Plant Gardens 101

While selecting flowers seeds for gardens or for landscaping purposes, an increasing number of people are selecting wildflower varieties. Botanists and flower enthusiasts advocate against the usage of the term “wildflower”. Expressions such as “native”, “exotic” or “introduced species” are recommended to refer to flowers not logically occurring in an area. Other frequently used terms are invasive species and imported or naturalized varieties. These terms are used to refer to plants launched in an area much earlier and now considered as native to the location.

A wildflower is a type of flower that grows in uncultivated places, indicating that it was not seeded or planted by humans with a purpose. Taking this into consideration, it may seem strange that wildflower seeds of a few mixed species are being sold in seed packets. (more…)

False mermaid family
Limnanthaceae
Lim-nan’theez. A genus of 7 species of w. North American herbs, one of which is cultivated in the flower garden.

Description
Leaves alternate, dissected. Flowers solitary, sepals and petals 3-5 each, usually notched at tip.

How to Grow   (more…)

It‘s not always easy to attain beauty and accomplish perfection, but by following basic guidelines you can ensure a beautiful show of roses. One of the basic tips is to learn how and when to water your roses and keep in mind there are good times and bad times. So to encourage your roses and reward yourself with the best display ever, all year round, just follow these simple steps:

Morning Dew

We all know how wonderful it is first thing in the morning, when the fresh due has settled and everything is coming alive before the sun becomes too warm. This is the best time to water your roses, so they are fresh and prepared for the heat of the day. If you leave it until later, the sun will evaporate most of the water, leaving little chance for it to reach the roots. If you water in the evening the coolness will keep your plant damp, the leaves will stay wet which can cause mildew. However, not all of us are awake with the lark and able begin our watering regime that early. If you can’t water early, do it as soon as you can. If it’s early evening, try not to get the leaves too wet, just concentrate on the roots of the roses. The leaves will take care of themselves by taking in natural moisture from the evening air, keeping them free from mildew, insects, pets and fungal diseases, which can all damage roses. (more…)

All gardeners, from the seasoned professional to the weekend novice, hate to see the onset of weeds in the garden. Weeds threaten the very life of your prized flora and fauna. Here are some of the more common weeds found all across the nation and what you can do to stop them.

When it comes to common weeds, winning the war requires a patient and methodical approach. Pouring synthetic chemicals on your garden or lawn is not only environmentally irresponsible, but often ineffective as well. By sticking to the basics of weed control, you can restore your garden or lawn into a healthy state without breaking the bank on the latest weed-be-gone fad. (more…)

The rose family, which in addition to roses includes many of our most important fruiting and ornamental plants, among them apples, crab apples, pears, cherries, and raspberries.

Garden Sheds – how much space do You Need?
If somebody ever makes a garden shed that can expand in size at the same rate most of us collect the sort of’things’ that finish up in the garden shed, they are sure to make zillions. Till then, it’s lucky there are so many different sizes and shapes of garden sheds available that there’s one to suit each one of us at virtually any of life’s collection points!

For the single man or woman, with only a small garden or yard area there is a fabulous little garden shed 1.52 metres wide by 0.78 metre deep available for less than 200 Australian bucks. It’s sufficiently big to hold a mower, a few basic gardening tools, a bag or two of potting mix, maybe some sporting equipment, a box or two of total junk, and even the garden gnomes your cousin gave your for xmas.

Most garden sheds have a single hinged access door and an easy slide bolt making access quick and easy. When your aunt visits, the gnomes can be quickly utilized. Stand them just outside of the shed and let her know you want them to protect the fairy that lives in the shed. Anyone who’d give you garden gnomes for xmas would believe that, right? (more…)