Gardenig in Greece. Tips & Guides

Aster ‘Mönch’ at the gardens of St Giles House in Dorset

Nodding Ladies’ Tresses (Spiranthes cernua) is a beautiful terrestrial orchid native to the Eastern United States and Canada in USDA planting zones 5a to 9b. In Greek, Spiranthes is derived from the Greek words speria (coiled) and anthos (flower), and the species name cernua is Greek for cernuus, referring to the drooping flowers. The Greek or Latin derivates of scientific names often describe specific characteristics of a plant.

Mystery and romance are two words that come to mind when thinking of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. It’s mysterious in that its existence is only known through descriptions in ancient Roman and Greek documents; to date, no physical archeological evidence has been uncovered. In fact, the exact location of this fabled ancient feat of engineering is uncertain. It is believed to have been built by the Neo-Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II for his wife, Queen Amytis, because she longed for the verdant, mountainous landscapes of her homeland—a romantic gesture indeed. The gardens were fabled to be lushly planted with species of her native landscape as well as trees and shrubs from faraway lands. Dripping vines were utilized to mask and soften the edges of the massive structural walls. In modern days, newly conceived landscapes often lack a sense of mystery, romance, and antiquity. Fast growing and adaptable in their functionality, evergreen vines can create gardens that feel mysterious, romantic, and mature beyond their age.

Most flowering plants bloom once a year or less. Some even take decades to produce a single flower that lasts for a day before withering away. But with our selection of perennials that bloom multiple times a year, your garden will never lose its floral charm.

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The topic of fruiting quince came up the other day when a friend shared just how productive his tree was shaping up to be this year. Everyone present enthusiastically chimed in with our own quince experiences, memories, and recipes. We all appeared to have had a grandmother with a quince growing in her garden, who would use the fall-gathered fruit for cooking, jellies, jams, to add oomph to apple pies and ciders, and for medicinal—sometimes even alcoholic—purposes! Though most varieties of quince need to be cooked to be enjoyed in our particular climate zone and are firm and astringent at harvest time, this fruit has an avid fan club and is adored for many reasons.

Flanking our waterways in great mops of silver green, the willow is the most poetic and mysterious of trees. In many cultures – including ancient Egypt and ancient Greece – it was associated with immortality, death, and the underworld; old English folklore states that if you sit beside a willow and shed tears, the tree will cry with you. In China, where the weeping willow hails from, it represents strength and resilience, reflecting the instruction in the Tao Te Ching to have a flexible attitude: 'A tree that won't bend, breaks easily in storms.' Being pliant and strong, willow is used for weaving, and its light weight and hardness make it the best wood for cricket bats.

It means I've added another quick and easy seasonal recipe to my courgette glutbuster repertoire: courgette tzatziki. It's perfect for a summer lunch when the usual cucumber glut hasn't materialised. Serve with plenty of warm or toasted wholemeal pitta bread, and this recipe serves two generously.Ingredients 1 medium courgette, grated Grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon + 1 tsp lemon juice 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped + enough extra reserved for garnish — use what you have to hand which is more 'traditional' in flavour; I use Moroccan mint from the garden 1 tsp garlic powder (or 1 crushed garlic clove) 1 tsp dried oregano (or chopped fresh if you have it) 200g whole milk thick Greek yoghurt Method Place the courgett

Tips for Growing Golden Beets Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris

These assassins of the plant kingdom are so toxic that a nibble can be the last thing you taste! This article will help you identify and steer clear of fatal flowers that can even kill a human.

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) is a deciduous shrub in the olive or Elaeagnaceae family. It grows naturally in Asia and Europe, including Britain where it’s considered native to the sand dunes of the east coast. It’s been introduced elsewhere in the country, often to stabilise dunes, but has spread and become invasive. It retains its foliage until late into autumn and tends to shade out other plants. This is a particular problem in the UK on sand dunes, where thickets of sea buckthorn can outcompete the local flora. As a nitrogen-fixing plant, sea buckthorn also enriches the soil in dunes, making it less suitable for other dune species that have evolved to grow in soil conditions with low nutrients.

Urban Garden Retreat Follow this gardener's journey to cultivate a neglected yard into a joyful (and award-winning!) urban garden retreat in Maryland. Meet our 2020 Reader Garden award winner: Anne Barone!

Hi GPODers! While most gardens could certainly be described as “special” this space gives that adjective even more meaning. Today we’re looking at the memorial garden that John Svinos created for his late father in New Jersey:

While pruning a neighbor’s much neglected Hydrangea paniculata recently, I found myself musing on the history of this genus in American gardening, whose popularity has waxed and waned through the years. Grown throughout the country in its many forms and employed in countless ways, Hydrangea has found prominence in every style of garden. Often, hydran­geas have been taken for granted and left unattended, like this one I was pruning. Yet even among such disregard, this versatile ornamental lives on, winning over new generations of fans.

