Blues Ideas, Tips & Guides

Every gardener is familiar with the extraordinary effectiveness of vines in a proper setting, but most of us become discouraged after bad luck. The daintier vines have a habit of developing some unknown illness and dying back unexpectedly, while those which thrive usually do too good a job of it. Many a porch has collapsed under the weight of a husky vine, and many a fence has eventually been relinquished to the stranglehold of some plant which was merely intended to decorate and drape it . . . not to take possession. The lusty vines, which are coarse in growth and bloom, may have a definite place in our gardens, but they are just about as subtle as Niagara Falls.

Against a backdrop of gently swaying tall Grasses, this garden recreates the look of a prairie wildflower meadow. Make sure you have enough room for the Saccharum Grass-it gets huge! If space is limited, you may want to use Calamagrostis `Karl Foerster’ in its place. Give this garden a full day’s sun and average soil. Before planting, clear the area of existing grass or weeds. After you have installed the perennials, sow seeds of a nonaggressive Grass, such as Little Bluestem, between them. These will grow into tufts of pretty meadow Grass, lending even more of a naturalistic look while helping to suppress weeds. Just a late-winter cutting of the dried Grasses and stalks is all the maintenance you’ll need to do. Since all of these wildflowers are from sturdy stock, they’ll need supplemental watering only during periods of drought. From midsummer through fall, this little piece of prairie will sing with color.

No garden is complete without at least a few containers for seasonal color. I always specify locations for planters when I create a new landscape design, with the intention of keeping them filled in every season. Although many gardeners keep their containers filled with annuals in summer and cut greenery in winter, there is another option. Planting a dwarf evergreen that can remain in its pot for several seasons will provide structure and texture every month of the year.

When it comes to sculptural form in the garden, it’s hard to compete with a well-grown agave (Agave spp. and cvs., Zones 7b–11). With sizes ranging from 6-inch rosettes to hulking 12-foot giants, there really is a perfect plant for every garden or container. Most are striking enough in their natural tones of green to blue, but some have raised the bar a bit higher, adding highlights of white and gold to the palette.

Learn how to grow a cute mini lavender tree that not only looks pretty but also smells lovely! Choose the right variety like Hidcote Blue or Munstead, find a sunny spot, and use well-draining soil with occasional watering. Give it a trim after blooming, and watch out for pests. Simple, right?

Vinca minor is, as my father used to say, neat but not gaudy. Sometimes known as periwinkle or myrtle, this creeping perennial appears everywhere. Like a good soldier, vinca hits the ground running, and does its task efficiently, even under adverse conditions. Parts of the suburbs are virtually upholstered with it, but you can even find this undemanding evergreen stalwart keeping vigil among neglected monuments in long-abandoned cemeteries.

I am very prone to love at first sight. In fact, it happened just last week. I saw a tall southerner “across a crowded room”, as the song says. My heart stood still (as another song says). I was enraptured.

Flowering fiesta Bright Color

This year, when gardeners look at plant and seed catalogs, I think they will be inclined to go for the safe and familiar. After all,  even optimists need a sense of security. It will probably be a banner year for roses of all kinds, with reds selling well. The ongoing vogue for cottage flowers will probably continue to be strong. In fact, the wildest thing many people will invest in come spring will be a few of the more bizarre coleus cultivars.

Big Leaf Succulents are awesome for any garden, big or small. They're easy to take care of and come in cool varieties like Snake Plant, Giant Blue Echeveria, and Sunburst Aeonium. There's also Felt Bush, Whale's Tongue Agave, Madagascar Palm, Black Rose, Paddle Plant, Dinner Plate Aeonium, Tree Stonecrop, Foxtail Agave, Donkey Ears, Flapjack, and Tree Houseleek. Check them out for some leafy goodness!

Transforming your barren, coastal home landscape into a seaside oasis can be an impossible task to imagine undertaking. The constant challenges of poor, sandy soil, shifting dunes, glaring sun, strong winds, and salt spray could be enough for many to throw in the trowel. Paying attention to the microdimates around your coastal nook can help you to create the perfect Etera Shoreline View garden. The plants in this Etera signature collection are adapted to survive in well-draining, droughty soils, but it is always wise to improve the soil with healthy topsoil and compost, as well as using additional drip irrigation while the plants are getting established. Mulching the garden with compost, seaweed, or other organic material will seal the soil against moisture loss and erosion and continue to improve your garden’s bloom. The Shoreline View collection will especially benefit in a position sheltered from the wind, such as nearby a fence, wall, or hedgerow, or on the leeward side of a sand dune. A combination of smart garden techniques and sturdy Etera Perennials that thrive in tough seaside conditions allows you to garden against all odds in the surf and spray of America’s coastal villages

Pansies are annual garden flowers (blooms for only one year, then dies) that are usually the first you find for sale in stores in spring.  Pansies have been around for many years and are popular, being easy to grow and so colorful during the cooler days of spring and fall.

The colors chosen in the planning of a garden are very much a matter of personal taste but there are particularly pleasing combinations.

Today I went out my back door and noticed that one of my rosebushes was, unexpectedly, sporting a fresh new flower bud.  It was within a day or so of opening up–small, greenish and obviously defiant of the season.  The bud was an oddity on a rosebush that is itself an oddity.  When I bought the small white-flowered shrub last summer it had one blossom that was half white and half red, and looked as if it had been half-dipped in red paint.  Though my February bud was not a “half and half” flower, I took its appearance as a harbinger of spring, plucked it, and delivered it to a friend who shares my belief in such things.

