Getting Your Garden Ready For Spring

When winter starts to release it’s icy grip, my thoughts turn to outdoor activities and I can hardly wait to get out into the garden again.  While you are waiting for the warmer weather, there are still quite a few things you can do to get your garden ready even if winter might still make a surprise appearance.

One thing you can do is to clean up all the debris, broken branches and leaves that have accumulated in your garden over the winter.  You want to be careful, though if the ground is still very wet as walking around on it can cause the dirt to become compressed.  Take this time to rake up dead matter as well as pull out any weeds left over from last year.

Once the snow is completely gone, you can take a look around your garden for any old annuals that are still in the ground.  These will not come back, so now is the time to dig them up and get rid of them to make room for this years flowers.  At the same time, take a good look at your perennials and cut back any stems that you missed in the fall.

Some woody plants like lavender and butterfly bush only bloom on the new branches so they should be cut back in spring.  If you are cutting plants, be sure that any threat of frost is passed as a sudden frost can kill the fresh cut plants.  Be careful about which plants you prune, though as some shrubs actually form their buds in the fall and if you cut them off in the spring you won’t get any flowers at all!

Spring is also a good time to assess your garden and decide which plants you want to divide, which plants you want to move or remove and which new plants you want for the gardening season.  Also, be sure to take note of how much mulch you will need for the garden.  If  you have wood chips and haven’t removed them for several seasons, now might be the time to do some scooping and removal to make way for new wood chips.

If you have trellises, arbors, statues or fountains in your garden, now is the time to make sure they are in tip top shape.  After-all, the warmer months are taken up with planting and tending to your plants so getting your garden accessories ready now will ensure they look beautiful all summer long.  Take this time to do any repair work or painting.

Taking advantage of the early spring days can help you get your garden in top shape for the warmer months plus it’s a great way for you to get outdoors in the fresh air!

Tips for Designing A Unique Flower Garden

Designing your own unique and exotic flower garden can be a thrilling, exciting and exhilarating experience. There is no limit to the designs that can be created when you add a little bit of personality, imagination and creativity. These are the things that will make your garden truly one of a kind and the possibilities are endless. It is for this reason that it is very important that you put plenty of thought into how you want your finished flower garden to look. Knowing this will help you to decide on the layout of your flower garden as well as what flowers you would like to use.

The first to think about when it comes to designing your own flower garden is to think of the shape and structure that you want your garden to have. This is where creativity comes into play. Your flower garden should reflect your personal style and your personality will play a big part in that. People will be able to tell a lot about you by the type of flower garden that you create. For this reason you should take a moment to really think about how you want your garden to represent you before you decide on shape or structure.

Color says a lot about someones personality. For example, someone who has an upbeat personality might choose bright colors whereas someone with a melancholy personality might choose colors that are dark or less bright. Either way you look at it the colors you choose for your flower garden make a statement about the type of personality that you have. It is important to take care in the colors you choose so that you are able to present yourself in the way you want with the structure of your flower garden.

Now that you have decided on the shape, structure and coloring you want your flower garden to have it is time to concentrate on flower selection. Like individual colors, different flowers say different things about a person. Think carefully about the statement you want your flower garden to make before you decide which specific flowers to use. Remember that people will often form an opinion about the type of person you are by seeing the type of flower garden you create. Bright colored flowers will often present a positive impression about the type of person you are.

Designing a unique flower garden that portrays you the way you want can be a time consuming process. In the end however the time and effort that you put into this will be well worth it. This is especially true when you are able to look at this flower garden and have the complete satisfaction of knowing that this is something that you did yourself. Few things can compare with the pride you will feel in knowing that you have created something truly unique and beautiful with your own two hands.

Three Good Bugs to Have in Your Flower Garden

Flower gardens like any other type of garden are prone to being assaulted by a variety of pests. These are most often insects that feed off of the growth of flowers. While not all insects are bad many people do not know exactly which insects are actually beneficial to the growth and development of your flower garden. This is one of the first things that should be learned if you are planning to plant a flower garden or have already done so. There are many insects that are beneficial to your flowers however there are also many that are extremely detrimental to the growth and development of your beautiful flowers as well. It is vital that you learn the difference between the two.

The Good Bugs

You may not believe it or even realize it but there are many insects that are actually good to have in your flower garden. Many of these good bugs feed off of the bad insects that may be present and therefore are extremely beneficial in the matter of natural pest control for your flower garden. The most common of these good bugs include the following insects:

Ladybugs
Bees
Praying Mantis

Each of these insects have specific benefits to your flower garden in addition to feeding off of other destructive or bad insects.

