Seasoned gardeners know that a diverse mix of plants makes for a healthy and beautiful garden. Many believe that certain plant combinations have extraordinary powers to help each other grow and thrive. Gardening wisdom says that certain plants, when grown together, improve each other’s health and yields. For instance, some plants attract beneficial insects that help to protect a companion plant, …
Butterfly Bush
Butterfly bushes can be quite easy to grow, when you know a bit about their requirements and preferences. They are excellent pollinators for butterflies! Butterfly bush need full sun. They require a minimum of 6-8 hours of bright sunlight. They also need good drainage. Their roots are sensitive to rotting, and if they spend any amount of time in wet …
Marigolds in your Garden
Marigolds are an excellent plant to grow. They look lovely in planters or as ornamental beds and borders. But they can also be an excellent addition to your vegetable garden. Many gardeners don’t think to plant flowers in their vegetable garden, but by doing so will help increase the diversity of plants and wildlife, attract more pollinators, increase resilience, protect the …
Container Gardening
Pots overflowing with colorful flowers and lush foliage improve any deck, patio or balcony. Container gardening allows anyone to enjoy the pleasure of growing plants. In the sun, try a fragrant pot of lavender that honey bees will love. In the shade, beautiful hostas and begonias will thrive. The secret to creating a professional looking container with full mature plants …
Peppers
Peppers have a lot going for them. They offer something for everyone: spicy, sweet or hot, and come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes, plus the spicy ones can liven up bland food, making it more satisfying.They’re low in calories and are loaded with good nutrition, specifically two great antioxidants, vitamin C and vitamin A. California Wonder Peppers …
Sun, Shade or Something in Between
One of the most basic questions on gardening is whether you are looking for a sun plant or a shade plant, or maybe something in between. This simple idea can be difficult to define if you don’t understand what constitutes full sun, full shade, and partial sun/shade. If you’re looking at a plant tag and it tells you your plant …
Perennials
Sometimes, it’s nice to have a flowering plant that can fill a large space in the summer and then die back or disappear in winter. The space may be under an eave where snow and ice could damage a year round shrub. Maybe the space is close to a deck, patio, or walkway where you want the fullness of a …
Clematis
Clematis will bloom best in full sun. Some varieties, such as ‘Nelly Moser’, can bloom in part shade, but the amount of flowering will be reduced. Clematis like their roots to be cool, so wrapping them or planting something in front of their base will help shade their roots from the hot sun. This is a perennial vine and will …
Lavender
Lavender can make a stunning addition to borders and perennial gardens, providing bundles of color and fragrant aromas from early summer into fall. With its green foliage, upright flower spikes and compact shrub-like form, lavender is ideal for creating informal hedges. You can also cut it for fragrant floral arrangements. Ensure that you purchase healthy plants for your garden. Provide …
Growing Under Trees
If you find it difficult to know what to plant beneath a tree, then you’re not alone. The shade from trees can make things tough for smaller plants, taking away nutrients and water causing them not to flourish as they could – but there are ways around this! When it comes to gardening beneath trees, the key is to know …