If you enjoy working in your yard and garden then you have come to the right place.I share with you tips on growing flowers and herbs, designing specialty gardens, and ideas on ways to improve your curb appeal, Also product reviews and recommendations.
Instead
of shopping for new clay or plastic planters for your flowers or
greenery, go to yard sales, and buy rustic wood trunks for your garden.
These rustic trunks will add interest to your garden. A container that is different from the norm will not only enable your
plants to grow but will also be a focal area in your yard and garden.
Grow petunia in a rustic trunk planter
Here
is a digital design that I created to show one of the clients how she
could utilize one of her vintage trunks. In her case, the trunk would
be set up on a sunny porch that had rain protection.
Before
planting in a wooden trunk I would recommend that you apply
a
water seal to protect the wood. Also, you would not fill the trunk
with soil but you would drop in a plastic shelf about 10 inches into
the trunk. Then on top, you would add your self-watering planters for
your flowers, herbs, or sweet potato vines.
This
open trunk planter is unique and adds tremendous interest to your
garden.
Extend your container garden bloom season by planting a variety of plants and bulbs that bloom at different times. When it comes time to put together a container garden I prefer to plant once, then enjoy early, mid, and late spring season flowers. This type of container garden is good for someone who is busy and has no time to garden or someone who has a small yard, terrace, or balcony.
Flower Container Garden by sgolis
Grow a variety of spring bulbs but before you buy you will need to check the bloom time. If you shop online at Netherlandsbulbcompany.com you will read that some bulbs have bloom times in early spring, mid-spring, and late spring. Here are a few spring bulbs that I like to plant in a combination container. For early spring plants; Narcissus Jet Fire, Tulip Red Emperor, Crocus Large Flowering Mixture, Galanthus snowdrops. Mid-Spring; Narcissus butterfly mixture, Tulip Red Riding Hood, Muscari Delft Blue Mixture Late Spring Narcissus Pheasant’s Eye, Tulip Foxtrot, Giant Grape Hyacinth Put your combination container garden together in the fall because the bulbs do need to have a winter season in order to bloom in the spring. For abundant blooms and colorful flower container gardens, I plant 15 spring bulbs per square foot. The bulbs are planted flat side down, pointed side up, and are 3 inches apart. Yes, the bulbs are close together but come spring when they bloom the container gardens look fabulous. Planting Tips:
Plant spring bulbs in the fall, six weeks prior to a hard frost.
I recommend mixing bone meal with the potting soil. The bone meal will provide the bulbs with phosphorous and calcium. It is great for strong roots. Plus squirrels do not like the smell of bonemeal and will stay out of your spring bulb containers.
Summer pollen-related allergies are the worst especially if you love gardening. If you suffer from seasonal allergies you can get relief by taking medication like Claritin for indoor and outdoor allergies or you can choose a natural treatment.
Now that summer is here I have been working in the garden every day. I love spending time in my garden but since I am allergic to grasses, trees, and some flowers I am getting allergy symptoms; sneezing, watery eyes, runny nose, and cough.
If you suffer from summer allergies then you can get natural relief with a saline nasal rinse that will balance your pH. Nasal irrigation is a good way to remove indoor and outdoor allergens including dust, animal dander, grass or flower pollen, and household dust. I irrigate my nose twice a day with this saline and breath easier.
Along with the nasal rinse, I will mix a teaspoon of diatomaceous earth food grade, a natural silica supplement with 8 ounces of water or juice, and drink in the morning. The DE is a great way to do whole-body detoxification and will clear out excess mucus.
Boost your immune system with honey lemon ginseng green tea with white tea. Brew several cups throughout the day and sip them slowly. The antioxidants found in this tea will help you to feel better. Here are a few flowers and trees that will cause you to have seasonal allergies; goldenrod, sunflowers, chrysanthemums, daisies, and chamomile. Trees; walnut, pine, elm, cedar, birch. beech, hickory. silver maple and oak. (leaf mold and mites)
When I was a kid, my parents had a garden path along the side of the house, this path took us to the rose garden and to the patio. I liked the path because I did not have to walk on the grass and after rain, I did not have to worry about getting muddy shoes.
Our garden paths enabled me to pick roses without stepping on the ground, in addition, my parents could weed the gardens without getting grass stains on their clothes.
