Posts By

Natalie Leiker

Natalie was born and raised in Kansas where she spent most of her summers helping on a farm. She helped grow thousands of mums and other herbaceous plants. She has been working in the horticulture industry ever since. In 2018 she earned her Bachelor's degree in Agriculture with a focus on Horticulture Production. Much of Natalie's horticultural experience lies in production, herbaceous perennials & annuals.

Flowers

How to Plant, Grow and Care For Verbena

Thinking of adding a beautiful flower to your flowerbeds this season, but aren't sure what to pick? Why not try verbena! In this article, gardening expert Natalie Leiker shares everything you need to know about growing verbena, including maintenance and care.

Flowers

How to Plant, Grow and Care For Calibrachoa

Thinking of adding calibrachoa to your garden beds this season, but aren't quite sure where to start? These popular flowers are treated as annual plants in most locations and will reward you with beautiful blooms if properly cared for. In this article, gardening expert Natalie Leiker shares everything you need to know about growing calibrachoa in your flowerbeds, including maitnenance and care needs.

Annual Flowers with Bold Red Blooms

Flowers

17 Annual Flowers with Bold Red Blooms

Are you looking for some bold red flowers to make a statement in your garden this season? Picking a red annual flower to fill your flowerbeds will ensure you aren't committed to it for more than one season. In this article, gardening expert Natalie Leiker shares her favorite flowering annuals that will bloom in brilliant shades of red!

Blue flowering annual plant in garden with striking blooms

Flowers

17 Annual Flowers with Beautiful Blue Blooms

When spring hits, annual flowers flood the local garden centers. If you really want to make a statement, adding some annuals that blossom in hues of blue will really improve the look and feel of your garden. In this article, gardening expert Natalie Leiker shares her favorite annual flowers that have blue blooms, with names and pictures of each!

Flowers

17 Yellow Annual Flowers to Plant This Season

Are you thinking of growing yellow annual flowers in your flowerbeds, but aren't sure which to pick? There are many different options, depending on your hardiness zone. In this article, gardening expert Natalie Leiker shares her favorite yellow annual flowers to add to your garden this season, with botanical information and pictures of each!

Orange annual flower growing in garden with deep orange blooms.

Flowers

11 Orange Annual Flowers to Plant This Season

Are you thinking of adding some orange annual flowers to your garden this season, but aren't quite sure where to start? There are many different options depending on your hardiness zone. In this article, gardening expert Natalie Leiker shares her favorite orange annual flowers, with botanical information and pictures of each!

marigold problems

Problems

14 Common Problems With Marigold Flowers

Marigolds are hardy flowers, but they are not immune to problems. There are a few common issues that plague many flower gardeners, no matter the climate. In this article, gardening expert Natalie Leiker walks through the most common marigold problems, and how to fix them!

marigolds from seed

Flowers

How to Grow Marigolds From Seed in 7 Easy Steps

Are you thinking of growing marigolds from seed this season, but aren't sure where to start? Marigolds are a garden favorite, and with good reason! They have beautifully colored blooms, and make great companion plants. In this article, gardening expert Natalie Leiker walks through how to grow marigolds from seed in a few very simple steps!

grow lantana

Flowers

How to Plant, Grow, and Care For Lantana Plants

Lantana is a sun-friendly plant that has a variety of different uses. From border plantings to flowerbeds, these colorful flowers can brighten up any garden space. In this article, gardening expert Natalie Leiker walks through how to plant, grow, and care for Lantana in your garden.

salvia problems

Plants

11 Common Problems With Flowering Salvia Plants

While Salvia is known to be a fairly hardy plant, that doesn't mean they are entirely without the occasional problem. There are a few different issues that these plants can come across, so it's important to know how to prevent them, and manage them. In this article, gardening expert Natalie Leiker walks through the most common problems you'll likely encounter with your salvia this season.

marigolds in pots

Flowers

How to Grow Marigolds in Pots or Containers

Marigolds are some of the most popular flowers in flower gardens and vegetable gardens each season. But how do you get them to flourish if you want them planted in a container? In this article, gardening expert Natalie Leiker walks through how to grow Marigolds in pots or containers in just a few simple steps.

Blanket Flower Red and Orange Colors

Flowers

How to Plant, Grow and Care For Blanket Flowers

Are you thinking of adding some blanket flowers to your garden this season, but aren't sure where to start? Blanket flowers are beautiful perennials that can be the star of almost any full sun flower garden. In this article, gardening expert Natalie Leiker examines how to plant, grow and care for Blanket Flowers!

lavender and marigolds

Herbs

Can Marigolds Be Planted Together With Lavender?

Trying to figure out if Marigolds can or should be planted next to your lavender this season? These two popular plants are well known garden companions for other plants. But are they also good together? In this article, gardening expert Natalie Leiker examines if it's a good idea or not to plant Marigolds next to Lavender in your garden.

marigolds and peppers

Vegetables

Can Marigolds Be Planted With Peppers in Your Garden?

Thinking of planting some marigolds with your garden grown peppers this season? Curious to know if it's a good idea or not? In this article, gardening expert Natalie Leiker examines if planting marigolds with peppers in your garden is a good idea, or if you should stick to other companion plants.

Coneflower Growing in garden

Flowers

How to Plant, Grow and Care For Coneflowers

Thinking of planting some coneflowers in your garden this season but aren't quite sure where to start? Coneflowers are very resilient flowers, that can do well in warmer climates and full sun conditions. In this article, gardening expert Natalie Leiker takes you through how to plant, grow and care for coneflowers in your garden this season!

Marigold Next to Strawberries in Garden

Fruit

Can Marigolds Be Planted With Strawberries in Your Garden?

Thinking of planting some marigolds with your srtawberries this season, but aren't quite sure if it's a good idea or not? In this article, gardening expert Natalie Leiker examines if marigolds are a decent strawberry companion, or if you should stick to other companion plants.

how to grow salvia

Flowers

How to Plant, Grow, and Care For Salvia Flowers

Are you committed to growing salvia this season, but aren't quite sure where to start? These hardy plants can be a great addition to any garden, and can survive a variety of different climates. In this article, gardening expert Natalie Leiker walks through everything you need to know about adding salvia to your garden, including planting, care, and maintenance.