Ah, the lazy days of summer. The hot sun inspires all sorts of fun, but for our gardens, it can take a toll. Notice that your garden, so lush, colorful and beautiful only a few weeks ago, is looking pretty hot and tired these days? Never fear: here are some easy ways to revitalize your garden in summer. Plant Late Summer – Early Fall Blooming Plants When gardeners get that springtime planting bug, we tend to plan our gardens around late-spring and early summer, so our gardens look fantastic April-June, but then wither away come July. Solve that problem now by planting perennials that bloom in late summer through fall for a much-needed second wave of color. Some plants to consider include purple asters, penstemon, and certain long-blooming varieties of roses. Knockout Roses, are a popular low-maintenance choice. You can find a wide selection of them at NatureHillsNursery.com. Mid-summer can be a very harsh time to plant, however, so follow these tips to give your new plants the … [Read more...] about 5 Ways to Revitalize Your Garden in Summer
3 Easy Ways to Make Your Kitchen Greener
Today’s homes are getting greener because today’s eco-smart consumers are demanding greener household products and more eco-friendly choices. Outfitting a modern apartment, home or homestead is increasingly about creating a more self-sufficient lifestyle. This greener approach to modern living is probably impacting our kitchens more than any other room in the house. We are taking a more earth-friendly (and personal-health friendly) approach to cleaning, preparing and cooking food, serving food and practically everything we do in our kitchens. As a result, more and more families are getting smarter about natural household products. With new eco-friendly choices for getting dishes clean, why would you keep using the petroleum-based products your mother used? And why not cook and serve your food in products that were made with sustainability in mind? Here are three easy ways to make your kitchen a greener place for you and your loved ones. Recycled glass tumblers made by … [Read more...] about 3 Easy Ways to Make Your Kitchen Greener
What to Wear in the Yard and Garden
The Great Outdoors—even if it’s in your own yard or garden—can require a little protection from the elements. Let’s face it, outdoor activities in the yard and garden are simply safer and more fun when you’re wearing the right attire. Thankfully, there are lots of stylish and sturdy boots, shoes, hats and gloves that were created to protect you from water, thorns, sun and whatever else Mother Earth can throw at you. The next time you venture out into your garden, consider wearing these cool items of outdoor apparel. Colorful waterproof shoes and boots for wet weather Wet shoes and cold feet aren’t any fun, which is why waterproof Sloggers® shoes and boots have become America’s favorite backdoor shoes. Just leave them at the backdoor and slip them on when you go outside to work in the garden. The colorful Spring Surprise print features bright flowers and a happy little inch worm on a background of either blue or black. A pair of spring-inspired shoes is sure to make working in … [Read more...] about What to Wear in the Yard and Garden
Best new roses for your garden
Rose bushes are the queens of the garden. As garden royalty, roses have a knack for making themselves the center of attention. Sometimes all it takes is a single rose at the peak of bloom to draw our gaze. Because of their size, rose bushes stand out above lawns, groundcovers and flower beds. Roses come in a stunning variety of colors, shapes and sizes, and every year new varieties arrive to steal the show. A delightful selection of new rose varieties is now available. Here are some can’t miss new varieties of roses selected by the editors of Home, Garden and Homestead. A beautiful rose to celebrate Park Seed’s 150th anniversary In honor of the 150th anniversary of Park Seed-- one of the most respected gardening companies in America, Jackson & Perkins has introduced a new floribunda rose called ‘La Park’ Floribunda. Back in 1868 in the small town of La Park, Pennsylvania, a 15-year-old named George W. Park founded a company to sell the seeds he had harvested from his … [Read more...] about Best new roses for your garden
Flowers and flowering plants add color to gardens
Want to add color to gardens? Plant flowers! There are hundreds of varieties of flowering plants that can add color to gardens. These colorful plants are available from websites, mailorder catalogs and local garden centers. In addition to the old favorites, there are always new varieties of flowering perennials, annuals and shrubs that practically demand a spot in your yard and garden. These beauties will thrive in a variety of growing conditions, and they will bring color and delight to your garden. If you want to get even more adventurous, add cold-hardy tropical plants to your garden, too! Lupine Gladiator is a real show-off in the garden Some plants are complete show-offs in the garden. But that can be a really good thing when you’re looking for a focal point in a perennial bed. Attention-getting flowering plants are a great way to add color to gardens. They are guaranteed to brighten-up a dull place in the landscape. Lupine Westcountry™ ‘Gladiator’ is one of those … [Read more...] about Flowers and flowering plants add color to gardens
