Summer is the season for gardening, and it’s also the time to read the best new gardening books. There’s something delightful about finding a comfortable spot outdoors and reading a great book. It’s one of the joys that makes summer special. This year we have a bountiful crop of great new gardening books for summer reading. So, pour a cold glass of lemonade, pull up a chair and get lost in the best new gardening books for summer reading. Editor's Note: Home Garden and Homestead is a proud member of the Amazon Associates Program. We earn a small commission (at no cost to you) when you click on a link and make a purchase. Thanks for supporting our website! The Urban Garden In cities and towns across America (and the world), urban gardeners grow plants of all kinds in whatever space they have available. The Urban Garden is a book for anyone who gardens in limited space. Authors Kathy Jentz and Teri Speight both have roots in the Washington, DC area, and their new book … [Read more...] about Best New Gardening Books for Summer Reading
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Why We Kiss Under Mistletoe–Christmas Mistletoe Plant Facts
Why do we kiss under mistletoe at Christmas? What are the Christmas mistletoe plant facts? The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe started way back in 16th century England. The custom traveled to early America, where kissing under the mistletoe was mentioned in a Washington Irving short story, “The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.” In Irving’s day, whenever a couple kissed under a mistletoe sprig, they took off one of the white berries. When all of the berries were gone from the sprig, the kissing power stopped. How’s that for good luck? Mistletoe Once Symbolized Romance, Fertility, and Vitality At Christmastime, we think of kissing under a sprig of mistletoe. In the 21st century, that mistletoe sprig might be artificial. Yet, most folks (like me!) prefer the real thing and order fresh or dried mistletoe to carry on the "kiss under the mistletoe" tradition. Some scholars believe that the ancient Greeks started the kissing tradition when they celebrated … [Read more...] about Why We Kiss Under Mistletoe–Christmas Mistletoe Plant Facts
Plants for Pollinators
Why should you grow plants for pollinators? For starters, bees, butterflies and hummingbirds are colorful and interesting visitors to any garden. And without these pollinators and the plants that support them, there literally wouldn’t be gardens. Unfortunately, many of these winged jewels are in trouble. The populations of many species of butterflies, hummingbirds and bees are being threatened by shrinking natural habitats that provide them food and shelter. According to Kylee Baumle, author of The Monarch: Saving Our Most-Loved Butterfly, gardeners have a crucial role to play in pollinator health. Growing pollinator plants and creating pollinator gardens is vitally important in maintaining populations of bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. What Does a Pollinator Garden Look Like? At first glance, a pollinator garden might look like a typical flower garden. It’s dominated by perennial plants that flower in a rainbow of colors. But a pollinator garden contains a … [Read more...] about Plants for Pollinators
Attract Butterflies to Your Garden
If you’re like an increasing number of gardeners, you want to attract butterflies to your garden. Butterflies are truly the winged jewels of our landscape. Not only are butterflies beautiful, they serve the greater purpose of helping to pollinate plants and provide food for other important insects in the pollinator food chain. While monarch butterflies are my current focus, they weren’t always. But as most gardeners soon learn, one thing in the garden leads to another. When you plant a seed, you learn about soil. When plants grow in your garden, you learn about weather and the insects those plants attract. With more insects, more songbirds are likely to visit your property, too. See what I mean? One thing in the garden really does lead to another, and another, and … So, if you want to attract more butterflies to your garden, it’s helpful to know what plants and plant attributes butterflies enjoy. Keep the following tips in mind and you’ll be on your way toward having a … [Read more...] about Attract Butterflies to Your Garden
