Growing Beyond the Ordinary Since 1998
Grow Something Extraordinary.
From rare tropicals and unusual plants to vegetables, perennials, pollinator gardens and cacao, discover practical, experience-based guidance for growing a garden that's anything but ordinary.
Growing Chocolate in Indiana
I Grew a Cacao Tree in Indiana - And It Bloomed.
My fascination with Theobroma cacao began in the late 1990s, when I discovered I could grow the tree behind chocolate as a houseplant in Indiana. Over the years, I grew cacao from fresh seed, watched my own tree flower, searched out fresh cacao pods and learned firsthand what this remarkable tropical plant needs to thrive far outside its native climate.
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The Chocolate Lover's Garden!
"The Chocolate Lover's Garden, delivers decades of sweet-toothed imagination. It's a horticultural Hershey's kiss wrapped in research, passion, and dedication to creating a landscape that looks, smells, and tastes like chocolate." - Cavit Ireland, Washington Gardener Magazine
Find Your Next Growing Adventure
Explore Exotic Gardening
Whether you're fascinated by unusual plants, growing your own food, creating beautiful flower gardens or making your garden more welcoming to wildlife, there's always something new to grow and discover.
Rare & Tropical Plants
Discover unusual plants, tropical favorites, houseplants, orchids and ways to grow beyond the ordinary.
Explore Tropical Plants 02Flower Gardening
Grow a garden filled with annuals, perennials, bulbs and beautiful combinations that change with the seasons.
Explore Flower Gardening 03Grow Your Own Food
From vegetables and herbs to fruit, hydroponics and aquaponics, discover practical ways to grow more of what you eat.
Start Growing Food 04Trees, Shrubs & Roses
Add structure, flowers, fragrance and year-round interest with trees, shrubs, roses and other woody plants.
Explore Woody Plants 05Pollinator Gardening
Create a garden that supports butterflies, bees, hummingbirds and other beneficial garden visitors.
Grow for Pollinators 06Tour My Gardens
Step inside the real gardens and growing spaces where ideas are tested, plants are collected and experiments happen.
Visit The GardensLATEST POSTS
Check out our latest gardening posts with fresh tips, new insights, and the latest plant care advice. These posts are packed with up-to-date information to help you grow a healthier, more productive garden. Stay informed and keep your green thumb thriving!
- How to Grow Teddy Bear Sunflowers: The Complete Guide to These Fluffy Golden Blooms
- How to Grow Rockin' Playin' the Blues® II Salvia: The Complete Guide to This Long-Blooming Pollinator Favorite
- How I Fixed a Loose Pea Gravel Garden Path Without Pouring Concrete
- Summer Bouquets: Simple, Fresh Arrangements Anyone Can Make (That Actually Last)
Don't Stop When Summer Ends
Grow in Every Season
Gardening doesn't have to end when frost arrives. Learn how to start earlier, harvest later, protect crops from temperature extremes and keep something growing throughout the year.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Year-Round Gardening
Take year-round gardening beyond a single season with practical guidance for extending the harvest, protecting plants and keeping your garden productive throughout more of the year.
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Quick Tips for Year-Round Gardening
Learn practical ways to garden outdoors year-round in a cold climate, protect crops through changing seasons and keep overwintered plants producing fresh food.
Explore the Mini CourseFrom the Garden
Put Year-Round Gardening Into Practice
Start with practical guides for extending the season, growing through winter and protecting crops when temperatures don't cooperate.
The Ultimate Guide to Unheated Greenhouse Growing
Learn how an unheated greenhouse can protect crops, nurture seedlings and help keep the garden productive for much more of the year.
Read the Guide Winter PlantingDirect Sow Carrot Seed on New Year's Day
January planting really is possible. See how carrots can be direct sown under protection at the very beginning of the gardening year.
See How I Do It Winter SowingJump Start the Spring Garden With Winter Sown Vegetables
Discover vegetables that can be winter sown and how protected growing spaces can give the spring garden an earlier start.
Explore Winter Sowing Season ExtensionOutsmart Frost in Spring Vegetable Gardens
Use cold frames, tunnel houses and row covers to protect crops from spring frost and help get the growing season underway sooner.
Outsmart the FrostGrow Beyond the Ordinary
Rare, Tropical & Unusual Plants
Explore tropical plants, unusual species, fascinating flowers and garden-worthy plants that go far beyond the ordinary. From plants grown indoors to unexpected treasures that thrive outdoors, there's always something extraordinary to discover.
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Plan, Grow & Thrive with the Garden Planner Printable Bundle!
Take your organic gardening to the next level with this 16-page, full-color printable bundle - designed to help you grow smarter, not harder. Inside, you’ll find:
✨ Organic gardening tips for healthy, chemical-free growing
🐝 Pollinator-friendly planting guides to attract beneficial visitors
🌱 Companion planting charts for thriving plant pairings
🗓️ Monthly garden chore pages to keep you on track all year
🌼 Seedling & transplant trackers to monitor every stage of growth
📝 Journaling, notes & doodle pages to capture your garden’s story
Whether you’re starting your first raised bed or refining a thriving homestead garden, this planner helps you stay organized, inspired, and productive - season after season.
👉 Download your Garden Planner Printable Bundle today and start growing with confidence!
Garden Pollinators
Attract essential garden pollinators with expert tips on creating a pollinator-friendly habitat. These posts cover bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects that help your plants thrive. Learn how to support biodiversity and boost your garden’s productivity naturally!
About Sheri Ann Richerson
Welcome to Exotic Gardening!
I’m Sheri Ann Richerson, a lifelong gardener, author, and plant enthusiast passionate about helping people live beautifully through the art of growing.
From tropical houseplants to edible landscapes, I love exploring unique, sustainable ways to make gardens flourish in every season. Here, you’ll find expert plant care advice, creative growing techniques, and inspiration for extending your garden’s life well beyond the ordinary.
Whether you’re nurturing your very first plant or designing a year-round indoor jungle, my goal is to help you cultivate beauty, abundance, and joy - one plant at a time.
Helping people live beautifully and grow abundantly - real-life gardening from a modern-day plant enthusiast.
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