SEATTLE — If you’re having difficulty finding a shrub that will survive in dry shade, especially underneath giant evergreens that suck up every inch of available moisture, give Aucuba japonica a try.

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Getty Images By the time fall arrives lots of plants in your yard have probably taken on ...

Dear Neil: How should I prune my aucuba plant? It is too tall, but I am afraid I’ll ruin it if I cut it very much. Answer: Prune it one stem at a time. Make each cut in a way that the remaining leaves ...

Pruning and trimming are both ways to grow healthier, more beautiful plants. But although these two strategies are similar—cutting away leaves, branches, or other plant parts—they should be used at ...

Now that we are starting to lose leaves, the question always comes up: Is now a good time to prune? The answer is yes on some plants and no on other plants. But then there’s the greater question: Why ...