It seems that more and more people are looking into gardening and seeing it in a new light. Years ago gardening was viewed as a difficult chore that had to be done in order to have a decent looking yard or to add focus and beauty to a home. Some people also believed that gardening only appealed to older folks. Today people from all walks of life including children, young adults, adults and older folks see gardening as a rewarding hobby that is refreshing and invigorating. (photo courtesy: aboutgardening.com)

If you’ve never gardened before and want to start, don’t be afraid and get started. It is not meant to be difficult and as a matter of fact, it can be lots of fun. There are lots of gardening books and magazines with a wealth of information to guide you along or better yet, ask mom or grandma for advice. Most likely they will tell you how much they enjoy gardening and that it is not a hindrance to start growing your own plants outdoor or indoors. And what a joy it will be when you get to see your flower garden blossom and looking beautiful.

As a starting point, decide what it is that you want to grow in your garden. Don’t make it complicated; you can start with just a bed of colorful flowers initially. Once this is done, look around and maybe plan for an exotic country garden full of wild flowers and shrubs, all different kinds of little trees and shrubs or just go for a backyard full of containers planted with grown plants. This is not difficult to do because you can find lots of information on how you can start doing them. You can also visit your local gardening places and the experts for assistance and ask lots of questions.

Next you need to get the basic tools that you need to start gardening. For starters you will need a trowel, spade, rake, lawn mower and of course plants of your choice to grow. Remember that the kinds of plants to grow will depend on what type of garden you want, the availability of those plants, and the climate where you live. Keep in mind that there are plants that grow only for one season like annuals and there are others that can be cultivated to grow year after year like perennials. Before you buy the plants, make sure you have a basic plan on the space you have available where you want to start your garden. If you have a small space, buy some colorful annuals and perennials as a starting point.

While shopping for your desired plants, be sure to get some potting soil. Before digging any holes, simply place the plants in the area designated for the garden and see how they look. Move them around until you are satisfied with the look of your garden. Follow the planting instructions that are included with all your plants, dig the holes in the ground and plant. As you can see, gardening is not difficult at all and the satisfaction you will get from caring for your garden and watching your plants grow and flower into gorgeous blooms is priceless.

If you have the time and the inclination to create an organic summer garden there are few better ways to go when it comes to the potential impact on the planet. A summer garden is a thing of beauty to be enjoyed by all you invite into your garden. That being said, there are certain pests we’d all like to keep out of our gardens as well. The problem is that the pesticides of the past have undetermined side effects that have the potential to cause lasting harm. If we can avoid introducing those chemicals to our own gardens we are protecting our kids from dangers we may not even be aware of yet and protecting the other animals that may innocently come in contact with our gardens such as birds and butterflies from being harmed by the chemicals present in most common pesticides. (photo courtesy: motherearthbeats.com)

What does this mean to gardeners when it comes to efforts directed towards keeping out potential pests? Quite honestly, it means we are going to have to get a little bit creative in those efforts turning to natural solutions rather than chemicals. One way in which this can quite easily be accomplished is by encouraging animals that prey upon the pests to make your garden their home. Of course, this could potentially bring about its own set of problems but from a gardening perspective it is often very sound reasoning.

Use organic mulch. While this isn’t necessarily a means of pest control it is a wise move when it comes to organic gardening. Not only does the mulch provide the very useful mulching properties throughout the growing season but once the growing season has ended can be turned over and used in order to boost the organic material within the soil. This in turns provides nutrients that are important to keeping the soil fit for sustaining plant life in future growing seasons. For great information on going green in the garden with compost visit The Gardener’s Rake site.

Attract birds to your garden. This has a two-fold benefit for the organic gardener. First of all the birds are often natural predators for many of the bugs that make a nuisance of themselves in the average summer garden. Second, birds leave behind their own little fertilizing additions to the landscape of your garden. Don’t you wish all solutions were this simple?

Keep your garden healthy, well fertilized, water regularly and appropriately, and free of weeds. A good offense is the best defense. A good immune system and constant hand washing are the best defense the human body has against catching colds and viruses. The same holds true for gardens and their ability to fight pests. Keep your garden strong and healthy and it will repel many of the pests that may cripple other gardens on its own. It certainly doesn’t hurt to keep this philosophy in mind and you may be amazed at how well it works.

Organic gardening is more than a plan for your garden it is a return to the ways of old in the world of gardening. For centuries before pesticides were created people managed to live off the abundance of their gardens. It makes sense that by returning to those ideals we can also enjoy great food and a bountiful harvest in the modern world. Make the choice today to make your summer garden an organic garden and reap the benefit in better health and greater enjoyment of the gardening experience. To learn more about going green at home visit Our Green Planet Earth site.

