Gardenig in Japan. Tips & Guides

Be it their color, shape of the petals, patterns, or combinations – these flowers that look like butterfly will remind you of those fluttering beauties!

We’re back for more of Cherry Ong’s visit to a great garden today, one that she saw on a tour organized by the Vancouver Hardy Plant Society last summer. This is a collector’s shade garden, full of lots of beautiful and unusual plants, including a stunning collection of Podophyllum (mayapples; hardiness varies, but mostly Zones 6–9).

Vines are a great way to add vertical interest to your ornamental flower beds, and native vines have the added benefit of supporting native insects. It sounds like a win-win, but vines can also be troublesome if planted in the wrong spot. The following four vining plants are native to the Southeast and thrive in a garden setting; plant them responsibly so they can be enjoyed for years to come.

The flowering time of irises depends on factors like climatic and growing conditions. However, they do have a stipulated blooming period that we’ll discuss below.

Today we’re off to Tennessee to visit Lou Ann’s garden:

So the next time you spot a mushroom growing in the wild, and get confused on whether its name starts with A, or C or D – well, it can be from M!

It is so satisfying snipping fresh greens from a garden for a salad. And it’s fun to add flavors to different salads beyond your standard lettuce varieties. Certain greens, like mustard and arugula, can add a spicy kick to salads, sandwiches, pizzas, stir fries, and other recipes. In this article, I’m going to share some tips on growing mustard greens from seed.

Genetic purity cannot be guaranteed with a species that has been bred and cultivated for centuries. The above Aquilegia flabellata is an alpine species found in Japan and the Kurile Islands. (Flabellata means fan-shaped)

Japanese aralia or paper plant, Fatsia japonica, is a fantastic foliage plant, native to Japan. A medium sized shrub, Fatsia japonica bears glossy evergreen leaves and spherical, ivy-like flowers, followed by black berries. It’s a great choice for a shady spot in the garden, and it can also be grown as a house plant.

We’re tagging along with Cherry Ong today, enjoying pictures from a series of garden tours she went on last June, organized by the Vancouver Hardy Plant Society.

The oldest anthology of Japanese poetry refers to ‘seven plants showing green through the cold earth as harbingers of spring’.

How to Plant and Grow Daikon: Add Some Zing to Your Garden Raphanus sativus var. Longipinnatus

One of my favorite late winter blooming shrubs is Winter Hazel (Corylopsis spicata). It is a deciduous shrub that flowers in my Upstate garden in late February to early March.

How to Grow Japanese Aralia (Fatsia Japonica) Fatsia japonica

Potted Bushes: How to Grow Shrubs in Containers

Apart from being incredibly beautiful to look at, camellia flowers also carry hidden aspects that relate to love, admiration, and cultural significance across different societies.

What if you have the best of both worlds – a classy foliage plant that you can also add to your platter! Sounds delicious? Keep reading!

Carol Verhake gardens in Berwyn, Pennsylvania (Zone 7a), and after two years without getting any snow, she got a beautiful snowfall this winter. Here are some shots she took of the garden looking beautiful under its white blanket. If you want to see her garden during the growing season, check out this post: Carefully Chosen Colors Bring a Garden Together.

Look at these amazing Maple Leaf Tattoo Ideas and blend your love for the natural world with the artistry. Keep reading!

In the rich tapestry of Chinese culture, flowers are symbols of their tradition. Whether you are a gardener or an artist, these will inspire you to grow them for sure!

Winter is a great time to look outside and evaluate the structure of your landscape. It can be easier during this time of year to tell if you need a few more woodies to add structural support. Small shrubs in particular have a lot of utility in gardens. They fit perfectly in beds and borders and can be used in tight spaces where more presence than a perennial is warranted. Here are a few smaller shrubs with impressive foliage that have worked well for us in the Southeast.

A native of China, tea leaves  were delivered around the world in Clipper ships, created the furore at the Boston Tea Party during the American war of independence and still provides badly paid work for workers in India, Sri Lanka, Kenya and China.

Sarah P. Duke Gardens Stroll through the Sarah P. Duke Gardens to discover colorful seasonal plantings, a prairie garden and fruits and vegetables that grow well in the South. Sarah P. Duke Gardens Durham, North Carolina

A Bonsai Tree Tattoo is more than just a design on your skin – it’s a symbol of patience, care, and the beauty of nature. Find out what meanings it holds and what it’ll bring to your life with us.

We’re visiting with Dale Dailey today.

(Deut’zia). A group of leaf-losing shrubs that are beautiful in bloom but are otherwise undistinguished. The flowers are produced from the side buds of the previous year’s growth. Many kinds are known, chiefly natives of China, Japan and the Himalayas. The majority are not perfectly hardy in the North against winter cold and should be given sheltered positions even in the climate of New York City and its environs. The Deutzias are closely related to the Mock Orange, or Philadelphus; they belong to the Saxifrage family, Saxifragaceae. The name Deutzia was given in honor of John van der Deutz, a patron of botany and at one time Sheriff of Amsterdam.

Evergreen shrubs, 5-6 ft. high, with large, glossy, laurel-like green or variegated leaves and clusters of red fruits, each containing a single seed. The flowers are small and not showy, and male and female flowers are borne on different plants. They grow wild in Japan, China, and the Himalayas, and belong to the Dogwood family, Cornaceae. The word Aucuba is derived from the Japanese name of the shrub, aokiba. Aucubas will live outdoors in very sheltered locations near New York City but are generally hardy only where milder winters are the rule.

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A Love Affair with Texture, Stone and Water | Talk & Tour Moving to a new home with no garden, dry rocky soil and huge stone outcroppings was just the challenge this gardener was up for. Starting a new garden from scratch

We’re visiting with Bonnie Plikaytis in north Georgia today.

How to Grow and Care for Weeping Cherry Trees Prunus spp.

When I moved into my house in mid-February a year and a half ago, one of the first things I did was to walk around the yard, and try to figure out what the previous owner had planted. The winter had been exceptionally mild, and she had done little garden clean up, so it was easy to identify the remnants of marigolds, the desiccated hosta leaves and the naked canes of miniature rose bushes. When I came to the front strip, between the sidewalk and the street, I noticed that there was a bare patch of earth, approximately 18” long and perhaps 8” wide.“Grubs”, I thought, or maybe just drought or dog-related grass mortality.I made a mental note to throw some grass seed on the spot come spring.

Asian fruits bring a tasty adventure to your palate! From sweet bananas packed with vitamins to figs' earthy aroma, each fruit has unique flavors and health benefits. Try juicy lychee, creamy jackfruit, or sour starfruit. Dive into the crunchy snake fruit, sweet mangosteen, or the delightful Asian pear. Don't forget the king of fruits – the mango, known for its unbeatable taste and fragrance. Enjoy these delicious treats from Southeast Asia!

Amaryllis flowers have many meanings and symbolism related to life. In Greek mythology, they symbolize determination and pride. In South African folklore, they represent courage and strength. Red ones stand for love, white for purity, pink for gratitude, orange for energy, and yellow for friendship. They make joyful gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, achievements, and comforting moments during tough times.

If you’re thinking about getting a tattoo, cherry blossom trees can be a wonderful choice. These delicate and lovely trees are not just beautiful in nature; they can also make stunning body art.

Lately, I have noticed that the mail-order garden supply catalogs are full of Asian-themed garden accessories such as pots, traditional bamboo fences, and stone lanterns. This seems to go along with the trend toward Asian-inspired minimalism in home décor. In California and the Pacific Northwest, traditional Asian and Asian-inspired gardens have been popular for years. Can a national vogue for Chinese and Japanese gardens be far behind?