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Bringing delicate delight to home gardens, few insects are more appreciated than butterflies. Butterfly gardening in Western Massachusetts involves growing plants that provide nectar-rich, butterfly-attracting flowers, foliage for caterpillars and shelter from wind. Plants should also be suitable for U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 5. Gardening habits, as well as planting and design, influence the success of butterfly gardens.
Germinating tomatoes in cubes requires a base tray and a few other key items. Germinate tomatoes in cubes with help from the owner of Eden Condensed, a small space garden design in Los Angeles, California, in this free video clip.
Starting a butterfly garden will soon have your winged friends flying all over your backyard. Start a butterfly garden with help from an experienced gardener in this free video clip.
Few insects are as welcome in home gardens as butterflies, flitting between blooms on warm summer days, as pretty as flowers. Butterfly gardens in Dallas should include a range of plants that host caterpillars and butterflies, and are suitable for U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 8a. Some plants are hosts for specific butterflies, while others attract a variety of species. Keep pesticide use to a minimum to avoid endangering the butterflies visiting your garden.
Day lily (Hemerocallis spp.) fans know what rose (Rosa spp.) aficionados have known for years -- there can only be one star of the garden. With their exuberant foliage and clouds of day-long blooms stretching over weeks in early-, mid- or late-season, day lilies hog the spotlight. For company, they need foliage that will contrast and blooms that will complement or fill in before early blooms or after the last day lily fades.
Deer will eat nearly any green plants if they are hungry enough and their preferred diet is in short supply. There are many shrubs and perennial plants, however, that they will not eat under normal circumstances. Some of them will require supplemental water during the dry Sonoma County summers, but some are drought tolerant and a few will grow in salty conditions.
You don't need an expensive pot to cook a fine meal, and the same principle applies to compost. The recipe for compost is simple: Mix dead vegetation, food scraps, water and air. The shady spot where the garbage-to-compost transformation takes place can be big or small, fancy or homemade, as long as it keeps the ingredients together for six months. You can buy compact bins to fit small gardens or build low-cost compost bins from materials in your garage.
Working in an office all day can make a person long to be outdoors. Consider adding a beautiful miniature office garden to liven up a drab work space. Group together carefully selected green plants that can thrive under fluorescent lights in a waterproof, shallow dish that's terra cotta, resin or ceramic. The space where it will be displayed will determine its size; shape is personal preference. This type of small office garden, often referred to as a dish garden, provides an easy and inexpensive way to bring a little bit of nature indoors.
Watch an incredible transformation as caterpillars turn into magnificent butterflies right in front of your eyes, in as little as 18 to 21 days. Butterfly garden kits include everything you need to start your own butterfly habitat, including the live caterpillars. If your garden lacks a little activity, a butterfly kit may be just what you need, but the activity will be short-lived. Butterflies have a life span of only approximately two to four weeks.
Multiplying succulents is easy, so long as you're following just a few basic steps. Multiply succulents with help from the owner of Eden Condensed, small space garden design in Los Angeles, California, in this free video clip.
Pruning is one thing - pruning using the right technique is something else altogether. Learn how to prune with help from the owner of Eden Condensed, small space garden design in Los Angeles, California, in this free video clip.
Landscaping a small garden is a really great design opportunity that shouldn't be taken for granted. Landscape a small garden with help from the owner of Eden Condensed, small space garden design in Los Angeles, California, in this free video clip.
Growing succulents for your wedding always requires you to keep a few very important things in mind. Grow succulents for your wedding with help from the owner of Eden Condensed, small space garden design in Los Angeles, California, in this free video clip.
There are a lot of different varieties of sage that would all make great additions to your garden. Learn about caring for and trimming of purple sage with help from a small space garden designer in this free video clip.
Attracting hummingbirds to your high country garden is easy, so long as you follow a few basic steps. Attract hummingbirds to your high garden with help from a landscape designer and horticulture writer in this free video clip.
Home landscapes can be as beautiful in the winter as in summer if you plan ahead. For example, brilliant red stems take center stage after the leaves on red twig dogwoods fall. Several dogwood species are marketed as red twig dogwoods, all growing 3 to 8 feet tall, depending on cultivar. Like many other plants, they thrive in moist, sunny locations.
