Gardening Basics

We all love roses. It may be the fragrance, color or the flower form that attracts us. It may be the memories that roses evoke. Whatever the reason, roses are one of the world’s most popular flowers.

Heavenly Hostas, their real glory is in their foliage.  The thin spikes of purple or white, trumpet shaped flowers appear for several weeks in the summer and are an added benefit to this divine perennial.

Dwarf conifers are some of the most versatile and popular plants of today’s modern garden and landscape.  These fantastic plants add interesting texture, color and form to rock, pond and container gardens as well as a mixed border.  Dwarf conifers are virtually carefree and often provide four seasons of interest.

When choosing a perennial to fill an empty space in your garden, make sure to get the most bang from your buck by selecting one, or several, long blooming perennials

Citrus trees grown in fancy terra cotta pots, light-weight decorative containers or wooden planters can be used to adorn your garden, no matter how small it is! Use a potted citrus as a centerpiece for and herb garden, place in a series on your steps, or decorate your deck with these grand-looking accent plants.

Are your plants looking a little peaked after a long winter of being cooped-up inside? Getting g out for some fresh air during the warm months is healthy for all living things.

Many gardeners with shady, low-light landscapes mistakenly believe they can’t enjoy beautiful gardens and flowerbeds because of the lack of sunlight. In reality, however, many stunning perennials thrive in shady spots and can bring elegance, color and beauty to what was formerly a drab corner of the yard.

“Ice plants” refer to several types of plants, usually having fleshy thick leaves. However, after an introduction to Delosperma, you’ll know it as the real-deal. As a group of tough groundcovers, they flourish in full sun in well draining soils with little water, after becoming established. Plus, they’re colorful!

What do you do when you fall in love with a plant but you know it spreads and could take over your entire garden? You don’t have to give up your hopes of nurturing this plant, you just have to learn how to contain it securely without destroying its beauty….

You’ve heard it said, “When it rains, it pours.” This could refer to the amount of rain on the roof going through the gutters and downspouts, and then out to the storm drains and pouring away from your garden. With the unpredictability of rain and the cost of water, don’t you wish you could keep some of that rain?

Sometimes it’s difficult to tell good from bad. Take the yellowjacket for example. When you hear yellowjacket, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? A buzzing, stinging insect ruining your outdoor meal or a treasured pollinator of many plants?

Woolly Adelgid is an aphid-like insect that is a serious pest of our native Eastern Hemlock, Tsuga Canadensis, and its cultivars. Adelgids need to be controlled as this insect spreads easily and rapidly and, if left untreated, can kill a mature hemlock in 4 – 10 years.

Weeding can be an enormous time-drain and is most likely the least liked gardening chore. What’s wonderful is that we have so many weed control methods to choose from; there’s a solution for every type of gardener and their schedule.

Viburnums are one of the most outstanding groups of shrubs for use in landscape planting. Varying in height from 2-30 feet, viburnums can be found to suit most any planting location. Their varied growth habits, excellent foliage, striking and fragrant flowers, showy fruit and interesting winter appearance make them an…

Beautiful, showy clematis are not as difficult to grow as you might think. Learning when to prune your clematis and giving a little attention to their few requirements will reward you with a magnificent show of colorful blooms. Planting Clematis A beautiful clematis starts with proper planting. Clematis prefer to…