Ladybugs

Many people think of ladybugs as cute little creatures that fly around looking cute. The fact of the matter is that ladybugs are actually beneficial to the health of your flower garden. An adult ladybug can consume as much as 1,000 aphids in a day and more than 5,000 in their lifetime. The best way to attract ladybugs to your flower garden is by planting butterfly bushes. Female ladybugs are known to lay as many as 10-50 eggs daily on the underside of the leaves of the butterfly bush.

Bees

Many people dislike bees because of their painful stings or actually fear them due to allergies to them. The truth of the matter however is that bees are extremely beneficial to any flower garden. Bees complete the pollination process by carrying pollen from the anther to the stigma.

Praying Mantis

The praying mantis is an insect that is very good at camouflaging itself making it extremely difficult to spot, particularly by its prey. The praying mantis feeds on a variety of soft bodied bad insects such as caterpillars, mites and leafhoppers. Since these insects are detrimental to your flower garden, praying mantises are quite good to have around.

These are just some of the insects that are beneficial to keeping your flower garden thriving and beautiful. In addition to these there are also many others that may also be beneficial. Which types of good insects you choose to try to lure to your garden should be dependent on the types of flowers that you have present in your flower garden.

Tips For Growing Vibrant Healthy Flowers

Most every gardener strives to grow the best, most stunning flowers around, but that goal is hard to get hold of. Whether you want to raise prize-winning blooms or just have a home garden filled with of beautiful flowers, there are some things you can do in order to ensure your garden is in the best shape possible.

Soil chemistry counts
The chemical make-up of the soil is one of the biggest factors that contribute to the success or failure of your garden. If the soil in your planting beds is poor in nutrients, it is unlikely that your plants will thrive or produce those beautiful flowers that you want until you enrich the soil with the nutrition the plants need.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that the soil chemistry is the same all over your yard. It is important to test the soil in each area of your property that you plan to plants, especially if the areas are away from each other. This can be important if part of your property is on a slope, or if it has been used for other things in the past.

The slope of the land and the soil type in your area are important considerations to make. A complete analysis of the soil in your yard will give you a good place to starts and a help you to monitor the quality of the soil as your garden matures.

Know what your plants will need to thrive
You probably already have an idea about what you want to plant in your garden, so it is important that you understand what those plants will require in order to grow and flourish. Although many types of annuals, perennials, and bulbs can grow and thrive in a broad range of soil and weather conditions, others can have special requirements for food, water, and soil conditions.

For example, if you are interested I n cultivating roses in your garden, you will need to know the pH level of your soil, and adjust it if you need to. Roses are commonly acid loving plants, and therefore they will not thrive in soil with a higher alkaline level. Getting some humus and tilling it into the soil can amend alkaline soil. If the humus does not do the job, adding sulfur to the soil can raise the acidity level.

Keeping an eye on nutrition
The nutrients in the soil will dictate the health and vitality of your plants and flowers. If the phosphorus and nitrogen levels, as well as the presence of other types of organic matter are not sufficient, your plants may be malnourished, and not thrive at all. Nutrients can be added to poor soil by suing humus or any number of good-quality fertilizers.

Now you understand why the chemistry of your garden soil is so important in growing your ideal garden. Having the best flowers around is a big task to fulfill. Make sure that your garden soil is ready for the duty.

Choosing The Right Flowers And Plants For Your Garden

Many times we buy plants on impulse then find there is nowhere in the garden that really suits them. Before buying plants carefully examine your garden to see how much sun and shade it gets, whether the soil is well drained or waterlogged and whether your aspect is sheltered or windswept. You’ll then be equipped to go and buy the best plants for your situation; shade-loving plants for the sheltered areas, sun-lovers for the warm spots, drought-resistant plants for the parched areas which may be either sunny or shaded, and swamp plants for the poorly-drained parts.

But wait! Test your soil first, to determine the pH level of your soil and what kind of nutrients you need to add, if any. Is the soil acid or alkaline? Most plants prefer soil that is slightly acidic, but there are some that must have alkaline soil to grow. You can alter the soil’s pH level, but it’s much easier to simply plant for the soil you have.

Now you are ready to plant. Well – almost. Will you plant in groups or singly? If you buy ‘one of everything’ your garden may seem rather spotty. Group plantings are organised, harmonious and you can vary the color for interest.

Before planting out, place your chosen plants around the garden bed in their pots to see how they will look. Re-arrange them until you are satisfied. Grouping plants in sets of threes or fives usually looks better than planting in groups of even numbers. Be sure that you have an interesting combination of colors and textures of plants. Tall plants should go to the back, or the centre if your garden will be viewed equally from all sides. Try to keep your plants away from trees. The roots of trees are fiercely competitive and will steal all the nutrients and moisture meant for your flowers.

The right color scheme is one way to maintain the harmony in your garden. Imagine the color of the flowers when they are in bloom. Some colors may clash with others, but can still be planted side-by-side if they have a different blooming season. Foliage color is also important. Many flower plants have silver, grey or purplish foliage that is just as attractive as the flower. This means that they are still attractive well past the blooming season and so have added value.

