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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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10 Tips to Make Gardening Easier
Most gardeners love being out in the garden, but few want to see it as a chore. Even though the temperatures are getting cooler in most of the country, there are still lots of opportunities to make gardening easier. With a bit of planning and a few easy tricks, your time in the garden can […]
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How to Propagate Spider Plants from Babies
Love having new plants for free? This project is for you. It is super easy to propagate spider plants from the babies that the mother plant sends out on the ends of long arching stems. Spider Plants – botanical name Chlorophytum – are one of the easiest of plants to propagate. I first became familiar […]
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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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Tips for Dealing with Invasive Pests
Critters in the garden range from beneficial to invasive. Some actually are listed by the US Department of Agriculture as invasive pests that need to be controlled. See my tips for dealing with these unwanted bugs. This post was sponsored on behalf of the United States Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Health Inspection […]
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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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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 […]
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Natural Vinegar Weed Killer – The Organic Way
This natural vinegar weed killer is easy to use and so much better for the soil. Do you love growing perennials but don’t like the weeds that need pulling? The next time you walk outside and see a garden bed full of weeds and reach for the Roundup, why not stop and ask yourself a […]
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Dos & Don’ts Tips for Growing Great Tomatoes
Growing great tomatoes doesn’t happen just by putting a few plants into the ground and turning on the hose. But anyone can master growing great tomatoes by following a few simple dos and don’ts. In the world of vegetable gardening, there is nothing quite like the taste of fresh home grown tomatoes. The flavor of […]
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Composting Tips – Tricks for Creating Nature’s Black Gold
If you enjoy vegetable gardening or growing flowers, adding organic matter formed by composting will give you great results. Have you always thought that making compost is difficult? These Composting Tips will take the mystery out of it for you. Composting may seem like something that only our ancestors did, but many modern gardeners take […]
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Borax Weed Killer for Creeping Charlie
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 […]
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Soda Bottle Drip Feeder for Garden Plants – Water Plants with a Soda Bottle
There are many retail products available for watering plants at the roots, but this Soda Bottle Drip Feeder makes use or recycled materials and works really well. Drip feeders are a great idea for vegetable gardening projects. Many plants prefer the moisture at their roots instead of from overhead sprinklers which can encourage some leaf problems. It […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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Add A Blast of Sunshine with Yellow Flowers for Water a Flower Day
Nothing quite brightens a mood like cheerful yellow flowers. There are loads of annuals and perennials that bring this bright splash of color to your garden. The contrast of the cheerful color against the green leaves makes a fabulous play in a garden bed. Did you know that May 30 is Water a Flower Day? […]
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Growing Strawberries -Tips and Tricks for Best Success
One of the joys of summer time is the flavor of home grown strawberries. Growing strawberries is very easy as long as you understand the type of plant that you are trying to grow. Of all the fruit plants, strawberries are one of the easiest to grow and so rewarding. The taste of the berries makes […]
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Summer Garden Tips & Garden Tour – Garden Maintenance in the Summer
My gardens are the big love of my life this time of the year. I spend hours outside tending them. I have 10 garden beds on a block that is about 1/2 acre and I do things to improve the look of them each year. These summer garden tips will ensure that you have […]
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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 […]
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25 Succulent Planters – You Can Grow these Hardy Plants in Just About Anything!
These 25 fun succulent planters will show you that if it can hold dirt, it can be planted with a succulent! From teacups to wooden drawers, these planters are unique and a fun way to pot your succulent houseplants. Succulents are so versatile and easy to care for. They are very drought tolerant, perfect if you […]
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Astilbe Companion Plants – What to Grow with Astilbe
These astilbe companion plants like the same moisture and light conditions and will make a beautifully coordinated garden bed. 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. Keep […]
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Chocolate Cosmos – One of the Rarest Flowers
There are many chocolate colored flowers available, but Chocolate Cosmos gets a special boost. I give it this rating because, not only does it have a lovely dark chocolate fragrance, but it is also one of the top 10 rarest flowers in the world. The plant is a perennial and is easy to grow and […]