Greening Ideas, Tips & Guides

Planting a tree takes a lot of thought. We may have to consider if we want a tree that is:

How to Grow and Care for Crown of Thorns Euphorbia milii

If you’re constantly tripping over wayward shoes in your entryway, battling piles of paperwork on your kitchen island, or stepping on LEGOs (ouch!), it’s easy to fall into the frustration a cluttered space can cause.

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!

I am not quite sure where the thoughts of the Orient came from, although the witch hazel at least has oriental ancestry – it may simply be that the yellow, cream and yellow-green contents brought this little perfume bottle to mind, thus bringing thoughts of the Orient to me even if no-one else…

Unleash your inner green thumb and add a touch of elegance to your home with these stunning Plant Collection on the Shelves Pictures. Discover how to creatively incorporate plants into your decor and breathe new life into any room. Get ready to be inspired!

A term which can be used to describe certain plant diseases which reveal themselves as black spots on the leaves. Some are quite startling in the color contrast with the green of the leaf, for example, black or tar spot on sycamore leaves. But the best known of all ornamental plant black spot diseases is that which affects roses, called rose black spot. In this, the spots are usually circular and well-defined but sometimes they are very diffuse and roughly follow the veins in a branched fashion. In the disease of delphiniums called black spot or black blotch, the black spots are of all sizes and very irregular shapes. In black spot disease of elm leaves the spots are shiny, coal black, and slightly raised.

Gardeners today with busy schedules want less work in their gardens, and thus a need is established for plants that do just that. Their focus is more on leaf texture and foliage colour, rather than blooms and pruning schedules, consequently plants that don’t require a lot of care and maintenance are sought after.

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.

A NORWAY MAPLE whose leaves are dark, glistening crimson throughout the spring and summer is horticultural news that opens all opportunities for new landscaping effects. The form known as Schwedler maple has made an effort toward this rewarding goal, but its red changes to green with the arrival of summer. Finally, along comes the postwar variety Crimson King, which really fills the bill. As a result, it is making headlines such as no other new tree has achieved in years.

Approximately 180 species of gladiolus are available to the gardener. Originating from South Africa on rocky slopes, marshy areas and grasslands, they are also found growing in the Mediterranean, Asia and Central Europe. The latin name “Gladiolus” means “small sword”, which is referring to the shape of the leaves and flower spike. They were at one time referred to, as “sword lilies” or “corm lilies”, as the plants are formed from round, flattened bulbs, called “corms”.

Even if you’re not a gardener, you may know the fir tree from the popular balsam firs sold as cut trees over the holidays.  This tree and other related fir trees make beautiful landscape plants, providing a habitat for birds as well.

Tender herbaceous perennial plants, from South America and the West Indies, of the family Cannaceae. They have unbranched, stately stems springing from a fleshy rootstock; large, ornamental foliage; and showy gladiolus-like flowers in dense terminal clusters during summer. They are chiefly used in summer beds and borders. The origin of the name is uncertain.

Most shrubs are low-maintenance plants that grow well for years with little attention. However, it is important to start with species well adapted to the local climate and soils. Thousands of shrubs range from dwarfs that hug the ground to tall, tree-like specimens. Before selecting any for your garden, it pays to look around and study those thriving in established landscapes of nearby neighborhoods. Remember that mature shrubs often look very different from their young counterparts sold in pots.

Recently I went to see a big garden—seven acres to be exact. It was located on some of the priciest real estate anywhere, and it was gorgeous. It took a big crew to maintain it and a big chipper shredder machine to keep it in wood chips. Needless to say, it was bankrolled by someone with a big pocketbook. It also took a lot of big-leaf plants to cover the ground. Small and delicate plants have their charms, but when you have acreage to cover, eyesores to hide, or lots to do other than gardening, big plants are the ticket.

ACER CAPILLIPES Young bark striated with white; young growths coral red, leaves turning crimson in autumn. A. davidii, young bark shiny green, striated with white; leaves usually turn yellow and purple in autumn. Long chains of keys striking. A. griseum, paper bark maple, the outer bark peeling in papery flakes to show the copper-colored inner bark; opening leaves bronze colored, turning red or orange in autumn. A. grosseri, A. g. hersii, young bark green or yellowish striated with white, leaves orange and crimson in autumn. A. pennsylvanicum, moosewood, young bark green striped and patterned with white, the large leaves pinkish on opening turning clear in autumn. A. rufinerve, bark green, with an elaborate pattern of greyish markings, persisting on old trunks; leaves red when young and usually crimson in autumn, when the long chains of keys are attractive.

