Last year, we grew our first “garden.” It wasn’t much, just a couple of pepper plants, tomato plants, peas and carrots (oh, and some failed lettuce). Now that I’m looking at expanding our garden, I want to keep in mind my meal plans as I choose which vegetables to grow. Here are a few ideas [...]
Creating and Planting a Spring Container for Part Shade
March 18, 2012 By 2 Comments
Just because you have a shady front porch doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy bright and cheerful blooms! These plants are the ones that I chose, but I’ll also include a few alternatives that might be available at your local store or garden center. For this seasonal container planting you will need the following – Large [...]
How to Plant a Kitchen Colander
March 15, 2012 By 8 Comments
A kitchen colander is a unique and appropriate container for growing plants like lettuce, peppers, cherry tomatoes, chives, or strawberries. It would also make a wonderful hostess or housewarming gift. I like the traditional stainless steel colanders, but they aren’t the only ones out there. Keep your eyes open for brightly colored plastic and porcelain [...]
English Musk Rose Hybrids
March 13, 2012 By 1 Comment
Sub-Group Characteristics and Specific Cultivars English Musk Roses are related to Noisettes and Hybrid Musk Roses, so they tend to have paler foliage, more delicate flowers and great disease resistance. Here are specific characteristics of some favorite and popular English Musk Roses. According to The English Roses, these English Musk Hybrids make good climbers, are highly [...]
Creative Garden Themes
March 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Even if you never talk to a landscape designer in your life, the design idea are endless. A clever way to incorporate your personality into your garden is to use plants that reflect some of your other interests by using a theme garden. Below is a list of ideas to adopt as your own: Color [...]
Natural Bug Repellents for Your Yard and Garden
March 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment
For many of us, natural remedies and repellants are not only attractive for their care of the environment, but are often necessary to keep children and animals safe. For some of us, it may even be about our own health! People who suffer from allergies are often bothered by traditional chemicals, so we hunt for [...]
Big Butterflies
March 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Ha! Sometimes you just need Big Butterflies! Getting lettuce and cucumber from the garden the other day, a Monarch butterfly came and joined me (well… it did its thing. I don’t think it really cared to JOIN me). It made me stop – such gorgeous, vibrant, uplifting colours! The next time I settled to work, [...]
Adding Fragrance to the Garden or Landscape
February 28, 2012 By 2 Comments
There’s no good reason to resist adding some scent to your yard or landscape. Fragrance makes all the difference between seeing a beautiful garden or experiencing it. Think of scent in the garden like salt is in the kitchen. When you’re considering fragrant plants, remember that most plants have a specific season for scent. For [...]
Perennial and Annual Lobelia Attract Butterflies and Hummingbirds
February 28, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Lobelia flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds to any garden. Lobelias are found in perennial and annual choices, growing in tall and short habits. Lobelia is a large genus of flowering plants categorized, or treated, as perennials or annuals depending on the species or cultivar and where one lives. The tubular form of the bloom easily [...]
How to Start a No-Dig Vegetable Garden
February 23, 2012 By 16 Comments
I’m often asked about the best way to set up a new vegetable garden, and everyone seems to have their preferred method and materials. I personally, like the idea of a no dig garden bed. After all, who wants to break their back trying to dig up hard compacted clay soil? No dig garden beds [...]