With their sweet, crunchy fruit and ease of growth, Asian pear trees are an ideal fruit tree for a home orchard. Numerous companion plants have been suggested for Asian pears, including nitrogen-fixers and protective plants that fight disease and insects. It's also essential to intersperse the right kind of pollinating species within Asian pear orchards to produce a quality fruit crop.
Blue Jade corn is an heirloom variety of sweet corn that grows a bit shorter than other corn varieties, but is still a heavy feeder with a quick growth habit. Blue Jade benefits from companion plants that provide nutrients into the soil and repel pests. This is one of the only types of corn that can be planted in containers. In the garden, you can achieve the best growth results from this plant by planting it around legumes and certain protective species.
If you're stuck with a tiny front yard, or you live in an apartment, you may think picking your own freshly grown produce and flowers is just a dream. Think again. You don't need a sprawling yard to have your very own at-home garden filled with the veggies and blooms you love. A small-space garden only requires some planning and effort. “Don’t be discouraged if you don’t have a lot of space," said Susan Littlefield, horticultural editor for the South Burlington, Vermont-based National Gardening Association. "You can still harvest, even if it’s a few herb plants on a windowsill. You…
A faux bois planter provides a creative way to display your potted plants and flowers both indoors and out. A faux bois planter features a wood grain texture to its exterior, which gives the planter a look of real wood. Many faux bois planters are fashioned to appear to be tree stumps. Instead of purchasing expensive commercial planters, create your own faux bois planter using relatively inexpensive products you can purchase at home improvement stores.
A privacy wall serves as a barrier between you and your neighborhood when you are in your yard. It also creates a screen that discourages others from crossing and can increase the property value of your home. However, installing a permanent privacy wall is not always an option. You can make a privacy wall with planters for a fraction of the cost without installing a permanent structure. The living wall creates attractive greenery, enhancing your landscape’s appeal.
When cities run out of room they begin to build up vertically. You can use the same tactic in your garden by constructing a strawberry high-rise. Traditional strawberry planters are tall clay pots with holes in the sides that allow you to cultivate multiple plants in a small space. Use lightweight, inexpensive PVC pipe to create a durable alternative to a fragile pottery planter.
Water gardens add beauty, serenity and even monetary value to a home. They range from small, still pools of water to large, elaborate ponds with filters and fountains. Water gardens can even be portable if they are created in containers. Because of the wide variety of types and sizes, specific details for making a water garden vary. The basic steps, however, remain the same. One step involves carpet underlayment, which is used to protect the water garden lining.
Flame-retardant sprays for plants are available for artificial specimens only. Although natural plants also are combustible, the fire-safety chemicals probably are toxic to real foliage and flowers. It is unlikely that your local fire code requires you to keep treated artificial plants at home. In commercial buildings, the situation is different: It is the law in many states that only fire-resistant plants be used as decoration in public settings.
An offset smoker can turn out perfectly cooked meats of all types with a rich and hearty flavor. The basic smoker consists of a firebox or damper, which provides the heat, and the cooking chamber. You light a fire in the firebox and smoke pours through a hole between the two areas, which lets the smoke slowly cook and flavor the foods in the cooking chamber. Making your own brick smoker allows you to determine its shape and size.
Brick and stone townhouse facades require periodic maintenance and renovation, as the stones and bricks may crack and the mortar joints may crumble and deteriorate. Brick and stones are also prone to moss, vine and mold growth. Plant roots may invade the facade, compromising its integrity. Mold and mildew do not affect structural integrity, but they are unsightly and very difficult to remove, even with a power washer. Moldy regions must be hand-scrubbed with a bleach and water solution, intended to kill the mold and mildew. Cleaning and repairing a townhouse facade will go a long way toward improving the…
Concrete planter pots are strong, waterproof and ideal for outdoor use but concrete is a fluid until set, so to make concrete planter pots you will need a mold. Fiberglass molds are lightweight, strong and can be used to form a variety of simple and complex shapes, including planter pots. You can use fiberglass molds to make concrete planter pots cheaply and efficiently, both at home and on an industrial scale.
