Our name for Dandelion comes from the French Dent de Lion, meaning “lion’s tooth.” This refers to the jagged points on the leaves, which look like sharp teeth. Whether it is named this because of its jagged leaves or jagged yellow flower is unknown. The French grow dandelions to eat, just as we grow lettuce
Notice the lowly earthworm, squirming away, going about its everyday business. “Simple creatures” – you could think, but they have quite a important use in the garden. Did you know the earthworms are nature’s first gardeners? They don’t exist just for kids to eat and fishermen to use as bait. Earthworms are present in almost
Spring has sprung, and summer is around the corner. The poison plants are back, and this summer they promise to send two million Americans to the doctor’s office. The three most common culprits – poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac – are native to the Americas. European explorers hadn’t seen them before. Sometime around
Being in contact with nature is a good way to achieve spiritual peace. Such surroundings can be established in the confines of your home and garden. Tha Japanese garden is essentially a nature crib in miniature. Japanese gardening is much different from the Western style garden. Most would say that a Japanese garden is far
Fresh raspberries are a delectable summertime garden treat. They are delicious in jams, cakes, custards, crepes, and many other mouth-watering culinary delights. Growing your own garden-fresh raspberries is enjoyable as well as economical. Raspberries are cultivated for their delicious sweet fruits. They are eaten fresh or can be frozen for later use. They are also
By the month of June, all northern hemisphere gardens are in full throttle. Garden chores are almost equalized across zones. Warmer climates are still ahead of the game, shifting into a transition period northern gardeners don’t experience. But crops are still growing, insects are still feasting and, despite the heat and humidity, this is not
As summer approaches it is wonderful to be able to relax and enjoy the garden.But, early summer is a busy time in the garden. The weather is now reliably warm almost everywhere, and plantings are filling in and looking good. There are all kinds of critters walking around your garden and landscape just waiting to
What could be more delightful than an English country garden in the summer months, full to the brim with flower favourites, and buzzing with insect life, and many more inhabitants in the garden such as birds, frogs, hedgehogs. English garden has three basic premises, the first is a few vivid-coloured perennials, the second is more
Peppers are an extremely popular plant to grow indoors or outdoors anywhere in the world whether you’re in a hot or a cold climate, there is always a chance you will be able to grow peppers successfully and get great tasting peppers. The choice of peppers in unbelievable at the moment, and with at least
If you dream about having a successful garden, you should have shrubs. Shrubs give a landscape design its overall structure. With a seemingly endless list of shrubs available to the gardener, choosing the appropriate one for your garden takes a bit of planning. This article covers some common, easy to grow shrubs. Many deciduous shrubs,
A rock garden is simply a plot with a mix of rocks and any of several special species of small flowers. Forging a beautiful and relaxing rock garden in your yard is surprisingly simple. In the planting of rock gardens, we must aim to secure by means of careful selection and grouping, an impression of
Remember the almost magical feeling of your grandmother’s garden, bursting with loads of colorful, fragrant blooms and magnificent foliage? There was always something going on in the floral garden; and nearly every plant had a specific purpose, whether it was for the kitchen, treating ailments, or keeping up appearances. Gardeners of the past created beautiful
