“Nothing beats a home-grown tomato,” proclaims Arlene Trombley of Timberwinds Nursery in Ellisville.  “I love growing them, and I love eating them,” echoes Abby Elliot of Kirkwood’s Sugar Creek Gardens.

Their love of one of summer’s best treats is probably why both women are considered tomato experts by their respective garden centers. We asked them to dish up a bit of advice to help all of us produce a better crop this summer….or maybe inspire those who have never attempted to grow tomatoes.

“You’ve probably seen Turfstone, and haven’t even noticed it was there,” says Ryan High, a territory manager for Belgard. The gray pavers look like lattice, and that grid-shaped design is what distinguishes Belgard’s Turfstone from other paving materials. Once set, voids – those gaps between the concrete panels – can be planted with grass or filled with another aggregate, allowing stormwater to move through the surface, eliminating the need for an irrigation system.    

There are two hallmarks that dominate the landscape in this stunning Ladue garden. One is a profusion of hydrangeas that flow along walkways, drift through beds and even climb brick walls. The other is an immense, regal grandiflora magnolia that holds court against the back of the red brick house and makes a sweeping bow across the brick patio to embrace both hard structures and fold them into the beauty of the garden.

Wow your neighbors with hyper-vivid flowers sprouting in your garden this spring. Your garden will pop with bright shades of pink, orange and yellow against the greenery. Check out local landscapers' favorite varieties to plant for a vibrant garden glow.

Youngsters can go on a “Missouri adventure” in the Doris I. Schnuck Children’s Garden at the Missouri Botanical Garden. The Children’s Garden teaches kids 12 and under about the interdependence of all nature – humans, insects, animals and plants – in a variety of ecosystems.