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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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Pink Flowers – The Best Flowering Pink Annuals and Perennials for Your Garden
Pink flowers are soft and romantic looking in a garden bed. They are often seen in cottage gardens and there are so many varieties of them that it’s hard to pick favorites. I am a romantic at heart. One would never think it to look at me. I’m a rugged girl and my nails usually […]
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Starting Seeds Indoors with Jiffy Peat Pellets – How to Grow Seeds in Peat Pots
Get a head start on spring gardening by starting seeds indoors with Jiffy Peat Pellets. These handy peat pots have the perfect soil for seedlings and they can be transplanted right into the ground as soon as the weather is warm enough. This step by step tutorial features a Jiffy Peat Pellet Greenhouse with perennial, […]
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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 […]
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Hahn Horticulture Garden – Virginia Tech – Blacksburg, VA
Today we will visit Hahn Horticulture Garden in Blacksburg, Virginia. Garden tours are one of my favorite things to do when I am on the road. I love touring Botanical Gardens that I have not previously visited and sharing details and photos of them with my readers. This Horticulture Gardens are set on 6 acres of […]
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Growing Astilbe – False Spirea Plant- How to Grow and Care for Astilbe
Try growing astilbe for beautiful, showy flowers that do well in a shady garden bed. This perennial has feathery flowers that sit above the fern like foliage in a majestic way. These tips will show you how to grow astilbe and bring color to your shady perennial garden beds. Most shady garden beds are filled […]
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Growing Columbine – How to Grow Aquilegia for Unique Bell Shaped Flowers
Growing Columbine – aquilegia in your garden will reward you with delightful dangling bell shaped flowers that come in almost every color of the rainbow. This hardy perennial is easy to grow and much sought after by many gardeners. Since they self seed readily, you will never be without them once you have them planted. There is […]
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Flowering Houseplants – 15 Blooming Indoor Plants
When the weather outside is too cold for gardening, flowering houseplants bring a touch of the garden into your home. Blooming indoor plants add color and decor to any indoor setting and are cheerful year round. My first attempt at gardening started with houseplants. I remember coming home one day to the aroma of the […]
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Pruning Forsythia – How and When to Trim Forsythia Bushes
Pruning forsythia requires some basic knowledge of how the plant is meant to grow. 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. Check out this article for more information on forsythia […]
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Bulbs to Plant in Fall – Get Spring Blooming Bulbs in Before Winter
This list of 15 bulbs to plant in fall will make sure that next year gets started with a burst of color with very little effort on your part. If you enjoy the beauty of spring blooming bulbs, it takes a bit of early planning to get that look in your garden. I’ve also included lots […]
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Flower Bulb Types – Understanding Bulbs Corms Rhizomes Tubers
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, […]
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Fall Entryway Makeover- Decorate your Front Door for Autumn
This Fall Entryway Makeover takes my front door and entry through from fall and right into Thanksgiving with natural elements and the rustic colors of autumn leaves, pumpkins and more. From the robust colors of the foliage to flowering mums and on to the multitude of pumpkins, Indian corn and gourds, Fall has it all. […]
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Window Box Planters – How to Plant Window Boxes
Seeing how many ways there are to dress up your home with window box planters was inspiring. They are a fabulous way to create curb appeal and are easy to take care of. I have recently discovered a love for window boxes. During my summer vacation, we toured 10 states and visited many Botanical Gardens. […]
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PlantSnap Mobile App – Tips and Tricks for Best Results
Have you ever been in a garden setting and wondered how to identify a plant that you have just come across? So have I! That is where the PlantSnap mobile app comes into use. With this handy phone app, all you need to do is snap a photo of the plant, and PlantSnap will give […]
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Beech Creek Botanical Garden & Nature Preserve
Touring a botanical garden with children in tow can be a challenge. But this is not so with Beech Creek Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve. This delightful garden center seems tailor made for kids and is the perfect way to introduce them to flowers and nature! This delightful botanical garden is located in Alliance, Ohio and […]
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11 Best Herbs for Kitchen Gardens
And growing herbs for kitchen gardens is so easy to do that any home cook can have a supply of them on hand all the time. Why pay retail prices for herbs? There is nothing quite like growing herbs to add tons of flavor in recipes. They add a fullness of flavor that dried herbs […]
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Nectar plants for Swallowtail Butterflies
These swallowtail nectar plants are great at attracting butterflies to your garden. They just can’t resist them! Nothing makes me smile more than going out into my garden and seeing swallowtail butterflies fluttering around. Did you know that planting certain plants will make sure that you have these pretty visitors to your yard? Swallowtail butterflies […]
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Garden Tour – See What is Blooming in July
It’s time for this week’s garden tour. I love July in my summer garden. It’s the time when everything is really blooming but it is not too hot, yet The color is amazing and there seems to be something new for me each day as I wander around my garden beds. Grab a cup of […]
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Growing Hollyhocks – A Traditional Cottage Garden Favorite-
If you love plants with a long blooming season, you will likely have a fondness for growing hollyhocks. This lovely biennial 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 plants and come in […]
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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. Blue flowers are unusual in the garden. Keep reading to find out how to grow this flower with a […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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Mosquito Repelling Plants – Keep Those Bugs Away!
With summer comes lots of outdoor living. Sadly, that can mean lots of mosquitoes. I don’t like to use chemical products but, thankfully, Mother Nature has the perfect answer – Mosquito Repelling Plants! We can grow annuals, perennials and herbs that will keep the bugs away naturally. With all the hype about West Nile Virus, […]
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How to Grow Lamb’s Ear – (Stachys byzantina)
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 […]