When grown in pots, orchids add tropical color to a room. Though many of these versatile plants are available for sale in venues from the local grocery store to specialty nurseries or wholesalers, the variety of species -- which number more than 30,000 -- can be overwhelming. When buying, potting and caring for your own orchids, choose species that thrive in your home’s specific light, temperature and humidity conditions, and create potting mixes using the most appropriate combination of ingredients for each type of orchid.
Vines give your garden height and structure, and hide unsightly features, such as cracked walls or unattractive views. Many perennial vines thrive in full-sun conditions. Some have beautiful flowers and others are grown for their attractive foliage. Give your perennial vines a sturdy support and plenty of room for their roots to spread out for best results.
Plants and flowers grow in a range of environments, from the outdoor garden to hanging baskets or countertop pots. Gardeners who want distinctive looks can grow their plants in enclosed cages and terrariums. Gardeners who have minimal space may plant very small specimens in hollowed-out light bulbs. These specialized terrarium situations present a special challenge with regard to placement because of their rounded edges. You can build a variety of "stands" for light bulb planters to hold them in place and display them.
Over the years, anecdotal evidence that supports the concept of companion planting has accumulated, and many gardeners practice companion planting as a matter of course. Companion planting is the practice of planting vegetables, herbs and flowering perennials in particular configurations that are thought to benefit plant growth, increase yields and control pests.
Begonias are grown for their attractive flowers and succulent leaves. More than 1,300 species exist, and — due to the ease with which they may be hybridized — more are being cultivated constantly. Begonias are members of the family Begoniaceae. Most begonias grow best in shade, but a few actually prefer full sunlight.
Trilliums are also known as wood lilies and are members of the Melanthiaceae family. Native to the Northern United States, these plants reach heights of up to 2 feet and spreads of 1 to 1 1/2 feet. Trilliums are known for their lovely blooms that thrive in full or partial shade. While trilliums are resistant to damaging insects, they are commonly browsed by deer, which can damage the plant.
When the leaves of your aquarium plants are dying, they will turn brown. It’s normal for your plant to shed some leaves during its life cycle. If the brown leaves are few and far between, you can trim off the dead leaves to allow for new growth. However, if the entire plant is turning brown, there may be a problem with your tank environment.
Good landscaping consists of strategic use of softscapes like trees, shrubs, flowers and grass, as well as hardscapes such as walkways, driveways, patios and edging. With the wide range of edging materials that are available, choosing the right type for your landscape design can be confusing. Pavers are an attractive and inexpensive way to create edgings near your home.
Concrete planters can be used anywhere around the home, as an interior decorative element, or a landscaping tool in the yard. Concrete planters are long lasting, sturdy and heavy enough to keep them in place during wind gusts. Concrete is also porous, which makes it ideal as a planter material, since excess water can drain out easily. Quikrete is a brand of ready-mix concrete which requires only water to prepare.
Pot risers, also called pot feet, help lift planters off the ground to allow for adequate drainage after watering or rainfall. Risers limit damage to the surface below your pots, keeps hot stone patios from warming the soil and prevents the plant from sitting in a saucer of standing water. While you can purchase pot feet from most garden centers, it’s just as simple to make them yourself in an afternoon.
Plants grown primarily for their foliage offer a rich contrast in color and texture for the flower border. They also provide garden interest for a much longer period than flowering plants, which often bloom for only a week or two. In annual pots and planters, foliage plants often provide the “spillers,” cascading over the edges of the pot and providing a foil for the blooms of the other annuals in the mix.
Common landscape plants in southern Florida and the Southwest, the firecracker plant (Russelia equisetiformis) is covered with small, red, tubular flowers for most of the year. Growing three to five feet tall and at least twice as wide, this finely-textured shrub grows best in full sun and well-drained soil. For best results, combine firecracker plants with companion plants that thrive in the same conditions. Firecracker plant is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant zones 9 through 11.
Rue (Ruta graveolens) is both a decorative plant and an herb. It’s native to southern Europe, grows to about 3 feet tall and thrives in all but the coldest of conditions. It has tiny blue-green leaves and yellow flowers, and is used medicinally, decoratively and even as a condiment. "Companion" planting with rue, using a broad definition, means planting it with anything that is mutually complementary. A more narrow definition involves planting it with anything in which it repels insects or other damaging forces to that other plant.
