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. What is deadheading? Basically, this gardening term refers to the time spent removing old flower blooms to allow…
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…
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. If you stay on top of pruning…
Garden arbors and arches are set up as walk through areas in home gardens or public parks where one can welcome guests. There are many styles of arbors to choose from. Some are man made and others formed over time by nature. Trellises are often a part of arbors for the garden, giving some support…
Forsythia bushes delight us each spring with their burst of cheery yellow flowers. This deciduous perennial bush has arching branches with flowers that come before the leaves appear. Planting forsythia is all about timing and spacing. The two best times are early spring and mid fall depending on your hardiness zone. The forsythia flower bursts into…
One of the biggest pleasures that my garden gives me is its ability for attracting butterflies to it. With the right nectar plants, a garden can be swarming with these fluttering friends all season long. But it is not just the plants that attract butterflies. There are a few other things that you can do…
English cottage gardens have a very romantic feel to them. The look may seem haphazard but is actually planned. To choose cottage garden plants, think of tall flowering perennials, self seeding annuals and hardy biennials to give your garden just the right look. A cottage garden has a very distinct style that throws formality out…
Have you ever thought about using number plates in DIY projects? There are dozens of uses for license plates if you just think outside the box a bit. The colors and designs lend them selves to loads of home decor projects, both inside and outside the home. My husband is a collector of old license…
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…
Liriope Muscari Variegata is an evergreen perennial that easily spreads to form a deep carpet of grass-like plants that makes a great ground cover or border plant. This form of liriope aptly has the common name “variegated lilyturf.” This interesting perennial plant has vibrant yellow stripes along the arching dark green foliage. I love the…
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 gardening checklist will help you get ready for the gardening off-season. Learn about autumn garden care and how to winterize your outdoor space to make things so much easier when the garden starts blooming next spring. Getting out in the garden this time of the year is a great time to look back on…
Our summer vacation this year was a mainly tour of Historic Homes and Botanical Gardens in 7 Eastern and Midwest States. But while we were in Ohio, we stopped into the Cleveland Zoo and spent a few hours admiring the animals. This big zoo houses 3,000 animals of over 600 species on abut 180 acres…
Here are some of my favorites gardening ideas from the best of the internet. The ideas range from soup to nuts. There is something for all gardening styles here. My only requirement for a recipe to land on this page is that it must inspire me and have something to do with creative gardening. Searching…
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…
Depending on your point of view, you will either consider monkey grass a lovely ground cover or an unwanted weed. If the latter is more of your mindset, these tips for controlling monkey grass will help you get rid of your unwelcome garden visitor. Check Craig’s list free advertisements on most weekends in the summer here…
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…
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…
Liriope is commonly known as monkey grass or spider grass. It is a versatile and easy to grow ground cover that tolerates heat well and can be divided easily. Transplanting monkey grass is a simple process if you keep just a few things in mind. As far as growing perennials is concerned, it is one of…
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…
Growing Sunflowers is one of the really fun parts of summer time gardening. These big annuals are very easy to grow, which makes them a very popular plant to introduce children to gardening. Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) are a member of the Aster family. The sunflower is the state flower of Kansas. It is native to…
Astilbe is a gorgeous perennial that is right at home in a shady moist garden. You can grow it alone, but a well designed garden looks better with more than just one type of plant. These astilbe companion plants like the same moisture and light conditions and will make a beautifully coordinated garden bed. Selecting companion…
Begonias are a very popular plant worldwide. They are used as bedding plants and can also be grown as indoor plants. There are lots of different leaf types, colors and flower formations. Growing begonias is a little bit of a challenge but you should do fine as long as you follow a few tips. Tips for…
