Some of the main reasons that stand out are as follows. Containers can be moved as most appropriate and needed; some are even on wheels, and they come in all sizes. Furthermore, they are increasingly made of sturdy lightweight modern materials. Best of all you can readily move them away from areas prone to deer and other hungry animals and place your plants in a protected spot, like a deck, patio, screened porch or even indoors. Rex Begonia make great additions to container planters.
You can avoid the need for fencing in some cases. You can move the planters according to the amount of sunlight needed. You gain flexibility of all sorts, such as planting flowers in window boxes and on railings or walls. You can easily keep changing your decor.
2. Beautifying the Outdoors of Homes
Choosing containers is a wonderful way to express your personal tastes. You can use contemporary, traditional, eclectic or contrasting styles to make a statement. This will be recognized by visitors the moment they step up to your home. This can be done by decorating the mail box, having large planters by the driveway and at the entrance of your home.
My favorite spot at my home is my deck that I surrounded with azaleas and ground covers, and on the deck I had colorful flowers that would have been eaten had they been outdoors and unprotected by fencing except for the large azaleas. One of the flowers I could and did plant, however, without the deer eating them were lambs ears, lavender. Some ferns survived also.
In the gardens of row houses and town homes, I marvel these days at how owners and renters have transformed small spaces by the very clever artistic use of planter boxes and a variety of pots some made from old objects they happened to have. These features often fit in well with decorative stepping stones or small raised garden beds. The raised beds make the task much easier both for establishing a proper soil with less digging and to reach everywhere for keeping the area tidy and lovely. In that way. they resemble planters and pots.
3. Spiffing Up the Indoors of Homes and Apartments
In large open spaces, usually inside contemporary homes, very large planters are sometimes used beautifully as dividers to separate living sections for beauty and privacy while maintaining an open airy feeling.
The trend in kitchens is for them to be open to the living areas. This fact makes people all the more interested in incorporating pots for both herbs and for plants and flowers to beautify their space and improve the air quality. There are many attractive and whimsical planters and stands for use indoors as well as outdoors.
House guests always appreciate a small plant or vase with flowers in the bedroom or in the bathroom. After all, bathrooms, like kitchens, have become a place that is important for relaxing and for the eyes to feast upon. I find that for bathrooms small plants or vases usually work best, but of course it all depends on the size of the space and your taste.
These are some highlights on the topic. In conclusion, it should now be increasingly evident why decorating and gardening are facilitated and enhanced by planters, pots and vases that are to your liking.
Birria is authentic and addicting and will be leaving you asking for more. It is traditionally made with lamb meat, but it is common for people to use beef today since it is more affordable and easier to find throughout Mexico and the United States. Birria has gained international fame, not only because of its exquisite taste, but also because it is known for its ability to help people recover after a long night of partying. Another way to eat birria is to shred the meat and make tacos with it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8oQCk4jmfc
Mexican Birria
Serving Size:
8
Time:
2 hours
Difficulty:
Simple
Adobo Sauce Ingredients:
3 dried ancho chiles
3 dried guajillo chiles
1 to 3 dried chiles de ƒÂ¡rbol
1 tablespoon avocado oil (or olive oil)
1 small white onion, peeled and diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 large roma tomatoes, roughly chopped*
4 cups beef stock, divided
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of ground cloves
Beef Stew Ingredients:
3 to 3 1/2 pound beef chuck roast, roughly cut into 3-inch chunks
fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons avocado oil (or olive oil)
2 bay leaves
warm corn tortillas, for serving
recommended toppings: chopped fresh cilantro, chopped white or red onion, diced or sliced avocado, lime wedges and/or sliced jalapeƒÂ±os
Blend the marinade. Add 2 cups of the beef stock, the apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, ginger, cinnamon and cloves to the blender. Cover and carefully* blend for 1 minute, until the mixture is completely smooth. Set aside.