Growing up with garden paths meant that I would have them in my yard. Know that my garden paths have come a long way since I was a kid. My present home has many paths. Some are stone, others are pavers and we also have pea gravel and a path that is made from mulch.
Here is a photograph of my upper garden path that is in between the hosta garden and the irises. Then there is a cement block path that came with the house. The husband and I installed another path/patio out of the flagstone. This path leads to the mid-level cement patio.
In the lower level of my yard, there is a stepping stone with a pea gravel path that takes you to the dog pen. The other path will take you to the back wildflower garden. This path is a cement capstone surrounded by mulch.
All of the paths in the yard are interesting, they define the garden and are also a benefit.
Learn more about garden paths by reading my how-to articles.
My friend recently moved to a townhouse and she has a small yard with a patio that gets sun and part shade. She has a patio table and a hanging petunia planter but she really misses her rose garden. I suggested that she grow miniature roses in containers because they would look nice and are the perfect size for her small yard.
Having a small yard is no excuse for not growing roses. You can brighten your patio, terrace, or deck with a variety of mini roses grown in large or medium containers. These roses start to bloom in early summer and will provide you with multiple blooms until there is a hard frost.
Miniature pink roses are grown in a clay pot
I recommend that you plant roses in part shade to full sun. Then shop for containers that will provide ample space for your roses. Miniature roses when fully grown are 18 inches in height with a spread of 24 inches. Make sure your containers provide drainage. Turn the pot over to check for water drainage.
Shopping Tips
There are two ways to buy miniature roses. You can shop online in late winter / early spring and buy a bare-root rose bush. Or you can find roses at your local garden center or online nursery and buy miniature roses that are grown in a pot. Follow the planting recommendations for your growing zones. Know that growing a few roses in a container will look eye appealing, but does not benefit the roses if they are grown too close. This plant needs good air circulation. Healthy roses do better when they are not competing with other plants for water or nutrients. So buy a container that will allow you to space the roses so they are not cramped.
Planting and Maintaining Roses
Add two inches of pea gravel to your container to help with water drainage
Amend garden soil with compost. The best way to do this is to mix in a wheelbarrow before you add soil to the container.
Dig a hole that is 18 to 24 inches deep and space roses 18 inches apart.
Backfill the container with soil. Then water the roses. Let the water drain before adding more soil. Fill the container with the remaining soil. Firm the soil around the stem leaving the bud union level with the soil.
Keep the soil evenly moist but not wet as it is important to not let the roots dry out.
Add mulch around the sugar plum rose bush to aid in moisture control and prevent weed growth.
Feed miniature rose bushes with fertilizer granules formulated for their specific needs. I like Bayer systemic rose and flower care because it protects the roses from harmful insects. You can buy this product at Walmart.com
Transplant roses every 2 to 3 years to prevent roses from becoming root-bound.
If you are a birder then you know that a squirrel at the feeder is not a good thing. They take over the feeder, spilling seed to the ground, and do not allow the songbirds access. Even when you buy the feeders with the screen to prevent the squirrel access to the seed, this nuisance rodent will take over the feeder by hanging off the side trying to access the seed.
I bought Backyard Boys woodwork feeder (shown in this photo) at Amazon.com
My brother has a problem with the squirrels taking over his bird feeders and he traps them and releases them across town where there is a wooded area. Know that this does not solve the problem even though trappings are done several times a day there are always squirrels at the feeders causing havoc.
Now I am no squirrel expert but knew that we would always have this pesky animal in our yard because we live in woods with many nut trees which is an attraction for squirrels. So instead of trapping the squirrels my husband and I decided to get the squirrel their own feeder.
We set up a ground feeder with food that is appealing to the squirrel; sunflower seeds, corn, and shelled peanuts. The feeder was set on the ground and 15 feet away from the bird feeders. Know that as long as this feeder is filled with delicious peanuts, cracked corn, and sunflower seeds then the squirrels could care less about the songbird seed in the feeders.
If you have not tried this wildlife food set up in your yard then know that I do recommend it. We noticed immediately that the squirrels are no longer territorial and chasing off the birds. There is less stress in our yard because we have happy squirrels that are taking turns at their feeder. Note the bluejays tend to hang out at the squirrel feeder, but there has been no wildlife drama.
