Once you know where you want your garden, start preparing the area carefully. This is a good time to start getting the necessary gardening tools that you will need. You can buy gardening tools at any nursery or any store that sells gardening supplies. For starters get a tiller because you need to turn the soil in the garden area and it will be easier using a tiller. If you are going to plant tall plants and shrubs you may want to get a round point shovel in order to dig deep into the soil. You may also want to get a large spade for digging into the soil when you are ready to plant your regular flowering plants.

Let’s talk about the soil in the garden area. Good nutrient rich soil is a must! What I mean here is that if you don’t have good soil, your garden will not prosper and your plants will not survive. Keep in mind that soil is not just dirt. Soil is a live matter that needs to be fed in order for it to feed your plants. So go ahead and add some fertilizer to the soil to feed the soil microbes. This controls the flow of nitrogen, sulfur and other nutrients that are essential for plant growth. Start by turning the soil in the area where you want your garden and mix it with some compost.

As soon as your garden area is ready and the soil has been treated, start shopping for the flowering plants you want in your garden. Make sure you choose plants with similar care instructions. What I mean here is that you should buy plants that need to be fertilized and watered about the same time. Remember, not all plants are made equal. Place them all in the garden area just to see if the design and color scheme is what you want. If you are satisfied with the way your plants look, go ahead and start planting them. I also recommend that you read the planting instructions included with each plant.

There you have it! Before you know it you will have a gorgeous garden to be proud of. What I’ve given you here are just simple gardening tips. My recommendation for you is to get The Gardeners Handbook for detailed information on creating the flower garden of your dreams. This gardening handbook is full of great ideas on how to create a garden that won’t take all your spare time or cost you a fortune.

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Camellias come to mind as a favorite winter flowering plant that you can add to your garden. One preferred winter blooming camellia is called japonica and as the name infers, it is native to Japan but widely seen in Korea and China as well. It is also the official state flower of Alabama and also called the rose of winter. Although many hybrids have been developed from the camellia japonica, one of the most beautiful of all camellias is the Alba Plena. The flowers are pure white and extend 3 to 4 inches across. It blooms early winter and can continue blooming into spring. (photo courtesy: wikipedia)

You can also plant American winterberry (Ilex verticillata) and it will add gorgeous color to your garden with its bright red fruit that only ripe in the winter. The American winterberry is a species of holly that is native to eastern North America in the US and southeast of Canada and south to Alabama. During the summer months, the winterberry plant has large green leaves and it blooms with flowers bearing up to eight petals each. When the cool weather approaches, the winterberry will begin to loose its foliage and the plant will display a splash of bright red berries. Those bare branches covered with red berries will add much needed color to your flower garden.

If you don’t want to plant flowers in your garden during the cold weather, plant some in containers inside the house and place them in your window sill. The paperwhite narcissus is a gorgeous plant that is easy to plant in containers and it blooms during the winter. The white flowers come up in bunches and are very fragrant. It is best grown as a house plant and you can force it to bloom around mid December. Unlike other narcissus, paperwhite does not require chilling to promote blooms. The bulbs begin to grow as soon as you plant them and flowers appear in about 3 to 4 weeks. Remember to buy your bulbs from a reputable company like Breck’s for the best quality. Just follow the instructions that are included with your purchase and you will have beautiful flowers properly displayed on your window sill during the winter months. (photo courtesy: wikipedia)

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For starters, do some research on late blooming flowers and chances are that you will find many varieties. If you like lots of color in your flower garden, choose plants like Zephyranthes Robustus (also known as grandiflora) with gorgeous clear pink flowers. They bloom late summer through fall bearing pink flowers that resemble a lily. The growth is just about ten inches tall and these can be planted on rock gardens or you can mix them with your ground cover plants. The leaves are deep glossy green and the flowers grow straight up giving your flower garden a stunning look. Zephyranthes Robustus likes full sun and medium wet soil. (photo courtesy: wikipedia.com)

Another late blooming flower for you flower garden is Salvia Uliginosa which is considered a herbaceous perennial. Be careful where you plant this one as it can grow up to six feet tall. You can plant this one as a background flower in your garden. This is a pretty plant with lots of thin stems and yellow-green leaves with serrated edges. The flowers are bright blue with a white line in the throat that points toward the nectar and the pollen. Salvia Uliginosa starts blooming in the summer and bears lots of flowers well into the fall.