Pressure cook. Add all of the seared beef to the Instant Pot, along with the blended marinade, bay leaves and remaining 2 cups of beef stock, and give the mixture a quick toss. Cover and set the lid to ¢â‚¬Å“Sealing.¢â‚¬Â Pressure cook on ¢â‚¬Å“Manual¢â‚¬Â for 45 minutes, followed by a quick release.
Shred the beef (optional). Carefully remove the lid once all of the pressure has released. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Then you can either choose to just leave the beef in larger chunks for serving. Or you can use two forks to shred the beef into bite-sized pieces, and then toss the shredded beef in the marinade so that it is evenly coated.
Season. Taste and season the birria with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
Serve. Serve the birria in bowls (the beef along with its broth) garnished with lots of your favorite toppings, with a side of warm tortillas, and enjoy!
When it comes to pest control, you can spend all sorts of money hiring exterminators or buying smelly (and often toxic) sprays and chemicals for your home, but in some cases, you may not need to go to such extremes. There are a lot of completely natural insect and pest control remedies out there, many of which our ancestors have been using with great success for countless generations. You’ll be pleased to know that many of these useful items can be found in the average household.
Though pest control can refer to dealing with pest birds, bugs, and rodents, this article will focus on getting rid of insects.
Insect Control in the Garden
Believe it or not, aluminum foil can successfully keep hungry insects and slugs away from your vegetable garden. Simply mix strips of aluminum foil in with your garden mulch to deter bugs and slugs. In addition, since foil is reflective, it will shine light back up onto your plants, giving them a solar boost.
Mothballs are another handy insect control device for the garden. You’ve probably heard of using mothballs in the closet to protect your sweaters, but you can also use them to kill bugs on potted plants. Simply place the plant in a clear plastic bag (i.e. a cleaning bag), add a few mothballs, and seal the bag for a week. When you take the plant out, it will be bug-free (and moths will stay away for a while too). Animals also hate the smell of mothballs, so you can toss a few into your garden and flowerbed as well, to keep away cats, dogs, and rodents.
Did you know onions are a natural pesticide as well? Here’s an easy-to-make concoction that will repel insects (and animals too) in your flowers and vegetables: Use a blender to puree 4 onions, 2 cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper, and one quart of water. Put the mixture aside and then dilute 2 tablespoons of soap flakes in 2 gallons of water. Pour all the contents in your blender, stir it up, and this gives you an Eco-friendly bug spray to use on your plants.
Black pepper is another home remedy that works great for pest control in the garden. If insects are harassing your flowers, plants, and vegetables, simply mix pepper with flour and sprinkle it around your plants. Bugs won’t be so eager to munch.
Lastly, you can make your own rock dust to get rid of insects in the garden.
Insect Control in the House
Dog and cat food, which is often left out around the clock, can be quite a temptation to ants and other insects. A simple way to make these six-legged intruders lose interest is to place a border of baking soda around the pet food bowls. Baking soda won’t bother your pets (though they probably won’t be keen on the taste), so it’s no worry for them if they lap a bit up with their meal.
Another household item good at getting rid of insects is vinegar. For example, if your latest trip to the farmers’ market brought back fruit flies as well as healthy victuals, then you can make traps for the flies by filling an old jar about halfway full with apple cider vinegar. Punch a few holes in the top, screw it back on, and the fruit flies will be attracted and trapped.
These are just a few of the easy ways to use simple household items to get rid of insects. So when you’re having a problem, don’t be so eager to pick up a can of chemical-filled bug spray. Look for natural solutions, and you will very likely find them!
How would you like to know a few homemade pesticide recipes that are not only safe, but will cost you next to nothing? It¢â‚¬â„¢s still possible to keep your garden free from pests without toxins and harmful chemicals.
Most chemical pesticides are toxic to humans as well as pets and small animals that may enter your yard or garden. That¢â‚¬â„¢s why homemade pesticides make a lot more sense.
Here are a few of the most common homemade pesticide recipes for your houseplants, yard and garden.
Homemade Pesticide For Snails and Slugs Diatomaceous earth is a powder-like dust made of tiny marine organisms called diatoms. It is effective on soft-bodied insects as well as snails and slugs. Just spread it on top of the soil and it works by cutting and irritating these soft organisms yet is harmless to other organisms. You can also put out shallow dishes of beer to trap snails and slugs.