In addition to the ground feeders, we have also set up a water source for the squirrels that are separate from the birds. This setup works well because if the squirrel had to use the bird's water fountain then they may get distracted and try to get access to the bird's food. So separate water fountains for squirrels are a must.
We bought a small tabletop fountain and set it up in for the squirrels. Walmart.com had some nice fountains for wildlife.
It takes a few days for the wildlife to learn the routine. But eventually, the squirrels will go to their feeder to eat the succulent peanuts and corn. Watching the wildlife in your yard is a fun family activity, even your cats will watch from the window and find the animals entertaining.
A friend of mine asked me to help her with the curb appeal of her home. She had just bought a Colonial-style home that desperately needed landscaping. I love this type of work so I asked her to take some photographs of the front of her home and send them to me.
Once I saw the home I knew immediately what would improve the appearance and what would make it warm and welcoming, But before I got to work I asked her what her vision was. I noted her requests and then got to work on creating a digital landscape rendering,
Here is a photograph of the colonial split-level house. It desperately needs to be re-landscaped with perennial flowers, evergreen shrubs, and rock with a stepping stone walkway that has a bend.
It took me seven hours to create a landscape rendering for this home. I raised both sides of the lawn area in the front to create feature gardens. In the garden by the porch 9 x 10 garden was added that featured evergreen shrubs, lilyturf, ornamental grass, and perennial flowers. The garden plants were spaced according to allow for growth. Then mulch was used and a few rocks for interest.
A rock border was used to create a stone walkway to the driveway, This walkway was outlined with perennial lilyturf.
To create a welcoming entrance an urn planter was added by the door and a 3-piece bistro-style outdoor table along with hanging flower and fern planters.
The gardens used in this landscape set to feature 4- seasons of plants, for every season the garden would be interesting and a focal point of beauty,
Here are the two landscape designs that I created. In comparison to the first photo, the updates really make this home look appealing. It now has tremendous curb appeal.
You can add curb appeal by updating the entrance of your home. Here is a video that will show you how to
After my irises bloomed I realized that they needed to be thinned out and since the weather was cool I thought I would start this garden project rather than in July when the weather is extremely hot. Normally I transplant into a garden bed; along the southern side of the house, I will also add irises by the driveway and many are planted on the southern slope. I decided to create an eye-appealing iris flower garden in my backyard.
Here is a photo of one of my gardens
Sun is a factor when growing irises and the only area that appealed to these flowers' needs was in the middle of my yard. So I decided to design a garden that was an eye-appealing feature for my backyard. The area for the flower garden was 9 x 10 and I needed to transplant 46 irises into the new garden. I decided to turn this area into a garden for the birds and the butterflies. I would need the following; a bird bath, stepping stones, and 4 bags of potting soil. I shopped the sales at the garden center at Walmart.com I bought Miracle-Gro 4 cubic feet of potting soil and landscapers fabric. and stepping stones. Then I shopped for a bird bath. I liked the solar fountain because they offer water circulation which will provide fresher water for the birds to drink.
This easy eye-appealing iris garden would appeal to the senses. Here is my garden design idea for my divided and transplanted irises.
When it comes to choosing shrubs for my yard, I will shop for flowing or fruit-bearing. One of my favorite flowering shrubs is the Chaenomeles japonica, Quince. This early spring bloomer has such pretty fragrant flowers, thorny stems, and small edible fruits in the fall My neighbor makes jam from the fruit from the Quince but I leave the fruit on the shrub for the wildlife.
Pretty Pink Quince
I grow this shrub on the south side of my yard where there is full sun. The soil is well-drained and the combination of sun and soil agrees with the quince.
Small yellow apple-shaped fruit appears in fall
If you are in need of some privacy then grow this shrub in masses and it will provide you with a beautiful living fence that is four feet in height and four feet wide when fully grown. Plus the thorns on the branches are an effective way to keep intruders out. Know that not all Quinces have thorns. There are some that are thornless and do not bear fruit.
Stunning red Quince
Care for the shrub by pruning the quince after it blooms to keep it looking manicured. It is a fabulous shrub because once it is established it does not need to be watered daily. However, I do water it once a week when the weather is extremely hot.
Other information
This flowering shrub comes in a variety of flower colors; red, pink, orange, and white. I grow pink and my neighbor has red. Whatever the color this shrub is a must-have for growing zones 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.