Columnar or Fastigiate trees

Warmth on the skin feels good physically, but a warmly decorated home? A treat for the eyes and soul. 

The Main Avenue of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show is the heart of the iconic event. An extraordinary opportunity for talented newcomers and experienced designers alike to showcase innovation, creativity and the transformative power of a garden space in the heart of the city and watched by an audience of millions. Tom Massey is back after his 2023 Chelsea Flower Show success, this year partnering with Je Ahn, and familiar faces Ann-Marie Powell, Matthew Childs, Tom Stewart-Smith and Robert Myers are designing show gardens supported by Project Giving Back. 

My brain decided to be very, very angry on Friday. So angry in fact that I had to go and see a doctor and get some very strong tablets. But even those didn’t make it go. I’m sure like many of you who suffer from migraines you’ll understand what I felt like. Not wanting to go into too much detail, this one was particularly bad and I kept having to chat with the loo. This one even stopped me going to work, so I had to email the client I was supposed to be going to that day, they were very understanding. I tend to get them regularly if I’m unlucky 3-4 times a month, but if I’m lucky just twice a month. I put it down to that time in a woman’s life, but I started to get them just before I turned 40, and now 7 years on they’ve still not improved. They usually last an entire day, but sometimes they last a couple of days as this one seems to be, but they have lasted 4 days before and that gets really tedious.

You can grow any one or all of these pink indoor vines for that beautiful cascading affect that’s full of vibrant hues!

Peppers that grow upwards are easy to find as they are not hidden in the dense foliage, making it really easy to know which one is ready or not!

These black monsteras have an intense dark green hue, which makes them appear like if they have a night like shade!

Do you know how long you should keep bedding before replacing it? While it depends on the bedding type, it’s common knowledge that a mattress typically lasts a decade, and you might be shocked to learn that your bedsheets and pillows have an even shorter shelf life. Experts say that both should be replaced after about two years, and since high-quality bedding isn’t exactly cheap, you might want to stock up on bedding whenever there’s a sale. Luckily, some of the best bedding deals are happening right now.

The record existed until 1976 when Bob Ford of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, USA exhibited a 451 pound specimen at the U.S. Pumpkin Contest in Churchville, PA. Yearly International Competition was revived again in 1979 when Canadian Howard Dill of Windsor, Nova Scotia won his first of four consecutive international pumpkinship titles at the Cornell Contest in Pennsylvania. Mr. Dill’s first world record of 459 pounds came in 1980 which he supassed in 1981 by harvesting a 493.5 pound pumpkin.

By the Pond Lady

Many years ago herbs were considered invaluable; they cost dearly to buy and were very difficult to find.  Yet now, herb plants can be grown by seed offered by mail order, plants can be purchased practically everywhere and fresh-cut and dried culinary herbs at the local grocery store.

Tropical plants which are grown for the sake of their large, ornamental leaves; they are natives of South America and belong to the Arum family, Araceae. The leaves, which develop annually from tubers, are heart-shaped and richly colored and vary from 6 in. to 2 ft. in length; the flowers are interesting but of minor importance. The origin of the name is obscure. For Caladium esculentum see Colocasia.

BEAUMONTIA GRANDIFLORA (Beaumon’tia)

A particularly tough house and greenhouse plant with long, broad, evergreen leaves. It is a suitable plant for planting outdoors in shady places where winters are mild. Even at New York City it has been known to live outdoors for several years, but the winters there are too severe for it to thrive. It is a native of China and belongs to the Lily family, Liliaceae. The word Aspidistra alludes to the form of the flowers and is derived from aspidiseon, a small, round shield, and probably refers to the shape of the stigma.

If you are someone who loves to have that tropical vibe indoors but also don’t want to wait long to achieve that – well, don’t worry! We have some super cool plants that will go lush quickly!

Ever seen plants that look like a person's funny bottom? Nature has a sense of humor, giving us plants that playfully resemble human butts. From cheeky succulents called Lithops to comically bottom-shaped Butternut Squash and peaches with a peachy behind, there's even a plant named «Horse’s Balls.» Find out more below.

Succulent plants are the camels of the vegetable world, storing up food and water to be used not on a rainy day, but during a period of prolonged drought. This may last for a few weeks or, in extreme cases, plants have survived without rainfall for over a year. This water can be stored in either the leaves or the stems of the plants, depending on the type.

All About Orchid Pseudobulbs and How to Care for Them

Discover the funny side of gardening with plants that resemble boobs and breasts! From Breast Milk Fruit to Boob Cactus, these plants might make you giggle. Just be careful, some lookalikes are poisonous, like the Nipple Fruit. Learn more below.