To Keep Bugs Away From Houseplants This is the safest natural pesticide for any home gardener and is effective on a variety of bugs and insects. Mix 3 tablespoons of liquid detergent into a gallon of water. Use in a sprayer bottle for houseplants.
Another Bugs Away From Houseplants Mix To keep bugs away from houseplants, mix 1 clove garlic, 1 small hot pepper and 1 quart water in a blender. Pour into a spray bottle and apply to plants. Putting hot sauce on a cotton ball in a house plant pot will also repel pests.
Cabbage worms and Spider Mites Mix For garden pests like cabbage worms and spider mites, mix 2 tablespoons of salt in 1 gallon of water and use in a sprayer bottle.
To Control Garden Pests Gather together a collection of dead bugs, crush them up and mix with water. Strain the mix until it will come out of a spray bottle. Only use this mix outside.
Spearmint Hot Pepper Horseradish Spray This is effective on many different kinds of outside bugs and insects and should be an outside spray.
1/4 cup of hot red peppers
1/2 gallon water
1/4 cup of fresh spearmint
1/4 cup horseradish, both root and leaves
1 tablespoons of liquid detergent
1/4 cup green onion tops
Mix the spearmint leaves, horseradish, onion tops and peppers together with enough water to cover everything. Then strain the solution. Add a half-gallon of water and the detergent. You can use this to spray almost any plant safely. Store the mixture for a few days in a cool place.
Natural Pesticide for Aphids and Whiteflies Mix a few drops of dishwashing detergent with water and spray on plants leaves. This is extremely effective in controlling many soft-bodied insects such as aphids and whiteflies.
Homemade Pesticide For Roses In your blender make a solution of leaves from a tomato plant 4 pints of water and a tablespoon of cornstarch. Strain the mix and spray on roses as a natural pesticide. Keep any unused spray refrigerated.
Natural pesticides can work well for any home gardener and are much safer for you and your family. After you try a few of these recipes you¢â‚¬â„¢ll understand that they really work. If you want to control pests naturally instead of chemically, homemade pesticides may be the ideal choice.
In this article we will discuss how to design a strictly formal garden on a large, rectangular area. Designing formal garden needs a little bit of hard work on your behalf. You have to keep all the main points and area in mind while designing a layout. It is said that formality and symmetry go hand in hand, therefore it is vital for you to set up a central axis around which borders and features would be arranged. It is often observed that the main viewing position in the house rarely central to the lawn. Usually a good deal of work is done on the left side of the axis and the right hand boundary is at an odd angle.
The patio should be set up in a symmetrical layout as far as it reaches to a curved step down onto a garden. There are so many things and factors which hinder your way to build a perfectly symmetrical patio. You can make use of two narrow raised beds along the edge of the patio to get a formal layout of the patio, but remember they may not be firmly symmetrical. The width of the beds along with other things around them should be around 400 mm (16 inches).
The steps like all other layouts are flush with the lawn along its entire length and this would extend to a path running out to a fountain and circular pool. To achieve the formality, the either side of the path is set with lavender hedge. The path can be extended to the farthest end up to the seat or you can end it at the pond, all depends on your design and choices. Two beds approaches the house long the paving area from the end of the garden. They are idea for herbaceous flowers or bush roses. To achieve the formality, you need to plan your planting such a way that they will present and image of each other.
For winter season, you can maintain the formal spirit of your garden by introducing some evergreen shrubs in your garden. It is a great idea to include an evergreen shrub in the center of the bed; a tall, narrow conifer will certainly look more effective. The best place to plant the shrubs is on the back of the seat. Herbaceous flowers and roses on either side of the seat will emphasize the colorful scheme and provide scent for those sitting nearby.
What you need to do is to emphasize the clever selection of the plants for your garden to give it a formal touch. The left hand side of the house contains a significant pergola underneath which is a passage to garden. The paving under the pergola leads you to the utility area and further extended towards a small kitchen garden. Soft fruits and vegetables should be grown in this small kitchen garden, and the two sections of the garden are separated by a formal hedge. Though, both the sections of the garden have an easy access.
