One of the earliest plants to bloom in spring is forsythia, but when should it be planted? Planting forsythia is all about timing and spacing. The two best times are early spring and mid fall depending on your hardiness zone. Forsythia bushes delight us each spring with their burst of cheery yellow flowers. This deciduous…
Landscaping
Cottage Garden Plants – Perennials Biennials & Bulbs for Cottage Gardens
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…
Spring Blooming Plants – My Favorite 22 Picks for an Early Bloom – Updated
Heuchera Plant Care – Growing Coral Bells for a Shade Garden
Heuchera is a Native American perennial plant that is found all over the country. It is more commonly known as Coral Bells and comes in many shades of purple, rose, green and variegated varieties. The plant makes a wonderful display in any shade garden and, although it does flower, it is grown more for the…
Plants That Don’t Need Deadheading
Wellfield Botanic Gardens – A Fun Filled Day in a Living Museum
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…
Renovation Pruning Forsythia Shrubs vs Hard Pruning Forsythia
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 Arbors and Arches – Types of Gardening Trellises and Walk Through Arbors
Attracting Butterflies – Tips to Attract Butterflies to your Yard Like a Magnet
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…
Uses for License Plates – Using Number Plates in DIY Projects
Pruning Forsythia – How and When to Trim Forsythia Bushes
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…
Liriope Muscari Variegata – Growing Variegated Lilyturf
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…
Flower Bulb Types – Understanding Bulbs Corms Rhizomes Tubers
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…
Fall Gardening Checklist – Tips for Fall Garden Maintenance
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…
Cleveland Zoo Visit
Best Gardens – Creative Gardening Ideas
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…
Growing Hollyhocks – A Traditional Cottage Garden Favorite-
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 – Tips for Growing Platycodon grandiflorus
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…
25+ Best Summer Blooming Plants
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…
Controlling Monkey Grass – How to Get Rid of Liriope
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…
Bleeding Heart – How to grow Dicentra spectabilis
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…
How to Grow Lamb’s Ear – (Stachys byzantina)
Transplanting Monkey Grass – Division is Simple and Easy to Do
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…
Summer Garden Tips & Garden Tour – Garden Maintenance in the Summer
Red Hot Poker – Growing and Caring for Torch Lilies
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…
Astilbe Companion Plants – What to Grow with Astilbe
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…