And of course, let’s not forget about the old time favorite Chrysanthemums that are known as true fall flowers. The gorgeous mum like flowers will add beauty and color to your flower garden. Although Chrysanthemums are sometimes called the golden flower, they come in white, pink and red also. You can plant them in your flower garden or in large containers that you can place in a patio or any other place that you want to brighten up. Chrysanthemums are herbaceous perennial plants with deeply lobed leaves and large flower heads and are easy to grow. Mix all the colors in one container for a stunning look in your flower garden. (photo courtesy: wikipedia.com)

While it is actually too late to plant those summer flowers that bloom into the fall, you can still have a colorful flower garden by just getting Chrysanthemums in different colors. There are other blooming flowers that can add beauty to your garden in the fall and Chrysanthemums is just one of them that will last for months to come. And your garden does not have to look dead in the fall.

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To mention a few, there are plenty of heavy bags and pots to be carried, holes to be dug, weeding to be done, planting new plants, and pruning old ones. Almost every muscle in your body gets a workout when you do all these things. If you don’t garden regularly, be sure to stretch out before you start working even if your goal is not to workout or get exercise. You should also pay attention to your posture when gardening. I’ve seen some gardeners hunched over or bending over for a long time and this is not good for your back. My advice here is to take frequent breaks and give your back a rest.

To me, weeding and pruning gives you the best workout when gardening. Your legs will get a great workout because of the constant standing and crouching. If you have weeds that are difficult to pull out, you will be giving your arms a good workout just from the effort needed to remove those nasty weeds from the ground. If you have lots of weeding to do, be sure to switch arms and positions to spread out the work between different areas of your body.

Another great way to get exercise is by carrying and lifting those heavy bags of soil and large heavy pots around the garden. Just think of it this way. Between the nursery and your home you will have to move the bags and pots several times like going to the checkout, to the car, to the garden and then spreading them out where you want them. As long as you remember to lift with your legs and not your back, transporting bags and pots can give you a fairly good workout, even though you probably don’t make those purchases very often.

Mowing your grass can also be a great exercise. If you’ve got an older mower that isn’t self propelled, just the act of pushing it through the grass will give you more of a workout than going to the gym. During the course of mowing the grass, you use your chest, arms, back, and shoulders to keep the mower ahead of you. Your thighs and butt also get worked a lot to propel the mower. Not only do you get an all around muscle work out, but it can improve your heart’s health too. It’s good for you as a cardiovascular activity, as well as a great way to loose weight due to the increased heart rate and heavy breathing.

So like I told you earlier, gardening is not just a chore that needs to be done. It can also be a great way for you to get in shape and possibly loose some weight. Remember that it is a good thing to stretch out before you head over to do some gardening. Also, drink lots of water and don’t forget to use sunscreen. You need to avoid dehydration, sunburn and pulled muscles at all times. Just have fun gardening and you might even end up being a healthier person.

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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.

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It has been said that hollyhocks go back to ancient Roman and Greek times and these existed in lots of their gardens. Some say that they were planted amongst lilies and roses and hollyhocks were also depicted in ancient art work. The Romans used hollyhocks in many culinary recipes and the ancient Greeks used it as a sacrifice to Apollo in many celebrations and also for medicinal purposes. In Greece, the roots of hollyhocks were used to treat indigestion, toothache, inflammation and even earaches.

Hollyhocks are also found in many cottage gardens and the reason might be that these types of gardens don’t really have any design to speak of. In a cottage garden, flowers are usually planted together and all over the place so that it looks like the flowers grow wild. So in country cottage gardens, anything goes and it is okay to just plant flowers any way you like. Cottage gardens are informal where you may have a path that leads to the flower garden and nothing more. But one thing is for sure, you will see hollyhocks planted there because these require very little care.

Hollyhocks come in many colors but the most popular ones are pink, red, rose and white. Most of the bloom from July to September and can grow up to 6 feet tall so be sure to plant them in an area in your garden where these will not crowd your other perennials. Ideal places to plant hollyhocks are fences and walls where these can create a backdrop for other smaller flowers. Hollyhocks tolerate drought conditions and do well in full sun.

When you plant the seeds, Hollyhocks will only bear leaves for the first year. It is recommended that you add some compost to the soil when the leaves die and mulch around the plant to protect them during the winter months. Don’t worry, hollyhocks do well in zones 3-9 and are very hardy so these will come back in the spring. And because these are perennials, you will have them for years to come. If you don’t have any seeds and would like to have hollyhocks in your garden, check out Breck’s as they have some plants that come already established in 3 inch pots. You can then start saving the seeds and adding more hollyhocks to your flower garden every year.

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This beautiful flower is extensively grown as ornamental plants and the most commonly found garden iris is the bearded German Iris. Other types of hybrids have come along which are crosses between tall and dwarf varieties.

The bearded irises are easy to cultivate and propagate and are popular in many gardens. The reason is that these grow in any type of garden soil and a little peat moss. Dwarf irises are early bloomers meaning that these bloom in full from March to May.