The left and the right hand corners of the garden can be used for storing compost and garden rubbish.
Tulips have been around since approximately 1554 making them one of the oldest garden perennials.
Visitors from the Ottoman Empire to Europe wore tulips in their turbans. The tulip flower means lale in Arabic and is considered a holy symbol.
Between 1634 and 1637 tulips almost crashed the Dutch economy as they became so incredibly popular their value increased and they were traded like currency!
The Turkish Ottoman Empire experienced a period known as “tulip mania” between 1718 and 1730, when the cultivation of tulips defined nobility and privilege. A common uprising and revolt occurred when the price of bulbs became too much for ordinary folk to bear.
How to Grow Fantastic Tulips
Tulips are fond of mountain region climates by nature, however, a quick tour of your neighborhood each spring will reveal many gardens contain a glossy display of colorful tulips. What’s the secret to growing tulips?
Tip 1. Buy reputable tulip bulbs from your garden center and make sure full instructions are written on the back. That sounds obvious, but as a regular at garden centers, I’ve noticed a few cheap brands skimp on some important details such as what time of year to plant them, what shade/sun is required, and how deep to plant the bulbs.
Tulips should be planted with the pointy end upwards, and around 20-25cm underground. One of the most common errors when planting tulip bulbs is to plant them too shallow. Depending on the kind of tulip you buy, each tulip could yield between 1-4 flower heads, and most need to be planted around 20-25cm apart. I have seen people plant them closer together, however this will cause you problems in future years, when you dig them up to space them out a bit (as the plant is perennial and grows back and ‘spawns’ new blooms each year – in English and European climates, especially).
Tip 2. Deciding where to plant your tulips can be part of a grand experiment. This year, I planted some in a border near daffodils, some in hanging baskets where I had a spare bit of space, one or two in a ground planter and approximately 40 in row sets under wood-chip bark. Each lot of tulips have come up, successfully revealing the gorgeous bloom for which they were intended! (You can see by now I’m a bit tulip-crazy!)
The best looking tulips, health-wise, are the ones I planted in full sun in a hanging basket. The leaves are pest-free, and the potting mix seems to have nurtured them into full bloom. The only negatives are tulips near the sides might not reach a good height as the top is touching the hanging basket chain. Planting many and close together in a small hanging basket does work, yet considering they top out at about 30 cm tall, take that into account when deciding where to plant them. By the way, these tulips are sharing the basket space with pansy flowers, which seem to be amiable companions for them. My other lot are in a ground planter with a cyclamen, and whilst they seem happy, the cyclamen is not. I’m not sure they like sharing space with other bulbs (the cyclamen, that is).
One thing to remember wherever you plant your tulips, the green leaves come up around February time, the flowers mid-late April, and the blooms are all done by June at the latest. For the rest of the year the bed will look a bit bare. I suggest you plant something compatible with them on the surface, so if you are not too sure about this (I wasn’t) experiment with hanging baskets to see what works. Around the neighbors’ houses I’ve seen tulips planted under low-lying ground cover plants, the grassy borders of tree trunks, or pansy flower beds. I can see why no-one puts them under a large bush – they need light and height. If surrounded by too many bulbs they won’t come up so great either, it seems from my observations. However, the exception to that rule seems to be they will share a spot with the humble daffodil – as long as there’s room – otherwise the “daff” wins the spot, every time. by inference, you’ll need to prepare any bed you plant tulips in by digging the soil over deeply (to 35-40cm) and pulling out bulbs that are already in there by hand. These include bluebells, daffodil and snowdrop bulbs which could all potentially inhabit a garden bed. This is particularly relevant if you’ve inherited a new garden to play around with. If you haven’t seen the spring flower show, be prepared to dig!