When I moved to the Midwest region of the United States, there was a beautiful pink lily that bloomed at the end of summer. My neighbors told me that the flower was commonly called “naked ladies”. The common name seemed odd because this pink flower was glorious. I searched for it online and learned that the flower growing wild in my yard was the Amaryllis Belladonna lily.
Here is a postcard that I made from a photograph I took of Belladonna lily in bloom. You can see that this is a beautiful flower that will brighten your garden.
Pink Belladonna Lily Bloom Postcard by Sgolis
I have transplanted this lily and found that it is easy to grow outdoors and indoors during the winter months.
There are several ways to grow the Amaryllis; in the winter as a houseplant and then transplant it to your outdoor garden in the spring after the threat of spring frost has passed. Or you can buy the bulbs and plant them in outdoor containers or in your gardens.
Growing Tips
Select an area in your garden that has full sun to shade in the heat of the day.
Plant naked ladies in soil that has been amended with compost.
The garden site needs to be well-drained
When fully grown the naked ladies' flowers are 24 to 36 in height, it is best to plant them in an area where they will not be overcrowded. Space the lily bulbs one foot apart.
Plant the bulb so the top is even with the soil surface.
Water well when planting is completed
Here is a photograph of Belladonna lilies growing in my side yard.
The fragrant pink rose flowers will bloom from tall naked stems (no leaves) in late summer to early autumn. The lilies are hardy to 28F. Note I have grown these flowers for many years. Where I reside it is not uncommon for the temperatures to dip below zero in the winter months. This is why I protect my lilies with 3 to 4 inches of mulch in late fall.
In my experience, the lilies that are planted with a wind block, in an area that has morning sun/ afternoon part shade in the peak heat of the day and is not watered daily seem to have vibrant blooms and long-lived flowers.
Other Growing Tips
Choose your planting site well and then do not disturb the naked ladies. If you transplant them it will take a few years for the plant to produce blooms.
Grow in full sun, for zone 7 to 11 and height is 28-35 inches / Common name is Belladonna lily, Cape belladonna, Naked ladies
If you love watching monarch butterflies and other butterfly species then plan to grow non-GMO milkweed seeds in your garden, field, or other open space. Milkweed plants (Asclepias) are the plants that attract Monarch butterflies, other butterflies, and hummingbirds because of the nectar source. This plant is also attractive to Monarch butterflies for egg-laying.
Butterfly white tree nymph and the milkweed plant
If you plan on growing milkweed this season then I would recommend that you start your seeds indoors. Milkweed needs a (cold season) This is an important step as the cold temperature is needed for seeds to germinate. So before you plant your seeds you would dampen a paper towel, set the seeds on the towel, and put the towel in a ziplock plastic bag. Set the bag with seeds onto a baking sheet or other flat surface and put it in your refrigerator for 30 days. Remove the milkweed seeds after 30 days and plant your seeds in starter kits or in the ground. If the weather is not hot, then plant outdoors, but if your temperature is 85 degrees Fahrenheit then milkweed will not germinate outdoors I would recommend growing them indoors in a container, then transplanting them outdoors. Know that it is recommended to plant milkweed seeds in the fall for the following spring season.
Herbaria makes a face serum that is made from lavender and bergamot essential oils. This biotherapy treatment for your face makes your skin feel soft, smooth, and ageless. Know that I grow herbs that could be used for essential oils but prefer to buy this organic herbal face treatment at herbariasoap.com
The products that herbaria use are pure, natural, and highest quality. Know that I have been a long-time customer, since 2006. I was one of the customers that bought a variety of herbal soaps and DEET-free citronella mist for insect repellent when they were making the products in their home's basement. Love all their products but was happy that they came out with an anti-aging herbal face serum.
I bought the face herbal serum and within a month of using the treatment twice a day, I can see and feel the difference in my skin.
This serum works so well that I stopped wearing makeup. This herbal blended serum has restored elasticity and rejuvenated my complexion. I love the skin the that I am in because my face has a youthful glow.
Since using this face serum my friends and family ask me “what are you using on your face” or they say “your skin looks great, care to share your secret?”
My secret is simple; 8 hours of sleep, 8 glasses of purified water, and Herbaria herbal face serum.