It is important to mention that Iris plants have rhizomes (a horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found above or underground) that sit at the top of the soil surface. These rhizomes are used in perfume even today and in medicine during ancient times. I also found out that dried rhizomes are given whole to babies to help in the teething process, and Magellan Gin uses iris root and flower for flavor and color.

There is so much history about this beautiful flower that it is much too much to mention here. For example, the iris has been associated with France as Louis VII adopted it as a symbol in the 12th century. The iris is almost the universal symbol of scouting and one of the symbols adopted by the sorority Kappa Gamma.

In addition to the above, the iris is the symbol of Brussels since historically Saint Gaugericus Island was carpeted in them and the iris is now featured on the flag of the Brussels Capital Region. The iris is also the state flower of Tennessee and featured by many other states.

As you can see, there is enough history about irises to write a book, but the one thing we all agree on is that irises are absolutely beautiful flowers. Here are a few of my favorites.

Iris ‘Jennifer Rebecca’ – Botanical name is Iris x germanica Jennifer Rebecca

This is re-blooming tall bearded iris that re-blooms heavily again in the autumn. It was introduced by Zurbrigg in 1985 and it sets its first and heaviest flush of flowers in late spring. Jennifer Rebecca is known to be a dependable and generous bloomer and has ruffled, fragrant pink tone flowers in the spring and lavender in the fall. It tolerates heat and humidity and grows well in zones 3-10

Iris Louisiana ‘Bold Pretender – Botanical name is the same

Here is a Native American water plant that some gardeners love to plant in ponds and alongside streams. It loves wet, soggy soils that most other perennials like to avoid. The flowers begin in early to midsummer and are two tone red blooms. It has been said that there is no such thing as a true red iris but this variety comes close.  Bold Pretender was bred by Morgan in 1983 and has become a favorite for many gardeners. Plant them in very moist soil, grows well in zones 3-9.

Iris ‘Best Bet’ – Botanical name is iris x germanica Best Bet

Here is another iris that will bloom twice. The first and heaviest bloom is in late spring and then early summer. This gorgeous iris with its light and dark blue combination of colors makes it a highly prized cut flower for arrangements. The plant reaches about 3 feet tall and up to 24 inches wide, and grows well in zones 3-8

Iris x Germanica Immortality – Botanical name is the same

Another beautiful re-bloomer that blooms first in early summer and then again in late summer. This iris was introduced in 1982 and has been the winner of several awards for its unique beauty. It has pure white petals and lemony color beards. Immortality grows just 29 inches tall and spreads about 18 inches wide which is ideal to mix with other taller irises in your garden. It likes full sun and grows well in zones 3-8.

To your gardening success,
Diana

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Did you know that you can have a thriving flower garden in the autumn? Yes, you can! There are lots of autumn blooming bulbs that you can plant now and these will bloom next fall. Plant them this year and as other flowers begin to disappear in your garden, next year beautiful blooms will appear in the fall season.

Start visiting your local nursery or shop online for autumn blooming bulbs and get busy in your garden. Next year, you will be glad you planted your bulbs when you see the flowers come up. To help you get started, here is a short list of some autumn blooming bulbs that you can plant now.

Autumn Crocus ‘The Giant’ – Botanical name is Colchicum Speciosum ‘The Giant’

Rose color flowers streaked with white will appear from this bulb. See the picture below. This is a very easy plant to grow. Just set the bulbs in well drained, moist soil in a sunny area of your garden. The Giant is pest resistant and grows well in zones 5-8. It blooms from early fall to mid fall.

Colchicum Cilicicum – Botanical name is the same

A native of Turkey, if you like Colchicums this is one of the most reliable to plant in your garden. It blooms freely with about 15 flowers per bulb. The flowers are about 2 inches and the shade is a dark rosy-purple. When the flowers die, large 1 foot strap-shaped leaves will appear. Colchicum likes full sun, well drained soil, and grows well in zones 4-9. Blooms early fall to mid fall.

Autumn Crocus ‘Waterlily’ – Botanical name is Colchicum Waterlily

Somehow, the blossoms of this colchicum resemble floating waterlilies. Large, 4 to 5 inch lavender-pink double flowers appear on leafless stems in mid-autumn. It is easy to grow, just plant the bulb in well drained soil. Colchicum likes full sun, it is pest resistant and grows well in zones 5-8. Blooms early fall to mid fall.

Hardy Cyclamen Neapolitanun – Botanical name is Cyclamen Neapolitanum

Wow! This Cyclamen is hardy to -20 degrees Fahrenheit. It offers masses of lilac flowers with rich dark ‘eyes’. The petals curve upward above variegated, heart-shaped foliage. You can plant this bulb under trees, shrubs or pots as it likes the shade. Blooms early fall to mid fall and grows well in zones 5-9.