Tip 3. The pests that can attack your tulips include the four-legged kind! The bulbs, which resemble onions in their smell, are attractive to burrowers when tulips are newly planted. There’s not much food around in October/November time, as autumn becomes winter, and believe me, if you’ve spent hours planting a tulip bed, as I did, you won’t appreciate a badger coming around and having a little meal. The solution here is to plant the bulbs at the correct depth in the ground (25-30cm), cover with soil, firmly press down and immediately water. One of the main reasons I put mine under wood-chip this year was to deter cats using the bare bed as litter tray (and possibly digging them up), and foxes deciding the bare garden was a good area for them to pass through, have a little sleep, or bury some bones they are fond of.
Once the tulips begin to show signs of budding, there is the need to watch out for squirrels. They love to eat the head of the tulips! After all that effort you could lose them all – so aside from using an air rifle and being an incredible shot – if you live near squirrels you can forget about growing tulips. Have a little think about this – how many tulips do you see growing in public parks where squirrels roam loose? Exactly! (Or maybe public gardeners are a great shot?)
Another pest which can put little holes all through the leaves is the common garden slug. Slug pellets will keep them at bay, but not totally eliminate them. If you are not too worried about a few nibbles, the tulip flowers will come up just fine, but the leaves look a little mottled. I’ll say straight off I use organic pellets so the birds can eat the dead slugs, which seems a pleasing result for all concerned.
In a second and third year of growth (which you will get if you plant little ground covers, pansies or compatible plants with shallow roots above your tulips) the leaves are much more robust. After the first year you will have a super-strong showing. Add fresh manure or garden compost around Autumn and re-cover the bed with wood-chip or the plants I’ve suggested. I’ve noticed slugs can also be slowed down by wood-chip (which is why I tried this as we are infested with the critters where I live), and of course, the usual slug traps will work too. When you notice more blooms, or crowded beds, you need to dig up the plants just after they bloom, and replant them (deeply) to give them the extra room needed for your next season (usually do this every four years or so).
You should be able to avoid the pest of tulip fungus as long as you keep the bed moist, but not over-watered, and remember to give them a little water on a dry day. This was another reason I tried wood-chip this year, to keep the level of moisture locked into the bed. This has worked a treat, and I now have a garden full of glory. I hope you have an amazing time experimenting with tulip growing in your garden!
Outdoor planter boxes can be used for highlighting a landscape, garden, patio, balcony and the inside of your home. Outdoor planter boxes are generally used in a container garden to grow flowers, vegetables, or herbs. Most of these containers are constructed of weather resistant materials that will withstand the outdoor elements.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I6I0Q6Kp3k
Wood outdoor garden boxes that hold up to outdoor conditions are mostly made of redwood, cedar, or teak. You can find them in different shapes and sizes and can be used almost anywhere particularly a rustic outdoor setting. Many raised beds are constructed of these in the natural state or they can be painted to match any area of your garden. Raised beds are convenient for gardeners with knee or back problems and they are excellent for drainage.
PVC is a very durable material used in the construction of planter boxes. They sometimes give the appearance of beautiful wood or clay and you cannot tell the difference until pick one up and realize it is PVC. They are inexpensive lightweight containers that will last through many seasons of harsh weather and they do not need very much care. Some of these containers are so beautiful and self-watering they can be used on a front porch or door step to enhance the landscape in front of your house. Clay planter boxes are good for your plants health but the soil will dry out much quicker than other planters. They can be very heavy and are fragile so are best if used in a location where you do not have to move them around. They are also available in various sizes, shapes, and styles; you may even find some to match some of your outdoor yard decorations.
Some outdoor planter boxes are constructed of metal and are quite common. Some have decorative feet to lift them off the ground for drainage. Some may come with an inner lining or you can use a plastic liner for protection. You can find many window-boxes that are constructed of metal and are self-watering. Hanging planters are also classified as planter boxes for planting flowers that drape or hang over the side. Hanging planters can be hung from house eaves or patio covers and are available as self-watering.
Almost anything can be used as a planter box for growing vegetables, herbs, or flowers. You just need to find one large enough to handle the root system of what you intend to plant such as plastic milk containers, bushel baskets, large pressed fiber pots or even an old wheel barrow. If you want to plant tomatoes the container should be very deep but to plant radishes you only need about a 6-inch deep container. The larger the container and the more soil used will give the roots more room to spread and less watering on the gardeners’ part.