How to apply herbal serum:
In order to get firmer, smoother, and younger-looking skin. you need to apply only a few drops daily. What I do is wet my face with tepid water. Then I add 2 to 3 drops of the essential herbal oils to the palm of my hand. Rub my hands together before adding to my face. Then wait a few minutes for the oils to absorb into your skin before applying makeup. I treat my face in the morning and at night.
More Information
All products used in this serum are organic, which is very appealing. Ingredients are as follows; essential oil of lavender, essential oil of bergamot, organic rosehip oil, hemp seed oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, almond oil, Vitamin E, and organic sunflower seed oil.
The fragrance of this oil is delightful, and the results of the one-month treatment are fantastic. Know that I recommend this herbal face treatment to anyone who desires natural moisturizer and youthful-looking skin.
Learn how to make essential oils from cuttings from your flower and herb garden by viewing this video. You can make them in your kitchen, easy to do.
Our home is located directly next to 29 acres of woods, with a creek in the valley. This land connects to a state park and it is an ideal habitat for a variety of animals. We enjoy watching the wildlife but when the coyote came into our yard it was too close for comfort. This article will tell you what we did to stop the coyote from coming into our yard.
When coyotes come into your yard it is best to scare them off. In general, coyotes are fearful of humans. Normally if you wave your arms in the air, and scream at them they will run away.
We have lived in this house for 15 years and this is the first time coyotes came into our yard so we needed to determine the attraction.
Coyotes' diet consists of small animals, insects, berries, and vegetables. I grow blueberries, Nanking cherries, and vegetables. Since these plants are grown in outdoor gardens husband decided that we needed to install a repellent to keep the coyotes out of our yard.
We bought a motion-activated water repellent; the Scarecrow animal repellent by Contech at amazon.com Installation was easy; insert it into the ground and attach it to your garden hose. This motion-activated animal repellent protects up to 1200 square feet and is effective at repelling not only coyotes but also stray dogs, deer, cats, raccoons, squirrels, and rabbits.
If the coyote comes into our yard and crosses the motion sensor then the scarecrow's noise will startle the animal and the water burst will come in contact with the coyote, and the animal will feel a sting. The noise and sting of the water will scare the coyote. They will exit the yard because they will be caught off guard. The animal will try a few times to get past the scarecrow but eventually learns that they are not welcome.
Making yard unattractive to wildlife
The following day husband and I decided to clean up our yard. The dog's food had spilled out of his bowl and was lying on the ground. To remedy this food source, we decided to feed the dog in the garage. The husband bought trash cans with locking lids at Lowes.com to prevent coyotes from getting into the trash.
We also cleared away many of the plants that were growing thickly, this created an area that provided no hiding spots. A manicured yard is not a comfortable yard for wildlife.
*** If you reside in a city I would recommend contacting animal control and asking them to set up a live animal trap in your yard to remove the coyote and relocate it outside of the city. Trapping in my situation is not the answer since there are many coyotes in the woods. Repellents and deterrents are best in my circumstance.
Today my neighbor came down to talk to me about the mole animals in his yard. He had one that had dug a hole up by his oak tree and did not like the mound of dirt. He also did not like his kids playing around the mole and was concerned for their safety. He asked me how to get rid of the moles in his yard.
You may not know a whole lot about moles, but I know a thing or two. They are burrowing small mammal that lives underground. This small animal has nice soft-looking fur with powerful-looking front paws with claws that are meant to dig. Moles are not blind but they do have poor eyesight. The mole eats grubs, beetles, slugs, and earthworms and they will eat plant tubers and roots that have become water logged or infested with insects. I have never ever heard of a mole chasing and biting a child. These animals spend their entire life underground. Occasionally you will get a photo of them, as they rarely leave their den.
I use organic repellent if I have more than one or two in my yard. I will remove their mound of dirt and work it back into my yard and garden, this makes my yard look better. For me, these little animals are an organic way to get rid of insects that are not desirable, such as grubs, slugs, and beetles.
My neighbor had been told to spray his yard with chemicals to get rid of the moles and every living insect. Not to mention this chemical would be harmful to pets and kids. He was also told to put rubber pellets in the ground that were about the size of a grub and this would be the best way to get rid of the mole permanently.
There is no reason to end the life of the moles in your yard when you can get rid of them without harming them. There are organic repellents that will get rid of the moles and they won’t come back.
