Surround yourself in nature in the 25,000 square foot gardens of Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory. This enclosed conservatory is an oasis nestled in the down town area of Fort Wayne, Indiana. My husband and I visit Botanical Gardens each summer and this conservatory was on our must see list last year. The gardens feature tropical displays,…
The size of the flower heads, alone, make hydrangeas a favorite perennial among gardeners. Hydrangea care involves control of sunlight, adequate moisture and proper pruning. These tips for growing hydrangea bushes will help you get the most out of your plants. Cottage gardeners love the huge hydrangea flowers which have a lovely old fashioned charm. …
Do you like Bluegrass music with a side of daylilies? If you do, you’ll enjoy this virtual tour of the daylilies at Wildwood Farms in Floyd, Virginia. Located just 42 miles from Roanoke, VA and very close to the Blue Ridge Parkway, you will find Wildwood Farms. This general store features live Bluegrass music from…
If you like the look of cottage gardens, you’ll love purple coneflowers (echinacea purpurea). These tips for growing echinacea will have butterflies, birds and bees flocking to your garden in droves! This easy care perennial draws insects and birds to it, making sure that neighboring plants will have plenty of pollinators all season long. This coarse…
A lot of my time spent in maintaining my summer garden is spent in deadheading. So, finding plants that don’t need deadheading to add to my garden beds is something that I am always in search of. We all love to garden but some chores are not our favorites, for sure. Deadheading flowers is at…
Roses are perennial plants that come back each year in your garden and have a very long blooming season. They are one of the most popular garden plants. Do you know what the different rose colors meanings are? This lovely flower is often given as a gift. The reason is simple – each rose color means something…
The Wellfield Botanic Gardens in Elkhart, Indiana are like a living museum with art, nature, and structure all coordinating beautifully. The waters of Christiana Creek stream through the gardens, which are a combination of nature, art and hardscaping that is sure to delight. The Botanic Gardens feature 36 acres of lush gardens against a backdrop…
If you want to attract both butterflies and bees to your garden this year, try growing liatris. This perennial corm flowers in mid summer with a blast of flowers that are a magnet for them. I have 10 garden beds around my home and I’m always interested in growing perennials of all types since they come…
Asiatic and Oriental Lilies may look similar but they actually have several differences. All types of lilies are grown by home gardeners for their dramatic and colorful flowers on long, sturdy stems. Each type has their own particular growing needs, which may make one a better choice for your gardening needs. Although these types of lilies…
Pink flowers are soft and romantic looking in a garden bed. They are often seen in cottage gardens and there are so many varieties of them that it’s hard to pick favorites. I am a romantic at heart. One would never think it to look at me. I’m a rugged girl and my nails usually…
Get a head start on spring gardening by starting seeds indoors with Jiffy Peat Pellets. These handy peat pots have the perfect soil for seedlings and they can be transplanted right into the ground as soon as the weather is warm enough. This step by step tutorial features a Jiffy Peat Pellet Greenhouse with perennial,…
Forsythia bushes have a wonderful arching habit will makes them a great focal point when planted in a large garden bed. All shrubs need pruning, but what do you do when you have totally overgrown forsythia shrub? It’s either time for hard pruning or renovation pruning for them. Rejuvenating forsythia gives them a new lease…
Garden tours are one of my favorite things to do when I am on the road. I love touring Botanical Gardens that I have not previously visited and sharing details and photos of them with my readers. Today we will visit Hahn Horticulture Garden in Blacksburg, Virginia. This Horticulture Gardens are set on 6 acres of…
Try growing astilbe for beautiful, showy flowers that do well in a shady garden bed. This perennial has feathery flowers that sit above the fern like foliage in a majestic way. These tips will show you how to grow astilbe and bring color to your shady perennial garden beds. Most shady garden beds are filled…
Growing Columbine – aquilegia in your garden will reward you with delightful dangling bell shaped flowers that come in almost every color of the rainbow. This hardy perennial is easy to grow and much sought after by many gardeners. Since they self seed readily, you will never be without them once you have them planted. Grow Columbine…
Oxalis is a shamrock-like plant that is also commonly referred to as love plant and wood sorrel. This plant is easy to grow, can sometimes be considered a weed and is a popular perennial plant that shows up around St. Patrick’s Day. Growing Oxalis is actually pretty easy. Keeping it under control can often be…
When the weather outside is too cold for gardening, flowering houseplants bring a touch of the garden into your home. Blooming indoor plants add color and decor to any indoor setting and are cheerful year round. My first attempt at gardening started with houseplants. I remember coming home one day to the aroma of the…
Forsythia flowers give us one of the first splashes of color in early spring gardens. But to get that color and a well shaped shrub, it’s important to trim forsythia bushes correctly. Pruning forsythia requires some basic knowledge of how the plant is meant to grow. Check out this article for more information on forsythia…
If you enjoy the beauty of spring blooming bulbs, it takes a bit of early planning to get that look in your garden. This list of 15 bulbs to plant in fall will make sure that next year gets started with a burst of color with very little effort on your part. I’ve also included lots…
Flowering bulbs are some of the easiest plants to grow. Some of the spring flowering bulbs, such as tulips, crocuses and daffodils will give you weeks for flowering long before other perennials have started to show up. How well do you know your flower bulb types? Do the words bulbs corms rhizomes tubers and bulbets…
This Fall Entryway Makeover takes my front door and entry through from fall and right into Thanksgiving with natural elements and the rustic colors of autumn leaves, pumpkins and more. This post was sponsored by Lowe’s as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.…
I have recently discovered a love for window boxes. During my summer vacation, we toured 10 states and visited many Botanical Gardens. Seeing how many ways there are to dress up your home with window box planters was inspiring. They are a fabulous way to create curb appeal and are easy to take care of. Window…
Have you ever been in a garden setting and wondered how to identify a plant that you have just come across? So have I! That is where the PlantSnap mobile app comes into use. With this handy phone app, all you need to do is snap a photo of the plant, and PlantSnap will give you suggestions…
Touring a botanical garden with children in tow can be a challenge. But this is not so with Beech Creek Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve. This delightful garden center seems tailor made for kids and is the perfect way to introduce them to flowers and nature! My husband and I enjoy touring Botanical Gardens, especially…
There is nothing quite like growing herbs to add tons of flavor in recipes. They add a fullness of flavor that dried herbs just can’t match. And growing herbs for kitchen gardens is super easy to do. , Every good cook should have a few pots of them either on the patio, in the vegetable…
Nothing makes me smile more than going out into my garden and seeing Swallowtail butterflies fluttering around. Did you know that planting certain plants will make sure that you have these pretty visitors to your yard? These swallowtail nectar plants are great at attracting butterflies to your garden. They just can’t resist them! Swallowtail butterflies are…