The name originates from the Greek anchousa, a cosmetic paint (Boraginaceae). Alkanet, bugloss. Cultivated species are usually perennials or biennials, noteworthy for their blue flowers. The plant long known as Anchusa myosotidiflora is now correctly known as Brunnera macrophylla.

Hardy perennial and annual plants of varying heights which bloom in June and July chiefly; the original species or wild types from which the modern beautiful varieties are descended are natives of California, Siberia, Syria, India and other countries. Delphinium Ajacis, originally from eastern Europe is one of the plants from which the annual Larkspurs have been raised. Delphinium belongs to the Buttercup family, Ranunculaceae. The name is an old Greek one.

From the Greek gala, milk, ago, to lead; the plant was used as fodder for cattle and goats and was thought to stimulate the flow of milk (Leguminosae). Goat’s rue. A small genus of hardy herbaceous plants with pinnate leaves, useful for the border. The only species likely to be found in cultivation is G. officinalis, 3-5 feet tall with spikes of bluish sweet-pea‑shaped flowers in summer and autumn. It is variable in flower colour and has several varieties, including alba, white flowers, and hartlandii with larger flowers of a better lilac than the type. Cultivars include ‘Duchess of Bedford’, mauve and white; ‘Her Majesty’, clear lilac; `Lady Wilson’, blue and white flushed with pink.

As with fashion, floriculture also has its trends. Dutch botanist Jacqueline van der Kloet signals two color trends.

When acquiring plants for a shade garden, remember that plants grow slowly in the shade, so get large plants. Plants often grow differently in the shade and some experimentation with size and blooming times are in order. The following plants grow well in deep shade.

During the winter months many plants reveal subtle patterns, fine details, and a new range of colors that help us to see familiar beds and borders with fresh eyes. This is an excellent time to get outside, evaluate your garden’s bones, and make some plans for spring planting. In this episode Danielle, Carol, and their guest will explore some of the plants that fly a bit under the radar in winter months, but certainly deserve more attention. Do you have any of these underappreciated wonders in your landscape? If not, you may want to start digging holes as soon as the ground thaws to ensure that some of these unsung heroes get some well-deserved garden real estate. Will any of these winter beauties make it onto your wish list this year?

This time of year, it’s easy to succumb to the winter blues—which is especially true if you live somewhere that gets dark early.

A conservatory has many uses, as a garden room, dining room or even a spare bedroom! Once you have a conservatory you will want to spend a lot of time in it, so get the location and aspect just right before you begin. So many people thinking of a conservatory forget about the garden and then live to regret it!

Violet Viola odorata, the sweet violet, is a hardy perennial, parent of the florist’s violets, many of them sweetly scented. The soil should be rich and moist but well-drained. Plant the crowns in the open in a sheltered, shady position in April, or in September for winter flowering in a cold sunny frame. Propagation is by runners removed in April. Other runners that are produced during the summer months should be removed and discarded.

From the Greek eri, early or ear, spring, geron, old, possibly referring to the hoary leaves of some species (Cornpositae). Fleabane. Hardy herbaceous, daisy-flowered perennials some of which continue to flower intermittently throughout the summer.

There are many different types of flowers to grow in your garden, adding interest, colour and food for wildlife. Types of flowers can range from annuals to perennials, climbers to ground cover, and spring flowers to summer flowers. Flowers also come in a variety of different shapes, sizes and colours.

Conifers may have a history reaching back 300 million years and cover wide stretches of the northern nemisphere but as garden plants they have long been out of favour. That may be changing. Innovative use at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show last year demonstrated how conifers can add structure to a garden in a relaxed way. 

We’re in Northridge, California today, visiting with Terry Sanders:

These awesome Hydrangea Tattoo Meaning and Ideas go way beyond just looks—they’re packed with hidden meanings! From symbolizing gratitude to expressing heartfelt emotions, check out hydrangea inks and get some cool ideas for your next tattoo!

Easyplant has released its list of plant trends for the new year, along with aesthetic styling tips to match every plant.

Variegation in pothos depends on a lot of factors that can make or break the colors and streaks on its foliage. Let’s understand them in detail to get the best hues on its leaves!

13 of the Best Purple and Blue Potato Varieties

Mat Reese is head gardener at Malverleys in North Hampshire, where, with its owners, he has designed and developed a modern English flower garden over the past decade.

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Pink mulhy grass thrives in a a well lit, arid environment and enjoys the company of plants that have a similar growing requirements. This article will suggest you some top choices that you must grow with it!

Succulents that look like rosemary are easy to care for and great for those who want a herb substitute. Blue Chalksticks and Blue Straws have leaves like needles, similar to rosemary. Stonecrop is a good choice, but not as tall, and Gold Moss Sedum is a fast-growing miniature version of rosemary. Watch Chain Plant and Miniature Pine Tree also resemble rosemary, and Bush Senecio is a low-maintenance option with similar leaves.

Over many years and for changing reasons, my laundry routine has varied significantly. When I was only in charge of my stuff, I was strictly a detergent and dryer sheet kind of girl. Now, I’m firmly a fan of detergent pods and dryer balls.