We really love the creative cheese recipes taking the world by storm. But many of these viral videos lean on the sweet side (for instance, air-fried Oreos, peanut butter cups, and crème brûlée), so having a savory option like the beloved whipped feta is a nice break. When we made and tested the recipe, it just took one bite, and we were hooked.

The beauty of the brightly-hued daisy-like cosmos flower is undisputed, but is there something more to it? What sets this blossom apart in the far-reaching world of blooms? Read on to find out the meaning of the Cosmos flower and why everyone should grow it!

Learn About Bird’s-Nest Orchids Neottia nidus-avis

Most flowers are filled with grace and beauty, but even in the world of blooms, some are undisputed champions. Our exclusive pageant for the Prettiest Flowers handpicks aren’t just stunners but come with oodles of personality. Check it out!

Olive branch tats are steeped in history and symbolism, and they can look super cool. We’re talking about some design ideas that will inspire you, whether you’re a peace-loving hippie or just someone who digs a classic look!

From fashion to home design to food, trends seem to come in cycles. While we’re not quite sure if we’ve circled all the way back from wide legs to mom jeans and back to skinny jeans again (please clue us in if you know!), one thing we know for sure: cooking over live fire is never going to go out of style.

Rainwater harvesting is the practice of collecting and storing rain for reuse, rather than letting the water run off and be absorbed into the ground or channeled into drains, streams, or rivers. It is one of the easiest ways to conserve water at home while also lowering your bills. Whether you opt for a custom-designed system or a simple rain barrel collection method, harvesting rainwater is a smart and sustainable choice.

A lilac bush can be a bit dull when not in bloom, but the larger forms can be livened up by sending a climber through them.

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If you think bark is solely a holiday treat, think again. We’re talking edible bark—think peppermint bark, chocolate bark, and other variations of this crisp, chilled treat that so often make appearances in holiday cookie swaps and gift boxes. Many of us might associate bark (mainly peppermint bark) with cozy holiday memories, but bark is actually also the perfect warm-weather treat: As temperatures climb, a cool treat is sometimes exactly what you’re craving.

Mention Mediterranean gardens and you’re likely to imagine alfresco dining, soft colour palettes, citrus trees in terracotta pots and sun-loving perennials, all awash with the heady scents of herbs such as lavender and thyme. But you don’t need to travel to Greece or Italy to enjoy this kind of outdoor living. Mediterranean-style gardens are becoming more popular in the UK as many areas become more susceptible to drought, due to the climate crisis. Planting with species that have naturally evolved to live in hot, dry conditions means your garden will be more resilient in dry periods and more sustainable in its use of water – an extremely precious resource during our increasingly hot summers.

Much like the tradition of birth stones, the origins of birth flowers are shrouded in mystery. But it's likely that since the time of the ancient Romans, people have been assigning seasonal flowers to the months of the year, the better to use them as gifts and decoration for those born in that month. It's a pretty loose tradition, and opinions vary on the correct birth flower for some months; most, in fact, have ended up with two. Some of these work best when planted in a garden, others are spectacular flowers for bouquets and arrangements. Scroll down to find your own birth flowers, and you'll know what flowers to order when your birthday rolls around.

Lemon balm is one of those herbs I associate with a soothing herbal tea. A calming tea blend is what led me to start growing this fragrant member of the mint family (Lamiaceae). While lemon balm doesn’t have the sophisticated underground runner system that mint has, it does like to reseed itself. In other words, plant it once and you may never have to plant it again! In this article, I’m going to share some growing tips, as well as why growing lemon balm in pots may be a better option than planting it in the ground. Lemon balm is native to the Mediterranean region and Central Asia. Its healing history dates back to Greek mythology. And while i

Repeat flowering old Rose varieties do what it says in their name however the first 5 in my Top Ten only flower once per year but still inspire.

Ferns are one of the most versatile plants to add texture and softness to a shade garden. Northern (Adiantum pedatum) and Southern (Adiantum capillus-veneris) maidenhair ferns are native to the Southeast. When planted in the right conditions, they add an airy and ethereal touch to a shady area.

The Umbels family are far from humble when grown well. When grown badly like Hemlock (conium maculatum) they are poisonous, even fatal but many species such as carrots, parsnips and fennel are edible or even medicinal. The Greeks and Romans knew a thing or too (until Hemlock killed Socrates)

Lavender, the beloved favorite of every household, brings with it a myriad of associations that we should take the time to understand!

How to Grow Flavorful Greek Oregano Origanum vulgare var. hirtum

How to Harvest Feverfew

How to Grow and Care for Calanthe Orchids Calanthe spp.

A genus of hardy herbaceous perennials, some of which are useful border plants, the dwarf species are good rock garden plants. Several are natives of the British Isles but those valued for gardens are from Europe, South America, and the Near East.

Mostly evergreen shrubs, chiefly from tropical America, belonging to the Pea family, Leguminosae. They grow from 6-50 ft. in height, have pinnate, dark green, glossy leaves, and bear golden-yellow flowers in terminal clusters in summer. Cassia is from the original Greek name Kasia.