Ground Ideas, Tips & Guides

Whenever I am working to resolve water problems in a landscape, I must acknowledge that water will always win. The best we can do is creatively direct it toward the areas where we would like it to end up, with a focus on minimizing erosion damage and retaining as much water as possible for use on site. Plants can be part of the solution, and some erosion control systems even double as useful outdoor spaces like patios and walkways. Here are a few ideas to get you thinking about how you can manage rainwater in your own garden.

Today we’re in Phoenix, Maryland, visiting Sally Barker’s beautiful garden:

I am hoping for some coloured Heucheras for Fathers day later this year – well hope is free!

Oxalis triangularis, also known as false shamrock, is an eye-catching bulbous perennial that makes an excellent and long-lived house plant. Bold, dramatic foliage in shades of dark purple to wine-red creates a striking contrast to blush-white flowers borne in summer. The leaves are three-lobed, hence the name of shamrock which it resembles, though is not actually related to. Oxalis triangularis is native to from Brazil. Its leaves have extra fascination because they open during the day and close at night.

Yellow ferns are not entirely of that color but have a mix of green, canary, and orange in their fronds. Do not mistake them for ferns that have diseased and yellowing leaves, though!

Sowing a seed directly into the ground, nurturing it, and reaping the rewards is one of the easiest gardening activities you can do—yet many gardeners don’t. There are many reasons to direct sow. Often, you’ll have earlier harvests because the seeds will germinate when it’s the perfect time to grow, and stronger seedlings because transplant shock isn’t an issue. Planting seeds in general (instead of buying transplants) gives you more varietal options, and you can also save a lot of money (1 packet of 30 to 150 seeds often costs less than a 6-pack of plants). And then there is the personal satisfaction factor. Ask any child who has planted a sunflower seed how they feel when that flower towers over their head, and you’ll understand what I mean.

A weed is often described as ‘a plant growing in the wrong place’. But with growing awareness of the many benefits of ‘weeds’ to wildlife, along with the increasing popularity of naturalistic planting styles, the concept of a ‘weed’ is becoming looser, and can vary from one gardener to another.

Since last autumn, I’ve regularly discovered fresh holes in the lawn as well as scratch marks on a favourite tree. I suspect my garden is being visited by a badger. Is this damage likely to continue – and what should I do? Anna, Co Wicklow

If you will get the details of watermelon growing stages, you will cultivate it better while avoiding the mistakes, which will result in a guaranteed juicy and bigger fruits!

Whether you have a small or large garden, or simply a patio or balcony, container gardening offers you flexibile growing opportunities. Growing plants in containers is an easy way to create instant and changeable displays right outside your back door – especially useful if you’re short on space.

Irrigation systems can now be turned on to perform annual audits before spring officially arrives.

When and How to Water Bromeliads

Given their small size and the fact that they need to be highly functional, laundry rooms are often ground zero for decorating mistakes. They also tend to be closed off from the rest of the home, meaning it's easy to shut the door and forget about how glum yours truly makes you feel.

This Hydrangea panniculata Limelight was one of several under-planted trees at Thorp Perrow Arboretum. In full flower at the beginning of September this Hydreagea was one of 70 or so species and varieties planted in the grounds. Different parts of the arboretum have soils with PH values of 6.7 to an acidic 4.6 . There is marshy and wet ground despite the 15,000 trees drawing water from the land.

Pruning raspberries the right way and at the optimal time is essential if you want a bumper crop of large, juicy berries. The tools and techniques you choose to employ in your berry patch can help to spur new and very specific types of growth, as well as prevent the spread of diseases like anthracnose and blight, among others.

Be it Verbena, Snow-in-Summer, or Snowdrop – these small flowers stand out with their colors and clusters that’ll surely make your garden stand out!

Almost every house has a foundation planting, something that should help the large, man-made structure somehow blend with the natural landscape it was dropped into. More often than not, the foundation planting is done by the builder, who adds a line of common, usually evergreen shrubs to make things seem not so out of place in the hope that the buyer will be much happier with the property. The plantings are often bland and not in scale with the house. Even worse, these humdrum plantings are often ignored until they become so large that making changes is more of a job than one is willing to take on.

How to Grow and Care for Sea Thrift Armeria maritima

Q: Is this a good time of the year to plant lilac? And if so, could you please recommend some varieties that don’t grow too large? JK, Dublin

How And When to Harvest Kohlrabi

Potted Bushes: How to Grow Shrubs in Containers

When and How to Harvest Asparagus

How to Prepare Fruit Trees for Winter

Winter Mulching to Protect Cold Tolerant Crops

<use xlink:href="#trending-icon" xmlns:xlink=«http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink»> Trending Videos <use xlink:href="#close-icon" xmlns:xlink=«http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink»>

These DIY Cantaloupe Trellis Ideas cover up all the bases! How so? There’s an idea for everyone – for small spaces, multiple plants, growing cantaloupes vertically, and much more!

Pruning peppers is easy to do, and it has many benefits for keeping your plants healthy, and maximizing their yields.

Cordyline is a bold and handsome evergreen shrub that slowly develops a tree-like form. It has a dramatic and exotic appearance with an attractive architectural shape, forming either a single trunk or multiple stems topped with dense tufts of long, narrow, leathery leaves. Cordyline is sometimes known as cabbage palm, New Zealand cabbage tree or Torbay palm, although it isn’t actually a palm tree or anything to do with cabbage.

Every gardener wishes they had 25 acres to garden on, right? Well maybe not, but most of us do dream of a healthy amount of ground to build beds and borders to our hearts’ desire. The reality of homeowners today, however, is that land is expensive and typical suburban lots have decreased in size steadily since the 1970s. And smaller lots mean smaller gardens. That isn’t an issue though, if you select plants that are polite and “stay in their lane” as the kids say. On this episode Danielle and Carol talk about compact plants that are prefect for tighter spaces. We’ve got several perennials, one annual, and even a few well-behaved shrubs that made the list. Filling your tiny plot with these beauties will enable you to have a wide variety of colors and textures without sacrificing an enormous amount of precious square footage.

Beetroot is a lovely, colorful vegetable. People use it in salads and for cooking. But did you know you can also use it for tattoos? Yes, you heard it right. And they hold beautiful meanings, too.

Mushrooms are not always part of the ground! Here are some edible ones that you can see growing on the bark of the trees in gardens and wild.

JACOB FOX

Jeff Herr

This article is all about Russian sage pruning, including when, why, and how. Learning how to cut back Russian sage properly is essential for plant health and maintaining the ideal growth habit of this hardy perennial. Read on to learn why millions of gardeners worldwide grow this beautiful flowering plant and how to trim it properly. You’ll also find general plant care tips for this popular perennial.

The large split leaves of the monstera might be secretly in love with the coffee grounds without you knowing it! Time to take the wrap off this mystery!

Q: Any advice on the best way to tackle creeping buttercup without using weed killer? It’s starting to take over some of my flower beds, where it’s smothering perennials and smaller shrubs. MJ, Co Kilkenny