Every morning I take a garden walk to see what is growing and what needs tending. Today, I spent the morning deadheading daylilies. I have clumps of daylilies – hemerocallis – that have naturalized into plants with numerous blooms on them. Some of them have 12 or 13 blooms out in a day. Since daylily …
Growing tulips is a treat for gardeners who love a big splash of color in the spring. No plant ushers in the start of warm weather in a more dramatic way than tulips, so it is worth going the extra mile to have them growing in your garden. Tulips, native to Turkey and then imported …
These Easter egg hunt clues for an older child will help your teenager enjoy a more challenging Easter hunt than a typical one where you just hide Easter eggs. A fun thing to do at Easter is to have your child build an Easter basket with clues. It turns an ordinary holiday egg hunt into …
Would you like tips for attracting monarch butterflies to your yard this year? I’ve been seeing them in my garden for a few weeks now. The first Saturday in May is marked National Start Seeing Monarchs Day. What an appropriate national day for this time of the year! This day was chosen to raise people’s …
These 20 seed starting tips will help you to get your garden going early this year. With seeds, it’s never too early to get gardening! The holidays have come and gone and most of us are hunkering down for the colder months of the year. But wait – now is the perfect time to think …
For unbeatable spring color, try growing forsythia bushes. These easy care bushes require very little care. Nothing screams spring in your garden quite like Forsythia. With their vibrant yellow color, these perennials are one of the first bushes to flower in the spring. The shrub is very hardy, and relatively easy to grow. These tips …
There a many Spring Blooming Plants that arrive very early in the year. Some even peek through the last of the winter snow. Some early spring bloomers can even take the last of winter snow and cold temps and still start to grow. From bulbs, to annuals and perennials, the array of early spring bloomers …
Caring for foxglove is easy – just give it part sun/part shade and evenly moist soil and you’ll be rewarded with these gorgeous flowers. Foxglove biennial plants are spectacular to view. The term biennial means that the plant will grow for two years and then mainly die off. Foxgloves will re-seed themselves easily, so once …
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. Winter is hard on a garden and spring brings with it a host of tasks that need taking care of. Whether you are interested in vegetable gardening or just …
Many of us have very cold temperatures going on right now but it’s never too early to plan ahead for vegetable gardening. These Cold Hardy Vegetables are perfect for the cool weather of early spring and good one to think about planting soon. The weather here in NC is unseasonably warm right now, so it …
Forcing paperwhites indoors will give you a delightful splash of spring color in just a few weeks. The project can be done in soil or in water and the kids will love to help. These pretty blooms can be used as a Christmas plant for decorating. Since spring is far off, these flowers on a …
These strawberry oatmeal bars have a luscious fresh strawberry center that sits on a whole wheat pastry flour base and is topped with a buttery streusel crumble. They are the perfect way to make use of fresh strawberries that are so plentiful right now. Every year, about this time, I come back from the Farmer’s …
Ever since it was established in 1970, people around the world take part in Earth Day Activities as a way to celebrate National Earth Day on April 22. This day is now a worldwide event where more than 1 billion people take part in a day of action. Here are some things that you can …
Growing Cilantro is quite easy as long as you take care to keep it away from the hottest heat. Love it or hate it, cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) is still one of the most popular herbs for kitchen gardens . Cilantro is a staple of Mexican and Asian cooking. It makes a great garnish and is best served …
How well do you know your flower bulb types? Do the words bulbs corms rhizomes tubers and bulbets seem like Greek to you? Read on and you find out what you need to know to be a bulb expert. Flowering bulbs are some of the easiest plants to grow. Some of the spring flowering bulbs, …
This Borax weed killer for Creeping Charlie is a more natural remedy that resorting to chemical herbicides and Round Up. It can be used on established lawns and works well to get of this common weed. Are you plagued with Creeping Charlie in your lawn? So are many home owners and they are looking for …
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 …
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 …
These natural ant killer remedies will help to control the ants in your home in a non toxic way. I am so looking forward to the return of warm weather. With the sunny days come flowers, gardening and time spent outdoors. Unfortunately, with the warm weather also come ants! It is fun for kids to …
I love pretty home decor projects that can be used for an upcoming holiday but aren’t TOO seasonal. These Rope Wrapped Eggs have a pretty farmhouse, rustic look that is perfect for both spring and Easter. This project came after a trip to my local Dollar Store to pick a package of their over sized …
It’s time for a change out of my table centerpiece. I love this type of project – gather a few supplies, poke them into the floral foam and voila – a pretty Spring Table centerpiece. My husband made me a centerpiece box to use for Thanksgiving. It graced my dining room table for Thanksgiving and …
This Easter grapevine door swag welcomes in spring with the arrangement of dogwood flowers, bunnies, butterflies and Easter eggs. It also welcomes in my guests in a pretty pastel spring way. My front door is one of the few places that always gets a holiday make over. When Jess was younger, I used to …
It’s time to learn about growing heirloom seeds! Heirloom vegetable seeds have so much going for them. They end up giving you plants that you can’t go to a big box store and buy, they cost less than hybrid vegetables and you can save your own seeds from one year to the next. Have you …
Do you remember those days from years ago when May baskets were added to a friend’s doorway on May Day, the First of May? I remember those days, fondly, and it saddens me that the day is not really celebrated any longer. But not to fear, there are still lots of days to celebrate a …
Follow some of these plant propagation tips and you will have a whole slew of new perennial garden plants without the outlay of cash at the garden center.. If you garden, you will know that the cost of buying new plants can get very expensive over time. You don’t have to spend a lot of money …
Since my husband is the lover of heat in recipes and I like things a bit more savory, these recipe for Mexican style stuffed peppers is my compromise that suits us both. My husband and I often eat out at our favorite Mexican restaurant. When we do, you can guarantee that at least one of …