Is your flower garden for your enjoyment or someone else’s? We spend lots of time creating a gorgeous flower garden that can be the envy of the neighbors but sometimes forget about ourselves. Often times we don’t really take the time to check the things we should avoid when creating a flower garden. Thinking about the potential pitfalls of your flower garden will lead to much better results for you and not the neighbors. Let me assure you that there are many lessons to be learned when wrong decisions are made when creating your flower garden.
The first thing that comes to mind that we are all guilty of is creating a flower garden for the neighbor’s enjoyment. Now if you spend most of your time outside then this if fine, but if you spend the vast majority of your time inside your home then it is not fine. So when planning your flower garden, plant it in an area that you can easily view from inside your home. Remember that the garden is for your enjoyment and should be planted so that you actually get to view and enjoy its beauty.
If you have a big lawn, keep your flower garden on scale with your lawn to avoid cluttering. In other words, don’t create a tiny garden when you have a big lawn in front of it. It will look out of place and unprofessional. Try your best to keep everything in perspective with the size of your lawn and the area where you will plant a flower garden. Also try to avoid looking as though you have no plan for your flower garden. You don’t have to be a landscaping design expert to just come up with a simple plan to create your garden. Without this planning, your garden could be doomed to look as though it was poorly planned. So do spend some time planning your flower garden and remember to keep it in scale with your lawn.
Another important pitfall when planning your flower garden is actually failing to take into consideration the types of plants and flowers that you want to plant. Ask yourself a few questions when planning this process. What types of plants require little maintenance? What color flowers compliment the colors of the outside of your home? What kinds of flowers should you plant that will not grow really tall and cover your pretty windows? Should you plant annuals or perennials? Should you plant ground cover to compliment your desired flowers? Does the ground cover color scheme match your desired flower colors? Once you’ve answered all these questions, select your plants according to your needs and desires.
The key to having a gorgeous flower garden is to take some time and plan it out properly. You can’t just throw some plants in front of your house and hope for the best. That is not the way to create a flower garden that you will be proud of. Some planning is necessary here. Of course, make sure your planning is done according to your personal taste and desired level of maintenance. Also remember that all gardens do require some maintenance. So do expect to spend some time at keeping your garden looking beautiful at all times.
Here are some other flower gardening sites that I found for you to browse. Thanks for visiting Best Flower Gardening!
William Robinson: Definition from Answers.comWill Rogers Gardens - Wikipedia the free encyclopediaFlower Gardening - Topic - Yahoo! Voices - voices.yahoo.comHigh Desert Flower Gardening? - Yahoo! AnswersBBC - GardeningWashingtonpost.com: Live Online
Technorati Tags: annuals, flower gardens, gardening pitfalls, landscaping design, Perennials
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Keeping those nasty insects out of your flower gardens is a must if you want to maintain a healthy looking garden. There is nothing more annoying than spending lots of time gardening and a few days later finding holes in the leaves your plants. It is truly amazing how quickly pests can damage your plants and kill some of them. There are many products in the market today to get rid of garden pests but some can be quite expensive and not environmentally friendly. But there are some natural insecticides that you can mix at home that will work to get rid of insects and pests.
If you hate caterpillars as much as I do, get rid of them by mixing garlic and hot sauce with water to chase them away. Caterpillars can be very damaging to your plants. Don’t get me wrong, I love butterflies but not the babies so using a natural insecticide will just relocate them to another area. Most natural insecticides act a repellants and not as a way to kill insects. To get rid of spider mites, mix about a quarter of a cup of hydrated lime with water and also add a small drop of soap to help it stick to the plants. Be sure you measure carefully as using too much of the lime could hurt some plants. Soap can be used in different types of mixtures to repel insects, but do be aware that it will wash away with rain or automatic sprinklers.
You can also use horticulture oils that will repel insects by suffocating them. This oil covers insects with an oily film and can damage your crops and gardens as well. Home made sprays on the other hand, can repel those nasty pests and insects and can save you money and also save the environment. The key is to learn how to measure the ingredients carefully so it repels insects and do no harm to your flower gardens. Some gardeners try and use tricks to get rid of insects but tricks are not necessary enough. To get rid of your garden pests and insects you sometimes need to use more than one method to keep them under control.
While insects are not something to be scared about (although those big caterpillars do scare me) you need to be sure that they don’t destroy your flower gardens. What I also recommend is that you teach your children how to safely get rid of insects and what they learn can possibly benefit generations to come. It can’t hurt to encourage them when they are young to take responsibility for maintain gardens and keeping insects away from them. As your children grow older, they will be able to share the insecticide information with their own family.
Who knows? It is possible that your children may pursue a career later in life that deals with gardening, natural insect repellents, farming or even science. Teaching your children about the safe use of insecticides and more importantly using natural insecticides is a gift that keeps on giving for generations to come. Your responsible actions will help nature to thrive and help the environment and your children will be responsible citizens. And, your children will have gorgeous looking flower gardens!
Here are some other flower gardening sites that I found for you to browse. Thanks for visiting Best Flower Gardening!