If you’re thinking about starting a garden, the first thing you need to consider is what type of garden you will have. There are many different choices and often it can be hard to pick just one, but hopefully you can narrow it down. And by narrowing it down, you’ll make the gardening experience easier on yourself and the plants. If all your plants are similar, then it shouldn’t be very hard to care for them all. So here are some of the main garden ideas for you to choose from. (photo courtesy: Breck’s)

If you’re just looking for something to look nice in your yard, you’ll want a flower garden. You can easily design a flower garden with perennials and those gorgeous colorful annuals that show up in the spring. Perennial flowers are flowers which stay healthy year-round and are basically called weeds because of their hardiness, only nice looking. Different areas and climates have different flowers which are considered perennials. If you do a quick internet search for your area, you can probably find a list of flowers that will bring your flower garden to life. Breck’s has a great selection of perennials that are of the best quality so be sure to check them out. Perennials usually only require work in the planting stage – after that, you can relax and enjoy them.

Another choice for your garden is to have a vegetable garden which requires a little more work and research than a flower garden, but can be much more rewarding. No matter what time of the year it is, you can usually find one vegetable that is still prospering. You can design your vegetable garden to give you produce almost every day of the year! When starting a vegetable garden, you should build it with the thought in mind that you will be adding more types of veggies in later. This will help your expandability. Once all your current crops are out of season, you won’t be stuck with almost nowhere to put the new crops. A vegetable garden is ideal for someone who wants some produce, but doesn’t want to devote every waking hour to perfecting their garden.

One of the more difficult types of gardens to manage is a fruit garden. It’s definitely the most high-maintenance because when growing fruits, many more pests will be attracted to their sweetness. You not only have to deal with having just the right dirt and fertilizer, you have to deal with choosing a pesticide that won’t kill whoever eats the fruits and hopefully you will consider getting an echo-friendly pesticide. Your fruit garden will probably not produce year-round. The soil needs to be just right for the plants to grow, and putting in another crop during its off-season could be disastrous to its growth process. If you’re willing to put lots of work into maintaining a garden, then a fruit garden could be a good choice for you.

So now that I’ve outlined some of the main garden types that people choose, I hope you can make a good decision. Basically, the garden type comes down to what kind of product you want, and how much work you want to put into it. If you’re looking for no product with less work, go with a flower garden. If you want lots of delicious product, and you are willing to spend hours in your garden each day, then go for a fruit garden. Just make sure you don’t get into something you can’t handle!

Did you know that Peonies are a one-time investment for a lifetime of beauty? And since Peonies roots can be divided again and again, a single planting can provide beauty for many generations to come. As a little girl, I remember that my mother always had Peonies in her garden and so did all the neighbors. That is because mother always shared them with anyone who came to visit so every garden near our home had gorgeous Peonies. (photo courtesy: Breck’s)

Did you also know that if you order your Peonies now you can save over 60% off the regular price? Peonies are planted in the fall for spring flowering and if you get them now, you can enjoy them right in you garden or yard at very special money saving prices. Very reputable companies like Breck’s are offering special prices for anyone who wants to place orders now for fall shipping of Peonies. So the time to buy Peonies for fall planting is now.

Peonies are long lived perennials that produce large flowers in the spring that actually look like roses and are absolutely beautiful. It comes in many colors but some of my favorites are cream, coral, pink, white, rose, scarlet and yellow. Peonies require winter cold to flower and it is best to plant them in a northern exposure and do not mulch in the winter. They grow best in full sun but can tolerate light shade. Be sure to plant them in well drained soil and preferably in a raised bed for proper drainage. (photo courtesy: Breck’s)

Ideally Peonies should be planted around September or October. Dig a hole about 12 to 18 inches deep and about 18 inches wide. Be sure to space them at least 3 to 4 feet apart. Add some compost to the hole and about a half a cup of fertilizer. Be sure the fertilizer is at the bottom of the hole and not on the soil that will surround the roots. Peonies are deep rooted plants so be sure to prepare the soil properly before planting. Add some regular soil to the hole, about half full, then place the Peonies root with the eyes facing upward and work the soil in around the fleshy roots.

In the spring, you can mulch the Peonies with a 3 inch layer of organic matter to control weeds and conserve moisture. In the fall, remove the old mulch and leave the plants without mulch during the winter months. Remember, Peonies need cold weather to promote flowering and growth. Peonies flowers are very large so it is recommended that you stake the plant to prevent them from breaking or bending over. Select stakes that are at least 12 inches shorter than the plants and sink them in the soil behind the plant. Using a soft cloth or plastic covered wire, tie the stems to the stakes carefully. (photo courtesy: Breck’s)

There you have it! Follow these simple guidelines and you too can have gorgeous Peonies in your flower garden. The best part is that you will have them for many years to come. Remember to order them from a good company like Breck’s that offers the best quality and will provide planting instructions. And, as I mentioned before, you can save lots of money by purchasing your Peonies now for fall planting.