Garden Design Ideas for Irises

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.  

Favorite Flowering Shrub - Quince

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. 

Growing Tips for Amaryllis Belladonna Lily

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

1. Select an area in your garden that has full sun to shade in the heat of the day.
2. Plant naked ladies in soil that has been amended with compost.
3. The garden site needs to be well-drained
4. 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.
5. Plant the bulb so the top is even with the soil surface.
6. 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

Planting Tips for NON-GMO Milkweed Seeds/ Butterfly weed

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 Lavender Face Serum Product Review

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. 

What to Do if Coyotes are in Your Yard

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.