Be sure the containers you use have ample holes for drainage; they can be on the bottom or on the sides. The excess water needs to drain out so the roots do not get waterlogged. Most large containers have the holes on the bottom so elevating them on blocks or bricks will give the water a place to go. The larger the container the more drainage holes it will need. A well-aerated soil will not need any stones in the bottom because you want as much room as possible for the roots of the plant.
You need to check your containers a couple times a day, especially during the hotter days of summer, for moisture if you do not have self-watering planters or are not using a drip watering system. Your large containers can use a layer of mulch to help retain some of the moisture. You need to use outside water that has not been through a water softener; the salts used in a softener can be toxic to your plants. Collected rainwater is the best and cheapest water that can be used for your outdoor planter boxes.
Shrubs are a useful asset to any garden. They add height and architectural interest. Evergreen shrubs added to herbaceous borders can give substance to a border and hold interest during winter months when most perennials die down. For the most part they are hardy and easy to maintain, requiring little pruning, and long lived. Here is a guide to a few of my favorite shrubs which will add interest to a garden at different times of the year.
Shrubs for a winter garden
Hamamelis or Witch Hazel has to be a favorite to add winter interest to any garden. It is a winter flowering shrub with spidery flowers and a spicy scent. Flowers come in shades of yellow, orange and reds. Witch Hazel will thrive in any garden but an open sunny position is best. It is quite a large shrub and can grow up to 4m in height. They require little pruning, especially if you have the room to let them grow to their full potential. Just remove any dead or diseased wood. They also have few problems with disease, but look out for honey fungus and vine weevil larvae amongst those grown in containers. Particularly good varieties include Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Barmstedt Gold’ with bright yellow flowers and Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane’ with its rich red spidery flowers.
Daphne is one of the best shrubs you can buy for winter scent. It flowers in January/February and has scented pink or white flowers. This shrub is very hardy and can grow up to 2m in height. They grow very well in borders and also in semi-woodland areas. Place them near to paths where their fragrance can be easily enjoyed. But beware, once planted they do not like to be moved. Daphne prefers a well-drained lime-free soil in a sunny spot, although it will tolerate semi-shade. They have few problems, but watch out for aphids and leaf spot. Two lovely varieties include Daphne bholua which has high scent pinkish white flowers, and Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata’ which has pretty evergreen leaves and fragrant white flowers.
There are some shrubby climbers you can buy to add winter color to deciduous trees. Lonicera standishii ‘Budapest’ is one such example. Semi-evergreen this shrubby honeysuckle has many scented pink-tinged white flowers in mid-winter, followed by red berries. It will grow up to 2m in height and prefers a sheltered position.
Shrubs for spring
Camellias are probably one of the most popular shrubs for early spring flowers. They can be problematic as they need acidic soil, but they can easily be grown in containers in the right compost. Because Camellias are native woodland plants, they grow best in shade or semi-shade. They prefer free-draining conditions with plenty of organic matter and can grow up to 3m in height. Perhaps the main problem for Camellias is frost which can damage flowers. A Good variety is Camellia x williamsii ‘Saint Ewe’ which has rose-pink flowers from January to April and seems to be quite resistant to frost. Azaleas are beautiful spring flowering shrubs. Growing in sun or shade in well-drained soil, varieties can grow up to 15ft and have flowers ranging from white to deep purple/pink. Azalea ‘Adonis’ has gorgeous white flowers in May and grows up to 75cm. Azalea ‘Aladdin’ also flowers in May but has strong red flowers. You just can’t ignore the gorgeous yellow flowers of Forsythia in early spring. It can be grown as a stand-alone specimen or as part of a border and is a useful shrub for hedging. It likes moist but well-drained soil but will grow well anywhere. Forsythia x intermedia ‘Spectabilis’ is a vigorous variety which has deep yellow flowers from mid to late spring and grows up to 300cm in height. Kerria Japonica or Japanese Yellow Rose is another spring flowering shrub with sunny yellow flowers. Varieties can have either single or double flowers. It is suitable for a border or a woodland garden and grows to around 2m in height. Pieris Japonica is an all-year-round shrub, with attractive foliage in summer and slightly fragrant clusters of bell-shaped white, pink or red flowers in early spring. They can be grown in a shrub border but are just as at home in garden planters. ‘Mountain Fire’ has particularly attractive glossy red leaves.