One way is to buy a Concentrated Garlic Barrier and spray your entire lawn and spray into the mole tunnel. Why? Moles find the garlic vapors to be repulsive, and they will leave.
Another safe and effective way to get rid of moles is to Buy Plant Por-Tech Gopher and Mole repellents I found this product at Amazon.com and it works well. You put the slow-release garlic stake in the tunnel and it will continue to release the garlic vapor for 12 months. This is an easy repellent that gets rid of moles and other burrowing pests.
Now my husband prefers to treat the lawn with home make mole repellent. He uses a mixture of dawn dish soap, caster oil, and water that is mixed in a lawn sprayer bottle. Before he saturates our lawn with this formula he will backfill the dirt into the mole tunnels then he leaves a puddle of the caster oil, dawn, and water in the area of the hole. When the solution seeps into the tunnel the moles will leave.
This treatment which consists of 4 ounces of caster oil, 1 tablespoon of dawn dish soap, and water that is mixed well prior to applying needs to be repeated monthly to repel any new moles that want to burrow in your yard.
I recommend natural mole repellents because they are organic and safe to use around pets and kids.
Buy Mole Repellents at Amazon.com
12-Month Garlic Slow Release Stakes to Safely Get Rid of Moles
Concentrated Garlic Lawn Spray for Pests Control and Mole Repellent
One
man's trash is a treasure to me. My neighbor set them at the curb concrete
capstone, 6 slabs, and my husband brought them home. We recycled the
capstone by adding the stones to our preexisting garden path. Thanks
to the capstone find I was able to extend the garden path and it
really makes the yard look nice
It
did not take long to extend our path with capstone. My husband and I worked on the path together as it was a DIY weekend yard
improvement project. View the photograph to see how we spaced the
path and then completed it with the cypress mulch. Note the stones
are not perfect, but we do not mind. The total cost for this project was under $10. as we got 3 cupric feet of mulch that were discounted at Walmart garden center.
A
few years ago I bought walkers low catmint online at Greenwood
Nursery. They shipped me very healthy potted plants, that had green
leaves and pretty flowers. These plants were added to my garden and
they bloomed throughout the summer season.
Photographs of the catnip plants I bought from Greenwood Nursery. This is how they looked on the day I received them. I definitely recommend this online nursery for your garden needs.
By
the second season, these six plants put out runners and filled in a
space of 4 x 4, forming a thick mat of green foliage and pretty
lavender-blue flowers. The flowers bloomed continually in May and
June, then I deadheaded the plants, fed them with miracle grow bloom
booster and the catmint bloomed again.
What
I like about this plant is that it is maintenance-free and pest
resistant and it attracts butterflies and hummingbirds to my yard.
I
would recommend that you plant in full sun, although it will tolerate
some shade in the afternoon. My summers get very hot and where I
have planted the catmint there is part shade at the peak of the day
followed by the late afternoon sun. On average the plants get 6 hours of
sun daily. My garden soil is well-drained and I water this catmint
in the morning with a slow drip soaking hose for one hour. By
afternoon the soil is dry and I have found that the catmint can hold
up and is tolerant of dry soil conditions. Learn more about this beautiful perennial for your garden here
Talk
about an eyesore, the chain link fence needs to be camouflaged. If
you are like me and want to hide your ugly chain-link fence then do
so by growing a flowering vine.
A few years ago a garden friend of mine gave me some “Grandpa Ott” morning glory seeds. She told me that the morning glory would cover up my six-foot
chain link fence and that the long blooming flowers would attract
butterflies and hummingbirds.
I
really liked the garden tips for hiding the fence, with pretty
flowers that attracted hummingbirds. So I planted the seeds indoors
and then transplanted them outdoors after the threat of spring frost
had past.
What I like about this vine is the foliage; both
heart-shaped leaves and petunia-like flowers are attractive. Plus the
“Grandpa ott” flower is so pretty; dark purple with magenta pink
and yes the vine fills in quickly and does camouflage the ugly link
fence.
This vine looks beautiful when grown over a wooden privacy fence.
Tips:
Growing from seed is easy provided you
soak the seeds overnight before planting. Morning glory is a
vigorous vine that fills in quickly forming a dense mat. Flowers will
start to bloom in June and will continue to bloom in fall as long as
the weather is warm.
