come to the right place. The Fothergilla latifolia or F. major or the Dwarf Fothergilla (garde...
Oct 05, 2025