A vase is a container for the display of cut flowers. Vases come in many shapes. Is the choice of shape purely a stylistic preference, or are there reasons to prefer certain shapes? Suppose you wish to display a single rose. You would probably want the rose to stand vertically, so naturally you would choose [more...]
Rosemary is delicious in all kinds of savoury cooking, and it’s simple to grow in climates not too different from its home base around the Mediterranean. If you plant it near a path not only can you enjoy its scent when you brush past on sunny days, but on rainy days you can easily pick [more...]
The first flower salad I ever saw was covered with bright nasturtiums like the visual treat in the photo. It impressed me with the idea that some garden flowers are not only edible, but look wonderful on food. You can grow them as well as the better-known herbs to add interesting colours and flavours to [more...]
Lavender likes a temperate climate with sunny summer days and cool winters. It will grow in most of Europe and in American zones 5-10. While it is happier on well-drained soils than on damp clay, it’s not too fussy otherwise. Mix sand into the earth round lavender roots to help it cope with heavy, wet [more...]
Creating your own cottage garden is about building up an overall effect, not about following hard and fast rules. Aim for a nostalgic, informal look, with plenty of old-fashioned flowers – sweet-scented if possible. This style can suit not-too-hot parts of North America and Europe as well as anywhere in the UK. A traditional cottage [more...]
If you want to celebrate May Day as a family, or with a larger group of kids, try planning some activities based on old traditions. Creating your own festival is just as good as going to see a parade, or watching other people dancing round a maypole. And you can do both! May Day in [more...]
Why would anybody want to grow something as ‘common’ as geraniums (technically pelargoniums)? Reliability for one thing. When grown outdoors, they are used as bedding plants, for hanging baskets, in pots and window boxes. Indoors, they are popular blooming houseplants. The easiest way to start Geraniums is by purchasing plants, because seeds take around 5 [more...]
Commercial growers dig their peonies in the fall and this is the best time of year to plant them in your garden. Herbaceous peonies planted in the early fall will have opportunity to put out a number of feeder roots before the following spring. I’ve noticed in my Ohio garden that fall planted peonies have [more...]
Dahlias vary widely in height and foliage color, as well as bloom size, color, and form. Dahlias with giant 10 inch+ blooms are dramatic and fun in your garden. A 12″ dahlia flower is an amazing thing to see. Dahlias with smaller blooms will bloom earlier and rebloom quicker giving you more flowers over the [more...]
Chrysanthemums come in so many different shapes and sizes, color and texture you can imagine. There are chrysanthemums that have petals seemingly as fine as hair, petals that curl, pom pom style or buttons, even as single as a daisy. There is a wide variety of texture in foliage as well. Chrysanthemums come in every [more...]
Bearded irises are among the easiest perennials to grow with an abundance of beauty with minimum care. Today we have thousands of beautiful cultivars of bearded iris to choose from. Bearded iris need the same care that most flowering perennials require, deep watering in drier weather, weeding to reduce competition for moisture and nutrients, and [more...]
Daylilies are one of my favorite plants. They are pretty, hardy and very easy to take care of. Daylilies grow in all zones and like full sun. However, if your area is very hot, plant them in semi shade. They will adapt to most any type of soil. They need quite a bit of water [more...]
Calla lilies are no longer a big white flower found mostly at funerals. They have entered mainstream gardening big time. Calla lilies are more than just ‘white’ flowers. They come in every range of color imaginable including white, red, yellow, purple, orange, multi color, green, and even black and in every size from giant whites [more...]