I love anything that gives me a jump start on spring. Forcing forsythia indoors lets me have the showy yellow flowers of the well known harbinger of spring – forsythia bushes – to enjoy indoors well before they give you their cheery spring greeting outside. Luckily, it is very easy to force forsythia blooms in…
Some of the most interesting planters and those that recycle items used for other purposes. These unique boot and shoe planters make great use of old shoes and boots. Some have seen their better day and some look like new but all showcase indoor plants in new and unusual ways. Do you have some old shoes…
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. Seeing the cheery yellow blooms on the long arching…
Hellebores are a long blooming perennial plant that needs very little in the way of maintenance but it does get a bit ragged looking at times of the year. Pruning hellebores will keep your Lenten rose looking its best all year long. All garden plants need pruning at some stage, and hellebores are no exception.…
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 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. It’s time for a Fall Entryway Makeover. This Fall Entryway Makeover takes my front door and entry through from fall and right into Thanksgiving with natural elements and the rustic…
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. In…
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…
It’s time for this week’s garden tour. I love July in my summer garden. The color is amazing and there seems to be something new for me each day as I wander around my garden beds. This week’s garden tour One of my favorite times of the day is when I go outside and walk…
If you love perennial plants with a long blooming season, you will likely have a fondness for growing hollyhocks. This lovely perennial is a popular garden favorite that flowers throughout most of the summer months. Hollyhocks (Puccinia malvacearum) are often found in cottage gardens. They make a great background plant for shorter perennials and come in…
Balloon Flower, or Platycodon grandiflorus, is also known as Chinese Bell flower. The common names of this pretty perennial plant come from the plump found flower buds that resemble hot air balloons or Chinese lanterns before they open. Growing Balloon Flower Perennial This hardy and easy care perennial is one of my favorite summer blooming perennials. The…
We are right in the middle of the hottest part of the summer. The early spring bloomers are finished and now it is time for the tough summer blooming plants to be the stars in the garden. Summer blooming plants have to be able to withstand the high temperatures that come with summer. They also need…
There is something so romantic about the look of a Bleeding Heart plant. After all, what is more romantic that the heart shaped flowers of this amazing plant? If you love growing perennials, this plant is a must have for your shady garden spot. Dicentra Spectabilis is a clear favorite among American gardeners. It is native…
With summer comes lots of outdoor living. Sadly, that can mean lots of mosquitoes. I don’t like to use chemical products but, thankfully, Mother Nature has the perfect answer – Mosquito Repelling Plants! We can grow annuals, perennials and herbs that will keep the bugs away naturally. With all the hype about West Nile Virus,…
Remember going to the petting zoo with your kids and touching baby lambs? This the feeling of the leaves of Stachys byzantina, also known as Lamb’s Ear. If you love growing perennials, you need to give this hardy plant a try. It is easy to grow, has a lovely texture and the prettiest flowers on…
Nothing quite brightens a mood like cheerful yellow flowers. There are loads of annuals and perennials that bring this bright splash of color to your garden. The contrast of the cheerful color against the green leaves makes a fabulous play in a garden bed. Did you know that May 30 is Water a Flower Day? …
Roses are one of the most popular flowers. They make great cut flowers, are right at home in any perennial garden, and are easy to grow. Roses also come in an astounding number of shades, sizes, and petal colors. These amazing rose photos show the versatility of the popular plant. This rose by Shakespeare says…
Life is meant to be lived outside! We spend so much time outside during the summer, and having a great looking lawn and pretty gardens makes sure that time will be far more pleasurable. These summer garden tips will ensure that you have an endless supply of color and lush green lawns all summer long.…
The red hot poker is a showy and dramatic plant. If you love growing perennials that give color all summer long, this is the plant for you. Other names for this showy plant are torch lily and poker plant. The botanical name for this plant is kniphofia uvaria and there are more than 70 known species…
If you love the look of dried flowers in your home, don’t buy them. It is easy to preserve flowers yourself with two common household ingredients: Borax and Cornmeal. One of the true joys of gardening is having so many flowers in my garden. I sometimes cut them to bring indoors, and also like to dry…
I love to start the day with something that gives me a moment of inspiration. Often times, that is simply walking through my garden. These inspirational flower quotes are both pretty and motivational. Which one is your favorite?Flower quotes are fun to share with friends and also to print out and frame or to use…
