Archive for the ‘Outdoor’ Category

One of the items that we’ve received questions about are unheated greenhouses. The reason for them is always being questioned. Realistically, many people never heat their greenhouse at all, so for those of us who do, we may have questions about that as well. The best greenhouse to get if you’re just starting out in gardening will be an unheated greenhouse. It has a great many uses that you may not even have considered. Learn More

Roses are thought to be the queen of the garden, but they do need some care in order to thrive and bloom. Pruning is normally done during the colder parts of the year so that the branches being cut will not harm the plant and it will have time to recover before the onset of spring growth, but you can prune early in the year.This year, the roses seem to be blooming quite early and many are in bloom already, offering a few garden issues to the person who left the pruning and care a bit late. Learn More

One of the best ways to get quality vegetables and a decent sized yield, or to get a beautiful landscape in a minute area is by the use of containers. Small gardens do not necessarily yield small vegetables or flowers.  You can pack a lot into a small container. Container gardening, for those who have not gardened before, is also quite forgiving. You can grow virtually anything in a container garden that you can grow with an in-ground garden, and you may well get a better yield than you did in the ground. Learn More

Many gardeners live in areas where almost anything can grow effortlessly.
Just plant the seeds and water it for a few weeks, and you’ve got a
beautifully lush plant. But if you live in somewhere like Colorado, you’ll
understand what its like to have a slim selection of plants that naturally
grow. It can be quite a challenge to facilitate the growth of a large
variety of plants, especially when the very world you live in seems to be
rooting against you. Learn More

A wild-flower garden has a most attractive look and feel. As soon as you see it, you will think of the many different birds who may play there, as well as the rabbits living beneath the flowers. Immediately upon viewing a wildflower garden, one thinks of long tramps in the woods, collecting material, and then of the fun in fixing up a real wild garden. Learn More

When it comes to getting started with your garden, you have two choices; planting seeds, or buying entire plants. Both have their own benefits. If you plant seeds and care for them every day, you will find it is a much more rewarding experience when you have a full, healthy plant. However, this method is a lot more risky. I can’t tell you how many seeds I’ve planted and never seen any trace of whatsoever. Learn More

Container gardens can create a natural sanctuary in a busy city street, along rooftops or on balconies. You can easily accentuate the welcoming look of a deck or patio with colorful pots of annuals, or fill your window boxes with beautiful shrub roses or any number of small perennials. One of the best ways to use window boxes or to use them in creative ways, specifically adding window boxes indoors, will be to use them with herbs. Whether you arrange your pots in a group for a massed effect or highlight a smaller space with a single specimen, you’ll be delighted with this simple way to create a garden. Learn More

By: [google_authorship]
Herb gardening is becoming more and more popular every day, and for a good reason. Herbs have practical value, serve a purpose, and with herb gardening you can actually use your plants. When most people think of herb gardening they automatically think of cooking, but herbs are also grown for their pleasant aroma and their beauty. Learn More

We all have conditions that limit the type or size of garden we can have.  Either the space outside is limited, the soil isn’t right for what we want to grow, the plants we want will get too big, and so on.  There is, however, a solution to these constraints and that is gardening in containers.  Even if you have a huge yard, you can still do some of your gardening in containers. Using containers around the entry to your home can add charm and drama. Learn More

Tomatoes are one of the most popular plants among home gardeners but they do have some requirements for producing juicy ripe fruit. There are two ways to obtain plants to place in your garden; the first one is to buy your tomato seedlings from a nursery or plant store. The second choice is to plant your seeds indoors six weeks before the last frost so they will be ready to transplant into your garden. Learn More

Many desert areas are actually host to a large variety of wildlife, and there are many ways that you can create a bird and butterfly garden in your backyard, regardless of the climate in which you live. Here are some tips for creating your own bird and butterfly garden in your backyard: Learn More

With all this discussion about global warming, all of us trying to garden a bit greener and the drought that’s affected a great deal of the southwest, we’re all wondering the best way to garden for our own beauty and for the protection of the environment. The reality is that no matter how you slice it, gardening is manipulating nature. You’re planting things where they didn’t grow before and whether we like it or not, we’re manipulating the natural order of things. The trick is to do it in such a way that those things don’t take more resources than they should or cause great damage or harm to the area in which you’re planting them. Read the rest of this entry »

One of our favorite gifts , good for the gardener, for anyone with a green thumb, or just about anyone else that you love and care for is a tree. Perpetual ways to honor someone exist in the Plant a tree for them method of saying you care. Read the rest of this entry »

Rock Gardens are modeled on the high mountain terrain, where you will find colonies of wildflowers, alpine blooms and bushes thriving on the cool sunny dry slopes of the mountain side.

Read the rest of this entry »

Broccoli is a pretty easy vegetable to grow. A member of the same family as cabbage, cauliflower and brussels sprouts, broccoli like cooler weather and tends to flower, bloom and go to seed too early if it is in full sun or too hot weather, so its perfect for an area that is shaded part of the day. Read the rest of this entry »

Growing native is a simple way to minimize your labor in the garden as well as draw in native animals and birds., From the desert to the prairie, to the northeastern or northwestern alpine forests, you can plant native and get a great look that takes so much less effort for you. Read the rest of this entry »

Native plants are a wonderful choice for your landscaping project regardless of whether you have a tenth of an acre, or twenty acres in the country, because they seem to have a resonance that is lacking in the less natural landscaping projects. Read the rest of this entry »

A butterfly garden is not necessarily a big endeavor, nor does it take a vast amount of space.
You can have a small nook in the back of a larger garden, or can take a small yard and use the whole thing to lure in the butterflies to your yard. Read the rest of this entry »

Medieval gardens were a source of pleasure and also were utilitarian being the main source of fresh fruits and vegetables for the castle or homes occupants.
Walking gardens in the castle or manor grounds were common in ancient times, and using a bit of imagination, we can emulate what they did there, and make our own medieval sights and scents in a small corner in our gardens. Read the rest of this entry »

A Rock garden is a unique way of capturing both the imagination and the senses with its interesting combination in scents and textures.  They grow well in smaller spaces so a rock garden is perfect for a corner of your yard, or for a small yard.  They take a bit less care when placed correctly, and survive cooler climates admirably. Read the rest of this entry »