When spring arrives, and the ground is thawed, it is time to start planting your rose garden. Roses date back to biblical times and have been a considered a cherished aphrodisiac then and still are today. Roses hold particular mystery and fascination, not to mention the fact that they just look and smell good! Roses
Growing plants in hanging baskets is one of the best garden projects, and they are very popular these days. Begin by buying a large hanging basket, into which you can pack plenty of plants. Sit the basket firmly on a large pot or bucket, and then line the inside of the bottom half of the
Sarcococca (Christmas box or sweet box) is excellent plant for the winter garden and has small but highly scented flowers among the shiny evergreen leaves. Use it with snowdrops, Arum italicum subsp. italicum ‘Marmoratun’ and early hellebores. they make excellent ground cover under deciduous trees, and flowering stems can be cut for use in winter
You will find Breynia plant in a number of garden centers and department stores but in very few textbooks. It is basically a greenhouse plant which was introduced as a house plant in the 1980s. This native of the southern Pacific islands may also be grown as a tender perennial. Under glass it will grow
Growing indoor tomatoes is like raising a spoiled children. There are hundreds of varieties of tomatoes and they are grown worldwide in many different climates, soils and weather conditions. Yet, the hearty tomato plant has a few demands that it places upon we gardeners before it will produce those luscious tomatoes we all enjoy so
Conifers in the winter garden are an important point in garden designing, because they create a strong shape and structure. It is easy to pack a garden with summer-flowering plants, but a one-season wonder is no good whatsoever. Carefully selected and sited conifers in the winter garden are essential ingredients of the well-planned garden. The
The ideal soil is made up of 22% water, 20% sand, 20% air, 15% silt, 10% clay, 8% ‘unavailable’ water (that is, water trapped within the soil that the plant cannot use) and 5% organic matter. Soil texture is how the soil feels when you handle it. This is due to the basic rock the
The two popular Asparagus ferns (A. plumosus and A. densiflorus sprengeri) are grown for their graceful feathery foliage, which is often used in flower arrangements. But all is not what it seems – they are not ferns, and the ‘leaves’ are really needle-like branches. Asparagus fern is an easy plant to grow, much easier than
Many people need their garden to look established within a single season; they often don’t have years to wait for it to develop and mature, and they perhaps don’t plan to be living in the house for more than a couple of years. There are plenty of ways to tackle the garden design so that
The Lollipop Plant or Golden Shrimp Plant (Pachystachys) is a perennial shrub often sold as a potted plant in colder climates. It’s origin from South America. This plant bears cone-shaped flower-heads above the oval leaves. The main appeal is the long flowering season – from late spring until fall if the plant is liberally watered
Many fall climbers provide flashy leaf colors before the foliage falls, as well as late season flowers, and extraordinary seedheads. And, of course, there are some excellent evergreens, which provide a beautiful contrast to fiery, deciduous foliage, and are especially welcome once that has fallen. Climbers can be grown up a wide variety of supports,
One of the aims of garden planning is to associate the garden with the house so that one unit is created. The garden, viewed through a window, should be a natural extension of the house. The eye should sweep freely across an open lawn to the perimeters, to the prospect of hidden surprises behind curves,
