Chose the right type of hydrangeas for your area, and these flowering shrubs will always make you smile. Hydrangeas are some of the most popular and sought-after flowers. But because of the variety of hydrangea species, they often cause great confusion. This article will simplify these beautiful flowering shrubs and explain how to grow hydrangeas. Success with hydrangeas comes down to three things. The first is choosing the perfect type for your region. Second, planting them in the right location. And finally, knowing how to care for them. How to Grow Hydrangeas: The Best Type for You When most people choose to grow hydrangeas, they choose specific varieties with the flowers they want in their garden. This might backfire when it comes time to grow hydrangeas, however, because some of the species behave very differently, which affects blooming. Knowing which type you’re considering, and matching it to the weather in your area, is key to seeing flowers on your … [Read more...] about Hydrangea Happiness: How to Grow Hydrangeas
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A Handy List of Edible Flowers
Edible flowers are extremely popular right now. That's why I compiled this list of edible flowers. Having a list of edible flowers that can serve as a reference point for safe and delicious choices is more important than ever. Eating flowers is not a new practice. In fact, people have been eating edible flowers for more than 2,000 years. But let me be clear: not all flowers are edible. It is important to ONLY eat flowers that can be positively identified as safe and edible. That’s the first commandment of edible flowers. Please do not eat any flowers until you have read The 10 Commandments of Edible Flowers. And check this list to make sure that flower is edible. Common Names and Botanical Names It’s important to know not only the common name of a plant but the botanic name as well. The common names of some plants and flowers can be totally different from one area to the next and from one country to the next. That’s why both the common names and botanic names of … [Read more...] about A Handy List of Edible Flowers
Best Flowering Vines for Vertical Gardening
Flowering vines are a gardener’s secret weapon—especially when you run out of horizonal gardening space. If you have a small garden space and you still crave more plants, the answer is as simple as vertical gardening with flowering vines. Even if you still have horizontal growing space, vines reaching heavenward add another dimension to your landscape. There’s something magical about a clear blue sky behind masses of white blooms on classic morning glory vine. Or, fluffy white clouds floating behind cascades of lavender-blue flowers on a blooming wisteria. Even misty rain filling the tubular orange flowers on trumpet vine can make you smile and feel good. Flowering vines give a garden an appealing romantic look. They tease you to come hither and entangle your thoughts and emotions with them. They curl and wind their way around trellises and arbors and across the tops of fences. Some flowering vines even tantalize you with their sweet smells. Most vines are heavy and … [Read more...] about Best Flowering Vines for Vertical Gardening
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
Grow Your Best Garden Ever
Would you like to grow your best garden ever? Well, great gardens don’t just happen. They certainly do not magically appear in your yard. So, the sooner you plan and start your best garden ever, the sooner it will begin to manifest in your yard. A great garden is typically the result of careful planning. Most extraordinary gardens are created over a period of years using the garden plan. Add a few happy accidents that happen along the way, and you have the recipe for a special horticultural wonder that will be the envy of the neighborhood. Don’t Be Afraid of Small Failures Talk to experienced gardeners and garden experts, and most will freely admit to buying plants that did not survive in their gardens. Karen Park Jennings, the former president of Park Seed, once told me, “I’ve learned a lot by killing plants.” That’s part of being a gardener. Some gardeners will even admit that some of their favorite plants arrived as volunteers in their garden. One of the healthiest … [Read more...] about Grow Your Best Garden Ever