Tips For Buying Seeds Online

Many people like the challenge of raising plants and flowers from seeds. While it can be easier to stop by the local gardening center and purchase plants that are already growing, many gardeners truly enjoy the prospect and challenge of raising plants and vegetables for their gardens from seeds.

Perhaps you are a person who is interested in growing flowers and vegetables for your own garden spaces from seeds. If that is the case, you may be wondering what resources are available to you through which you can order seeds for garden plants, seeds for flowering plants and vegetables for your gardens.

As with so many things in the 21st century, the Internet and World Wide Web is proving to be a truly wonderful resource for people who are interested in growing their own plants from seed. At this point in time, there is a wide array of different types of websites through which consumers such as you can actually purchase seeds for your own gardens, including seeds for flowering and for vegetable plants.

There are now some more generalized websites on the Net through which you can by all types of seeds. For example, there are sites that are in business to offer men and women seeds at discounted prices. At the other end of the spectrum, there are website operations that have been established to provide people with some more high end (and more expensive) products.

Because many people have become interested in more specific types of gardening — for example, organic gardening — there are now websites that cater to some of these more specialized areas of gardening. For example, if you are interested in organic vegetable gardening, you will want to consider stopping by one or another of the sites that deal specifically in the selling or organic vegetable seeds.

By way of another example, there are some people who are interested in crafting and creating beautiful flower gardens. To this end, there are innumerable websites on the Net that deal with the selling of seeds for people interested in growing flowers. Indeed, there are sites that are committed specifically to selling seeds for specific kinds of flowers.

Finally, there are information resources on the Net that can provide you with authoritative information on a wide array of different issues dealing with gardening. In both the short and the long term, you can learn a great deal about gardening practices from these useful websites.

Gardening Tools You Should Have

What good would a green thumb do you if you do not have some of the very essential gardening tools to make your job go a lot smoother? Here are some basics that every good gardener should have beginning with the novice all the way up to the “professional” gardener.

Gloves – You should have a good pair of waterproof gloves that fit well. You should also find some that have long cuffs. Gardening gloves seem to be best suited to fit men so women will probably have to hunt to find a good pair.

Sun hat – You should have a hat with a wide brim equipped with a drawstring cord. This should provide adequate protection from the sun. You have to make sure that your hat will not be lifted aloft when those spring winds come.

Canvas apron – A good apron to have is one that has pockets to fit some of your tools in as well as your phone. This is good when you don’t always have a chance to put on your grubbiest clothes.

Five-gallon bucket – This comes in handy to tote your tools around with you as you make your way through the flower beds. You can always toss weeds in as you are working!

Spade – This is an important tool to have but one that can easily get misplaced or thrown out by accident. It would be a good idea to get some brightly-colored tape to wrap around the handle so it will show up against the grass.

Pruners – These are great to clip back woody stems. You will get a nice, clean cut that will minimize any injury to plant tissue.

Hand rake – This is just a little bit larger than a spade and does a great job in fluffing up mulch or in turning up very young weeds.

Flower Gardening Tips

In our hurried, stressful world, we’re often looking for ways to relax and enjoy the things around us. Your own flower garden is a terrific way to do that. As the saying goes, you can improve life simply by stopping to smell the roses.

And those roses smell even better if you grew them yourself!

You’ve probably noticed that some people just have a knack for growing nice, healthy flowers while the rest of us seem to mostly grow weeds. Often the difference between a lush, wonderful flower garden and a gnarly weed bed are a few simple factors. Do the right things and you’ll find growing beautiful flowers is easier than you imagined.

1. Plant flowers that do well in your area. Temperature, rainfall, and more that determine your local climate will favor some flowers, while making others almost impossible to grow. For example, if you endure the super hot summers of Texas or Arizona, you will have to grow different kinds of flowers than people in cooler New York or Utah.

To some degree, you can check the backs of seed packets to know which plants grow in your area and what time of year to plant. Gardening guides can also help. Your best bet is often to talk to someone who knows plants. Usually you can find these people working in smaller stores, greenhouses, and nurseries. It’s usually not hard to identify who these plant experts are, as just about everybody in town knows about them and repeats their advice.

2. Pay attention to the quality of the soil you’re planting in. Often adding richer potting soil or light fertilizer can give your flowers a much better chance of turning out healthy. The right soil is one of the major reasons why some people grow terrific flowers while others can’t get anything to sprout.

3. Buy good quality seeds. Before we started our seed business we were surprised by how expensive flower seeds were, and by how FEW seeds were included in each packet. You could spend some pretty substantial cash buying seeds for a modest garden.

If you’re looking to buy a new brand or type of seed that you haven’t purchased in the past, I would recommend inspecting a pack before you fill your shopping cart with them. That way you’ll know what you’re getting.