Summer flowering shrubs
Hydrangea is a deciduous shrub that can suit any type of garden. There are many varieties that are divided up into two main groups. ‘Lacecaps’ that have flattened flower heads, and ‘Hortensias’ that have spherical flower heads of large flowers. Flower colors range from pinks to blues. He more acidic the soil, the bluer the flower will be. Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’ is a spectacular variety, with large conical blooms from July to September which open in a soft shade of pea green and gradually change to cream and finally a delicate soft pink as they mature. It will grow to up to 250cm. Hibiscus syriacus, also called Rose of Sharon, is a deciduous flowering shrub that can reach a height of around 4m. It likes very warm conditions in full sun where it displays an abundance of attractive white, pink, red, lavender, or purple flowers. It is an easy plant to grow as it develops quickly once planted and doesn’t mind being moved. Buddleja’s are also very easy to grow. They like well drained soil and plenty of sunshine. Their flowers of pink to blue/purple provide a summer spectacle in August when they are covered in butterflies which feed on their nectar. They do require hard pruning in spring to encourage plenty of new growth. ‘Pink Delight’ has conical spikes of claret buds opening to produce lovely, orange-eyed flowers in a strong pink.
Shrubs for autumn interest
Euonymus can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs or small trees, often with fine autumn color. The leaves of Euonymus alatus turn a beautiful rosy-crimson in autumn. It is very hardy and grows up to 2.5m in height and spread. Cotinus or Smoke Tree is a true delight. They are large deciduous shrubs or small trees whose leaves produce wonderful autumn color from yellow to deep reds. Very hardy, they have a bushy habit and can grow up to 8m in height. Berberis can also be large deciduous shrubs or small trees with spiny shoots bearing tiny leaves. Berberis thunbergii has leaves that turn a deep orange/red in autumn followed by red fruit. It has an ultimate height and spread of around 1.5m and is therefore suitable form most gardens.
Flower gardens are extremely wonderful to look at. More so if you are the one who is taking care of the flower garden – it will truly be one relaxing experience to see all your hard work in full bloom.
So, for those who have tried in vain to get their flower garden in tip-top shape might want to follow some of these simple rules:
First things first, remember that to able to give great care to your flower garden, it must get the basics. Sunlight, water and a good soil are the most essential components to get nice blooms. A plant would need around six hours of sunlight each day and regular watering. A good soil can be maintained by adding fertilizer from time to time.
Second, you can mix up your garden. Perennials are the types of plants that can last for more than two seasons while annuals can last up to a single season only. Mixing them up in your garden would assure you that you have some blooms to wait for each time.
Third, deadheading is also important. Flowers need to be trimmed when they wither. This will encourage more flowers to bloom and besides, dead flowers will not make your garden attractive. Also, make sure that you do not leave the trimmings in your flower garden as it can attract insects or may cause diseases to your plants.
Fourth, harmful bugs are different from the helpful ones. There are many types of insects that you should encourage into your flower garden. There are those that help decompose the soil and thus provide nutrients to the plants in your garden. There are also other insects that feed off on the smaller insects that could destroy your plants. Also, insects like butterflies and bees help in spreading pollen of one plant to another. They also make great additional accessories and can make your garden look more colorful and lively.
It is not very hard to take care of the flower garden. The basics and a little pampering once in awhile is all it takes to ensure that they keep producing wonderful blooms for your eyes to watch in awe.
“Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?” If you are an herbalist, “healthy” might be your answer. There are all kinds of hobbies a person can pursue; skydiving, goat roping, bungee jumping, and the list goes on. If you are more in mind of developing one that is safer, growing garden herbs might be for you.
