Bertolonia, or Jewel Plant, is a genus of mainly evergreen plants. All species of this genus are small, even dwarfed, with a creeping growth habit. They’re tender perennials, known for the exotic coloring of their leaves. These plants are native to the tropical forests of Brazil, although a few have been found in Venezuela. These
Pear trees (Pyrus communis) bear sweet fruit with crisp, white flesh. Many gardeners tend to shy away from growing fruit trees due to their delicate and temperamental nature. However, it’s quite easy to grow a pear tree from seed —you just need a little knowledge, patience, and careful planning. Typically, pear trees need at least
Italian and Greek food wouldn’t be as appealing without the smell of oregano adding a pungent treble to the bass note of garlicy aroma in most Mediterranean recipes. That oregano smell has attracted fans across the world and throughout history. Ancient Greeks used oregano as a treatment for respiratory infections. Ancient Egyptian herbalists used it
One thing you see lots of in Mediterranean gardens are climbing vines. Mediterranean climbers grow up walls or over pergolas on the back of the house. Some of these pergolas are simply magical, with the ’roof’ made only of rough branches, all tangled with knobby grapevines and bunches of fruit dripping down. Without these climbing
Many people wait for the weather to become warmer before planting their vegetable gardens. But you don’t have to. You can start your herb gardens indoors this year. When choosing what herbs to plant, the first thing to consider is which herbs grow effectively indoors. One great choice is basil. Only a few herbs can
Impatiens have been extremely popular as a house plant for generations. Cuttings can root very easily, and the plants will, with proper care, bloom almost all year round. This non-stop blooming habit is the reason for its common name – Busy Lizzie. There are three basic groups of impatiens. Until recently, only the traditional types were grown – spreading,
Dianthus barbatus, commonly known as Sweet William, is a colorful, scented flower native to Southern Europe. Sweet William belongs to the family of carnations, and there are more than 300 species of this flower. Revered for centuries, the origins of this flower can be traced back to the Roman and Greek eras. Sweet William is
Nothing instills a sense of serenity into an outdoor space like a water feature. And nothing evokes a sense of the exotic like lotus flowers in a garden pond. If you’re looking to create a tropical paradise in your backyard, you’ll find that these stunning blooms are surprisingly easy to grow.
The eucalyptus plant, with its fragrant properties and coin-shaped foliage, makes a wonderful addition to your indoor environment. Its attractive silvery blue-green aromatic leaves give off the aroma of menthol. Young plants of eucalyptus have attractive grey-green leaves which produce a distinctive aroma when crushed. An indoor eucalyptus tree will flourish under ordinary room conditions if
Most perennial winter plants are dormant in winter and start shooting out of the ground in spring, so the ones that do flower in winter are eye-catching. The following provides an exciting glimpse of what can be grown in the winter garden when many plants are resting. Helleborus This is an important genus from the
The Plant Window – The most successful of all terraria is the plant window. It is essentially a window with an external pane or panes of glass (doubled-glazed to provide winter insulation) and an internal fully-glazed door which can be opened to get to the space within. At the base of this space is a
Winter Displays: Pots And Tubs – When choosing plants for a winter container, see what is available in the garden. There are dozens of small flowering plants at this time of year, and while many are grown under deciduous trees, where they spread freely, many can also be grown in pots to add color inside