Above all, be patient. Nature is an amazing system of interrelated factors. Sometimes we can understand and control all the factors, other times we just have to let nature take her course. Gardeners who understand the process of trial and error and remain persistent usually get the best results.

Also, be sure to include your family in your gardening activities. Planning a flower garden, planting it, then caring for the growing flowers can be a fulfilling, inspirational, and uniting experience for everyone in the family.

Flower Garden Design Ideas For A Fabulous Garden

A flower garden can be a peaceful and beautiful refuge from the rest of the world. Sitting in the midst of fragrant flowers while reading a book or strolling along paths lined with flowers in cheerful colors can help you to wind down after a busy, stressful day. With some planning and work, a lovely flower garden can be yours to enjoy.

Planning Flower Garden Designs

Creating beautiful flower garden designs takes much planning and consideration. You will need to consider the types of flowers and combinations of colors you desire for the garden. You will also need to think about the placement of borders and shrubs as well as seating and ornaments. It is a good idea to choose an overall style for the garden and stick with it. When you begin your flower garden designs project, you should make a scale drawing of the design to help visualize your concepts.

Shapes in Flower Garden Designs

Decide upon the shape and pattern for your flower garden designs. Rectangular flower garden designs are a traditional shape and always popular. Circular shaped gardens add interest to the standard rectangular lawn. Flower gardens planted on a diagonal to the house can make a lawn appear larger than it actually is.

Styles of Flower Garden Designs

There are a number of styles of gardens that you can plant, and many of them are not too difficult to achieve. Some favorite flower garden designs are listed here.

Rose Flower Garden Designs

Rose Gardens are easy to plant and beautiful to see. In addition to modern roses, include fragrant, old-fashioned varieties of roses whose scent will delight. Plant bulbs in the beds and border them with seasonal flowers to keep the garden full of color during the blooming seasons.

Cottage Flower Garden Designs

Informal cottage gardens have an old-fashioned, rustic look about them. These flower garden designs incorporate the use of flowers, plants and vegetables.

Shade Flower Garden Designs

Shade gardens are good flower garden designs for spaces with many trees blocking the sunlight. There are many flowers that do well in shady areas, including impatiens, begonia, azalea, hosta and viola. The lack of leaves on the trees in spring allows spring bulbs to grow, filling the space with color.

Wildflower Flower Garden Designs

Wildflower gardens are flower garden designs that feature plants indigenous to the area where the garden is located. These gardens tend to require less pampering than some of the other types listed here, usually not requiring much weeding or amendments to the soil.

Butterfly Flower Garden Designs

Butterfly gardens are delightful flower garden designs, planted with flowers known to attract butterflies. Plants such as marigold, lilac, coreopsis, lavender, black-eyed susan and goldenrod are all good choices for butterfly gardens.

Hummingbird Flower Garden Designs

Likewise, hummingbird gardens are a good choice for those who enjoy spotting these small birds. Hummingbirds like richly colored flowers with sweet nectar and a tubular shape. Red and fuschia flowers in particular tend to attract hummingbirds. Some hummingbird garden favorites are morning glory, petunias, azalea, rose of sharon, delphinium and honeysuckle.

Dead Heading Helps Keep Your Plants Blooming

“Off with her head” the queen shouted at Alice in the Lewis Carroll story “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”. Now I’m not sure if Lewis had an interest in gardening but he could well have been giving us some horticultural instruction which will give us a longer flowering season. There is a technique known as dead-heading, it is a simple task which takes a few minutes however adds days and sometimes weeks to your flowering display.

How to dead-head

If you’ve never dead-headed before here’s how go about it…… Firstly keep a watchful eye on your flowering plants, paying close attention to blooms that are past their best. Once a flower has started to fade remove it from the plant with a quick snip from your secateurs, alternatively knip it off with your thumb and forefinger. When doing this try to remove just the spent flower leaving the new buds beneath intact.

Your beds and borders now look neater due to the lack of fading blooms but how else has this deadheading process helped us? Well by removing the spent flowers we have prevented the plant from setting seed which if it did would trigger the production of a hormone which causes flowering to shut down completely. So by our slight tinkering with Mother Nature we can often force the plant to put its energies into a second flush of flower production instead of seed production. Bear in mind that your planting should have a plentiful supply of nutrients to give a secondary flowering.

Plants that respond well to dead-heading

Dead-heading works particularly well on perennials and most annual bedding especially Antirrhinums (Snapdragons), Violas (Pansies) and Dianthus (Sweet Williams) although it can sometimes be impossible to carry out on very small flowers or on very large and floriferous shrubs. Shrubs which react well to dead-heading include Buddleia (Butterfly bush), Syringa (Lilac) and some Spireas. Roses of course are ideal candidates for this technique to ensure more blooms before the rose-hips form.