Where nature's beauty takes a spooky turn By Diana Pierce, Oct. 22, 2025 Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscuipula) . Photo: Diana Pierce Welcome to the Dark Side of the Garden This Halloween, I'm looking past the pumpkins to the blooms that bite back. Some lure their prey with sweetness. Others defend themselves with poison or perfume. And a few — like the ones we've seen in pop culture — have become icons of nature's darker side. If you've ever wondered what Wednesday Addams, or Pr

A Second Bloom for Veterans By Diana Pierce, Oct. 15, 2025 Mourners honoring a loved one. Photo: Ivan Samkov, Pexels. With Veterans Day approaching on November 11th, many of us will honor those who served — perhaps by thanking a veteran in person, sharing their story, or visiting a cemetery to remember those we’ve lost. While Memorial Day in spring is traditionally the time for decorating veterans’ graves with flowers, the gesture carries meaning any time of year. Those bloom

Meet the couple behind fall's most diverse pumpkin display by Diana Pierce, Oct. 8, 2025 The Arboretum’s Pumpkin Tree on Dahlberg Terrace...

From your porch to the ends of the earth by Diana Pierce October 1st, 2025 Fall finally feels like it’s arriving here in Minnesota, even...

This Year's Surprising Prairie Seed Harvest September 24, 2025- by Diana Pierce Wild lupine created false hope for seed collectors who...

By Diana Pierce Fresh Cuttings- September 17, 2025 As autumn begins to peek through, there’s still plenty of bloom color waiting to be...

Following Arnie Sachs on his journey to the Nationals by Diana Pierce, Sept. 10th, 2025 Arnie Sachs, who is 6 feet tall, standing next to...

Why We Bring Flowers By Diana Pierce September 3, 2025 Photo : Diana Pierce A week ago, tragedy struck our Twin Cities community. The...

Inside Minnesota’s Backyard of World Records Aug. 27, 2025- By Diana Pierce Photo Courtesy: Half Moon Bay's Safeway World Championship...

An Indiana gardener grew a sunflower so tall it could peek over the treetops! At 30 feet, 7 inches, this bloom just set a new Guinness World Record.

A year in the life of Bloom With Me Diana Pierce, Aug. 13, 2025 Photos : Diana Pierce Imagine a single seed, pressed into the soil with...

Welcome back to Fresh Cuttings—a petite bouquet of stories, snapshots, and seasonal wonders from my garden walks (and beyond). Here’s...

Elizabeth Ries checking her herb and vegetable raised beds. Photo: Diana Pierce In Elizabeth Ries’s Minneapolis backyard, you’ll find...

This Week's Garden Escapes Minnesota Native Water Lily, Photo: Diana Pierce Dive Into Tranquility: Water Garden Tour This Weekend ​ The...

Last summer, while visiting the Munsinger Clemens Gardens in St. Cloud, I was captivated by a whimsical area designed with children in...

A quick-cut edition of: Lavender in Clinics Road Trips and Plant Rap (gotta see!) Why Are Essential Oils Showing Up in Medical Settings?...

Showy Lady’s Slipper, Photo: Diana Pierce Some adventures ask you to slow down. At Big Bog State Recreation Area and the Lady Slipper...

Enjoy this quick, inspiring read—perfect for sparking your next garden adventure or outdoor outing!

How You Can Help Save It Showy Lady's Slipper, Mn Landscape Arboretum - Photo; Diana Pierce Each June, Minnesota’s most iconic orchid...

Starting today, I'm excited to introduce Fresh Cuttings — a new bi-monthly newsletter that keeps your garden calendar blooming. In...