A hobby should be safe on the one hand, and produce something that is pleasing or constructive on the other. Herbal gardening gets the nod on both these fronts. It’s also a relatively inexpensive way to spend time. If you have the space to plant, and it doesn’t require a lot of space, you can become a gardener with a purpose.
The only really important tools you must have to grow herbs are your patience and determination. Sure it is nice to have a tiller to break up the ground before planting, and hoes and other tools are needed to tend the garden, but your attitude and love for what you are doing is what makes the experience special. It should never be looked at as though it were a job.
As with any hobby, you must find a starting point, then grow and improve as time goes by. Start modestly with a few herbs that you can use and, if all works well, you can add more the next growing season. There is no race to run or required achievement level. Gardening of any kind should be relaxing and comforting. Go at a pace that is comfortable for you.
Herbs supply at least four things:
* They are medicinal, as is documented through clinical research.
* They are aromatic, as with lavender and mint, to mention a few.
* They are pretty, as many varieties rival flowers for beauty.
* They are culinary, as in all the different varieties of seasonings and garnishments.
Is there anything else that could be planted that yields so many different attributes?
If the herb garden is to be your new hobby, or continuing one, you need to plan for the present planting as well as the future. Place your garden in an area that can be a focal point and is also easy to access. Herbs need sunlight for a good portion of the day, and they need to be elevated enough that water will flow away.
The same way that you plant flower gardens, place the plants that grow tallest behind the shorter ones. Leave room to access each plant. If there are only two rows, this is fairly simple. Allow for the spreading of the plant, because some will have runners and need more space.
Hobbies are good only if you enjoy them. If one gets to be too much work, it is no longer a hobby. Growing garden herbs is a pleasant hobby for the person who loves nature. It can be right for you; just give it a chance. Happy herb gardening!
With most of us living in concrete jungles, having a garden in your home can be considered nothing short of lucky! From a small flowerbed to a large lush green space, there is a lot you can do with your garden that helps put your own personal stamp on it. From installing garden ornaments to adding outdoor lighting, you are only limited by your imagination.
Plants of various colors and shapes add to the beauty of your garden. Think green holly, ivy or fuchsia. Consider enhancing the place further by creating live ornaments from plants. Prune them into columns and craft hedges that have everyone in awe. In fact you can enhance the look of the garden by creating an archway with plants such as draped wisteria vines. Alternately consider flanking the garden gates with bougainvillea. There will be many people wanting to get a sneak peek into this haven!
You could also consider a whole lot of other ornaments as a garden decor idea. A wrought-iron gate, a lantern or an iron bell hung on a tree, a bench are great outdoor accessories that add to the appeal. You can also repurpose old items such as those metal watering cans that make for lovely planters or those antique dresser drawers that add oodles of style. Pro tip-Ensure that all the decor elements are subtly placed though, so the garden doesn’t look too contrived or overdone.
Add charm to regular terracotta pots by doing them up in vibrant paint. You can also create a mosaic on those pots with broken ceramic pieces. They add loads of color and texture to your garden. If you run out of space, you can also look at creating a vertical garden with spray painted cans hung on a fence with lovely blooms.
Give your creativity free reign as you think of the garden furniture. You can turn a workbench into a place to display greenery as also a great venue for those potluck parties. Opt for a small table that adds a dash of color with a corner flower vase and just enough space to enjoy that morning cuppa. Outdoor lighting is another aspect that lends oodles of style to your garden. Go in for those bistro lights and savor their warm glow. Alternately you can also hang outdoor lanterns or those spring lights. The romance that they add to the garden is indescribable.
With a garden as charming as this, you certainly would want some privacy to be able to enjoy this calm haven. Opt for artificial plant wall coverings that are awfully easy to install and yet look like real foliage. That it is low on maintenance, is an added perk. You can also add to the charm with other artificial plant decor. Tree ferns and other colorful buds kept in beautiful pots create one enchanting space. Whoever said you need a green thumb to maintain a garden, hadn’t heard of these artificial plants.