To your gardening success,
Diana

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Ground cover plants are basically low maintenance plants that spread out to cover any area where you plant them. They can protect bare soil from erosion, can be planted to cover up slopes and banks, or just have a beautiful carpet on the ground with bright colors. There are many varieties to choose from, most of them grow less than 24 inches tall, and thrive in just about any type of soil.

What I normally do is to try and match the color scheme that is already in my garden. For example, I have red Roses in the front of my house and red and white Pentas all around the edge. To cover a few bare spots that I have, I bought white ground cover plants. It looks great because the white breaks the red color nicely and I am basically not changing the colors I already have.

If you have some bare spots in your garden, just visit your local nursery and get some ground cover plants. Or, if you prefer to buy online, Proceed to this site. It is a good source to buy from. Here are some of the ground cover plants that I am familiar with:

Bee Balm Coral Reef – Botanical name is Monarda Didyma

If you like butterflies around your garden, then this ground cover is for you. Coral Reef has a rich minty scent that attracts butterflies. A native of North America, this plant thrives even on wet soil and has been seen along side of creeks and ditches in some areas.
Coral Reef requires no special attention and will spread quickly. You can thin the plants out every year and start another bed elsewhere in your garden.

Coral Reef hot pink blooms begin early summer and continue until the fall. Plant them in full sun and keep it in moist soil and you will have beautiful flowers all summer long. Coral Reef grows to 36 inches tall and up to 48 inches wide, and thrives in zones 4-9.

Bergenia Redstart – Botanical name is Bergenia Cordifolia Redstart

This one is an evergreen ground cover that you can use in just about any location for year-round beauty in your garden. Although it is a low growing plant, it is very vigorous and forms mounds of leathery, dark green foliage. The leafs are heart shaped and in the spring, gorgeous 18+24 inch bloom stalks appear which are covered with bright red flowers. Bergenia Redstart is only 6 inches tall, loves full sun, and grows well in zones 3-8.

Blue Fescue Boulder Blue – Botanical name is Festuca Glauca Boulder Blue

A must have for every gardener as this ground cover tolerates poor, dry soil. If you have some hard to plant areas in your garden, then consider planting Boulder Blue as this plant will grow anywhere and tolerates just about any drought conditions, extreme heat and poor soil. Boulder Blue has silvery blue foliage that will continue year-round held in a cascading mount for an awesome look. It grows to 8 inches high and 10 inches wide, it is maintenance free, loves the sun, and thrives in zones 4-8.

As I mentioned before, there are many varieties of ground cover and listed above are just a few of the ones that I am familiar with. When you purchase them, be sure to follow the instructions given for each plant and you will have beautiful color in your garden and all your bare spots will be covered.

Technorati Tags: flower garden, garden flowers, Gardening, ground cover flowers, Perennials

Because of its beauty, Crepe Myrtle breeding programs have been established in the US and Europe generating a wide range of plant sizes, various growth habits, different color flowers and fall foliage colors. As a result, there are approximately eighty different species in the botanical name of Lagerstroemia.

Crepe Myrtle can be described as a multi trunk medium to large shrub or tree. The trunks or stems are smooth, fluted like, pale brown with sort of like peeling bark. The leaves are green and oblong shaped and depending on the climate, the color of the leaves can turn to various hues. The flowers are ruffled and you can get red, white, lavender, and pink colors. The petals have broad fringed blades with their lower portions narrowed into long, slender claws.

There are several botanical names for Crepe Myrtle that go back in history but the Lagerstroemia is very popular and native to Asia, although popular also in India, China, Bangladesh, Nepal, Burma, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Japan, Philippines and Australia. One of the first species was Lagerstroemia Indica which was described by Charles Linnaeus in 1759 and he used the name Lagerstroemia in honor of his friend Magnus von Lagertroem who was an avid naturalist and director of the Swedish East Indies company.

Crepe Myrtle requires very little care but according to most gardeners, you should never prune them where you actually dehorn the plant. Cutting them too low actually stops the plant from flowering effectively. You can go ahead and remove dead flowers from the shrub or tree and this will enhance the flowering performance of the Crepe Myrtle. Just be careful and don’t go too low with your cutting.

The most common types of Crepe Myrtle that you can get at any local nursery are dark pink flower Miami and Tuscarora, red flower Tonto, lavender flower Muscogee, white flower Acoma and Natchez, pale pink flower Biloxi and bright pink flower Sioux. You can plant these in any type of soil but must be a sunny location and be sure to use some compost at planting time to hold the soil together for rapid growth.

Crepe Myrtle produce crepe like flowers all summer long and in the warmer climates it can go on blooming long after the fall season. Somehow, when I think about Crepe Myrtle, I envision warm summer days. And As I mentioned before, the flowers are beautiful and so is the tree or shrub in itself. It is just a very attractive plant that will add awesome beauty to any flower garden or landscape.

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