Bright Blue Garden Hues - Photos - WSJ.comPage 5: Flower Displays Wipe Away Winter Blues - ABC NewsMy Flower Garden PicturesTown of Leesburg : Flower and Garden FestivalUSATODAY.com - What it costs: Garden shows sprout across the USAHorticulture for the Home: Flower Gardening — NDSU
Technorati Tags: flower gardens, gardens insects, insecticides, natural insecticides
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It is not too early to start planning your spring flower gardening. Think of it, spring is around the corner. Even if it is still snowing in your area, think spring and start planning now for that colorful flower garden of your dreams. There are so many beautiful spring flowers that you can get but you can also start by getting your spring bulbs now. While there are lots of spring bulbs to choose from, I especially like Anemones. These are just so unique and beautiful and will give you beautiful flowers from late spring to mid summer. So if you want anemones in your garden this spring, you need to get your bulbs now.
There are hundreds of species of anemones and most of them have become favorite garden plants for generations. Anemones belong to the buttercup family and grow from rhizomes or tubers. They are considered a perennial herb with basal leaves that have long stems and some of the species provide flowers throughout the year. One of the most commonly known anemones is called the poppy and it is a tuberous rooted plant that has poppy like blossoms. Anemones come in various colors but the most common ones are blue, purple, white, crimson and scarlet. There are also double flower varieties where the stamens in the center look like a tuft of narrow petals.
Anemones grow better in a loamy soil that has been enriched with well rotted manure and if you want flowers in May and June, plant them now. When the leaves turn yellow and die, you can dig the bulbs up and place them in a dry room. Anemones thrives in partial shaded areas or even full sun but in southern areas be sure to shield them from the afternoon sun which is the hottest part of the day. So think spring and get your anemone bulbs now. Lots of companies that specialize in bulbs are running specials and this is the time to buy. Here are two of my favorite anemones.
Glacier Anemone
Gorgeous white flowers with a unique purple-blue flame design on the outside of the petals. This unusual combination of colors is very unique with its contrasting blue anthers and small cone-shaped green centers that offset the white blooms. These are ideal for a bouquet of flowers in your home. Thrives in zones 5-8 and likes sun to partial shaded areas.
Poppy Anemone Burgundy
Deep burgundy two inch cup-shaped blooms with a very unique black cone-shaped center circled by a white ring makes this anemone very dramatic and beautiful. This anemone will certainly make a big impression and you can plant these with other spring perennials for a spectacular show. It thrives in zones 6-10 and likes sun to partial shaded areas.
Here are some other flower gardening sites that I found for you to browse. Thanks for visiting Best Flower Gardening!
Maine Flowers Bloom in Trio of Gardens - ABC NewsWilliam Robinson (gardener) - Wikipedia the free encyclopediaThoughtful Gardening - Flower Gardening - Gardens - YouTubeHigh above Manhattan a vegetable garden grows – Eatocracy ...Wild Flower Gardening Video ShowcaseLakeland Yard & Garden Center Flowood MS : Reviews and maps ...
Technorati Tags: Anemones, Bulbs, flower gardens, Spring Blooming Bulbs
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The Butchart gardens are a beautiful floral display located near Victoria on Vancouver Island. The history behind these spectacular gardens states that in 1904 Robert Pim Butchart moved his cement production business from Ontario to an inlet called Tod near Victoria British Columbia.
Due to lack of limestone deposits near the home, Robert Butchart was forced to shut down his cement business in 1916. At this time, his wife Jennie saw the potential to create a garden in the abandoned quarry. Top soil was brought in by horse and cart and the Gardens were almost completed by 1921.
In 1939, the Butchart’s gave the gardens to their grandson Ian Ross to handle general promotion and take care of its operations. In 1953 underground wiring was included to provide night illumination to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Gardens. To celebrate the Gardens 60th anniversary, a Ross Fountain was installed in 1964.
In 1994, the Butchart Gardens were granted a coat of arms by the Canadian Heraldic Authority. To celebrate the Gardens 100th anniversary in 2004, two 30 foot totem poles were installed and the Gardens were designated as a National Historic Site.
There are approximately 50 gardeners employed to plant and care for over 700 hundred varieties of beautiful flowering plants. Each year, the Butchart’s gardens are visited by over 1.2 million people and these have become the leading British Columbia tourist attraction.
Today, ownership of the Gardens still remains in the Butchart family. The owner and managing director since 2001 is the Butchart’s great-granddaughter Robin Lee Clarke. Imagine 55 acres of beautiful gardens and over a million plants used annually to keep these gardens up-to-date. Awesome!
Enjoy,
Diana
Here are some other flower gardening sites that I found for you to browse. Thanks for visiting Best Flower Gardening!
Lakeland Yard & Garden Center Flowood MS : Reviews and maps ...Flower Gardening Tips : How to Grow Delphinium - YouTubeFlower Gardening--Basic Principles of DesignFlower gardening tips on SquidooShould I wait for flower gardening or can I start now? - Yahoo ...May is Garden for Wildlife Month
Technorati Tags: Butchard family, Butchard gardens, Butchart Gardens, flower gardens, manicure gardens, national historic site
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