Chia is a variety of fast growing grass that germinates quickly in moist conditions and forms thin, hair-like blades. It is most commonly known for growing in the popular Chia Pets which come in a variety of shaped planters, but the seeds and the blades are also edible. You can make your own planter for chia seeds and grow them at home using basic supplies. Grow chia seeds with kids to give them a quick and easy introduction to gardening.
A brick garden wall can be an attractive piece in your yard, but it can become an eyesore if it's not well-maintained. The constant exposure to the elements can cause the mortar to crack. This not only makes the wall look bad, it can destabilize it as well. Patching the cracked and missing mortar can protect the wall, keeping its appearance intact and holding the bricks in place.
Create another world within your own backyard by utilizing patio space to construct a Japanese garden. Japanese gardens serve as sanctuaries for spiritual retreat and contemplation, and these gardens are therefore steeped in nature. Utilize assorted natural items when designing your garden, such as stones and boulders, water features and small trees. As you are creating your garden on a patio, stick to smaller plants whenever possible for container and planter purposes.
If deer are hungry enough, as they often are during droughts, late winter or while pregnant or nursing, they will eat almost any ornamental shrub. However, deer find certain species of shrubs less attractive than others. When choosing dense, deer-resistant shrubs for those shady spots in your landscape, look for species with pointy, tough foliage; waxy, thick sap; pungent-tasting and smelling foliage or flowers; gray-, blue-green or hairy leaves; and shrubs that contain toxins.
Roses combine naturally with herbs, sharing cultural requirements and each enhancing the others' beauty. Roses are effective in the formal herb garden, with climbers providing an attractive backdrop, or shrub roses as anchors. Miniature roses create a colorful border or accent in a casual herb garden design. Roses themselves are herbs, with their long history of medicinal and culinary uses. Many common herbs provide a measure of biological protection against insects and diseases.
Vegetable gardens bring bright joy and harvests to home gardeners, but require preparation, careful planning and maintenance. They can also require large spaces if they include larger bush plants like tomatoes, corn and okra. Vegetable gardens don't have to be big and overwhelming, though, and avid gardeners learn to put every scrap of available land to use when possible. If you have a narrow side yard without much space, amend the soil and plant compact plants for a small-scale vegetable patch.
Dwarf lime trees are ideal for growing on patios or balconies due to their shorter height and compact size. These trees are often grown in pots so they can also be relocated indoors during winter. If you want to grow a dwarf lime tree, it’s critical that you make the proper planter for it. The planter must not only protect the roots, but the soil must provide everything the tree requires to thrive.
Sun-loving varieties of coleus sport foliage in brilliant shades of red and burgundy, setting the landscape ablaze with color from late spring until fall. Although some coleuses develop the richest color when grown in a shaded area, these coleuses deepen in color when grown in full sun. Many gardeners are reluctant to let go of summer flowers when fall arrives, leading them to bring the flowers inside for the winter. Although the entire plant is unlikely to survive, taking cuttings to produce new plants and growing them inside until spring is a workable solution.
Most herb gardeners are familiar with dill as a flavor enhancer for sauces, fish, breads and pickling vegetables, but many are not aware that the plant works to protect its neighbors in the garden. Dill deters cabbage worms from attacking cole crops, including cabbage, kale, kohlrabi and broccoli, Brussels sprouts and others. Dill prefers a couple of feet of space in weed-free, moist garden soils that are situated in sunny locations. It is an herb that benefits a variety of garden settings and grows well with many plants.
Companion planting is a natural way of inhibiting pests and diseases in your garden. Creeping thyme functions as ground cover and its fragrance discourages some harmful insects while attracting others that are beneficial. Grow it as a companion to members of the cabbage family to prevent cabbage worms, or near eggplant and roses to attract predators for aphids and whiteflies. Creeping thyme, also known as wild thyme or mother-of-thyme, works well as a border plant along with day lilies or in between stepping-stones in a garden or pathway. You may start it by sowing seed or with a potted plant.
