This miniature hosta is called Hosta Cat and Mouse. Its small size makes it the perfect choice for those who don’t have a lot of room to garden. A recent trip around the JR Raulston Arboretum provided me with a magnificent look at their collection of hostas. I have a large collection of hostas in…
Outdoor Plants
Hosta Yellow Splash Rim – Plant this Rapid Grower in Shade Gardens
This quick growing hosta plant is called Hosta ‘Yellow Splash Rim’. It is easy to see where the common name comes from by looking at the colorful leaf margins of the plant. I recently toured the JR Raulston Arboretum and had a great time looking at their shade garden which included many hosta plants. I…
Forsythia Shrub – Tips for Planting, Growing and Pruning Forsythia Plants
A forsythia shrub is one of the first harbingers of spring. Who can resist those cherry yellow blooms that appear about the time that the daffodils poke their heads up? What is a Forsythia Shrub? Forsythia is a genus of flowering plants in the olive family Oleaceae. It is native to Eastern Asia and Southeastern Europe.…
Hosta Kiyosumiensis – The Mountain Hosta from Japan
Hosta Kiyosumiensis is a dappled leaf hosta also known as the Mountain Hosta. It is native to Japan. About Hosta Kiyosumiensis The name of this hosta comes from our version of the name of Mount Kiyosumi-yama, a small mountain in Japan with views of Tokyo Bay. The plant grows on this Mountain. In the northern…
Transplanting Forsythia – Tips for Moving Forsythia Bushes or Shrubs
Transplanting forsythia is a good idea if the perennial has overgrown the original planting area. This task needs some care. These tips for moving forsythia bushes will help with the project. Forsythia shrubs are hardy bushes that are easy to grow and a real show stopper in early spring when their yellow flowers tell us…
Growing Pansies – How to Grow and Care For Pansy Flowers
Get Your Garden Ready for Spring – 25 Early Spring Garden Tips & Checklist
April 14 is National Gardening Day. That means it is time to start thinking about ways to get your garden ready with these spring garden tips. Whether you are interested in vegetable gardening or just love to grow flowers, these tips will be helpful April is a special month for gardeners. Not only does it…
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…
Winter Flowering Plants – Add These for Cold Weather Color
Growing Fittonia albivenis – How To Grow Nerve Plant
This pretty little indoor plant adds a distinctive touch to your home decor. The variety of fittonia is also known as Pink Angel. and is a distinctive plant with dark green leaves which have brightly colored pink veins. Growing Fittonia Albivenis is very easy for beginners, since it doesn’t mind low light. Where does fittonia albivenis grow…
Fall Blooming Perennials and Annuals for Bold Color
Tips for Growing Air Plants – Tillandsia
Tillandsia is also known as an air plant. Air plants are a member of the epiphyte family. This plant needs no soil to grow and gets its nourishment from the air. Air plants have specialized leaves that draw in nutrients. Other well known epiphytes are Thanksgiving cactus, Christmas cactus, and Easter cactus. Succulents like tillandsia…
Growing Gaillardia – Blanket Flower Perennial Care Tips
If you like hardy perennials that have an extended bloom time, try growing gaillardia, also known as blanket flower perennial. The plant is very showy and super easy to grow. Gaillardia is a pretty perennial plant that has an extended bloom time to give you loads of color all season long. If you like daisies,…
Daylily Photo Gallery
Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory – Indoor Botanical Gardens in Fort Wayne, Indiana
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,…
Hydrangea Care – Tips for Growing & Propagating Hydrangea Bushes
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. …
Daylilies at Wildwood Farms VA – Daylily Tour
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…
Growing Echinacea – How to Care for Purple Coneflowers
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…
Plants That Don’t Need Deadheading
Autumn Frost Hosta – Easy to Grow Slug Resistant Variety
Autumn Frost Hosta is one of my favorite hostas. The leaves have blue green centers and wide yellow margins around the edge. By summer time, the margins will turn a creamy white. It’s a slug resistant hardy perennial that comes back year after year. Variegated hostas really pop in any shade garden. This variety has…
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…
13 Tips for Growing Liatris – Attract Bees like a Magnet!
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 – What is the Difference?
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 – The Best Flowering Pink Annuals and Perennials for Your Garden
Why Heirloom Vegetable Seeds? – 6 Advantages for Growing Heirloom Seeds
If you enjoy vegetable gardening, you may have heard about heirloom vegetable seeds. These are vegetables grown from heirloom seeds which are an open pollinated variety of seeds developed prior to 1940. There are many advantages for growing this type of vegetable. Experts vary in their definition of heirloom vegetables, but typically they will agree…
Growing Melons – How to Grow Cantaloupe & Honey Dew
We tend to think of edible gardens as those that grow vegetables but there are also many fruits that can be grown just as easily at home. There are several types of melons that are right at home in a vegetable garden. Growing melons such as cantaloupe and honeydew require a few things: plenty of sunshine and…