Provident Ideas, Tips & Guides

Starting a new garden from scratch can be daunting, but it’s also a fantastic opportunity to create exactly what you want. The vision I had for my new garden (two decades ago) was based on the many small English gardens that I was lucky enough to visit—not the gardens with impeccably maintained lawns and neatly clipped hedges, but those that had plants spilling out of every nook and cranny. Since its inception, the landscape has been slowly undergoing a transformation over the past decade, from a traditional shade garden to a more naturalistic one that embraces an ecology-first mindset. This evolution, however, hasn’t sacrificed the original intention of my dream garden—that it be a visually appealing space with plenty of activity.

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You must be careful when you enter the backyard of garden designer Jeff Epping. No because you’re likely to trip on something but because you might be dive-bombed by a pair of nesting hummingbirds, or a bevy of butterflies, or any number of other pollinators that make this shady Midwestern garden their home. Jeff Epping is the principal designer at Epping Design & Consulting and the former director of horticulture at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin. Given this background, it’s no surprise that his home landscape is something special. He writes about this beautiful space in his article, Design an Engaging, Naturalistic Garden in the Shade.

Twenty-five years ago when my wife Kathy and I started searching for a new home for our growing family, she focused on all the qualities one looks for in a new house. I, of course, looked at what every gardener considers imperative—the lot. Thanks to Kathy, we ended up with a wonderful new place. And much to my delight, the property had one particularly important feature—good soil. The other nice bonus was that the backyard bordered a small city park, with lots of open space for the kids to play, so my garden design did not have to include an area for kicking a soccer ball. Plant-wise, however, there wasn’t much other than invasive shrubs and trees. So after removing all the nasty invasives, I had a clean slate to work with.

For years I’ve heard the same refrain: You can’t have a good-looking garden that is also eco-friendly. It seems that many folks think native plants are too wild looking and that taking a lighter approach to garden cleanup or care will lead to a messy, unkempt landscape. I argue that there are small steps everyone can take to encourage greater biodiversity in their space, all while keeping it attractive.

During May, the charity Plantlife encourages people not to mow their lawns. As well as attracting and helping wildlife, it's an opportunity to enjoy the sight of flowers blooming in long grass. Observing what appears – from interesting wildflowers (orchids, perhaps) to wildlife (such as grasshoppers) – is fun and, obviously, No Mow saves a lot of time. However, going the whole hog isn't for everyone. Those with children who enjoy careering around the lawn and people who entertain in their gardens won't want to let all their grass grow long. Therefore, a smaller No Mow area is more appealing and something that can be kept up throughout the summer.

Want to turn your yard into a bee haven? Our Bee Friendly Plants guide will show you the Best Plants that Attract Bees so you can enjoy a blooming garden full of healthy foliage.

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One of the biggest changes in the Gardening Advice we provide over the last few years is in relation to lawn care. The focus is now on creating lawns with low nitrate fertilisers, monitoring soil pH and using bacterial products to reduce thatch rather than mechanical scarification and in lawns with heavy ware from children etc we are introducing clover to create a greener lawn surface in both the summer and winter

This week, May 12-18, we observe National Women’s Health. This awareness strives to emphasize the significance of women’s health concerns and encourage all women to make their health a top priority. Come along with us as we explore the importance of prevention, care, and well-being in the field of women’s health.

We all love herbs don’t we? Be it their flavor, and many uses in the kitchen—we all want a few that keep on growing, providing us with plentiful leaves all year round!

How GardenAdvice.co.uk for Beginners Can Empower Your Gardening Journey

Creating an entryway that truly works is a worthwhile investment. You will enjoy how it makes your home look and feel, and providing a welcoming first glimpse of your home and property will increase that all-important ‘curb appeal’ if and when you sell your home.

No Mow May is a bee conservation movement that has surged in popularity over the last few years, in part, due to its simplicity. To participate, all you need to do is leave your lawn alone in May. This allows lawn flowers to bloom and feed hungry native bees emerging from hibernation when other flowers are scarce.

Thanks to their big and enormous leaf size, if you are not careful with the sun exposure, monsteras might get scorch, and that leaves them looking lacklustre. However, the good news is that you can bring them back to their original, green glory, in no time!

Harvesting lettuce is not always like snipping off the entire plant the moment you see the leaves plump and full. To make sure you let the plant stay to provide you more leaves, there’s an art to cutting its leaves and this is where we come to help you!

Any home garden should be able to provide a respite from the outside world. From enjoying a sunny day with the family to entertaining a group of friends after a long week at work, these environments can transform any house into a home. However, what about functionality? Why not also equip your garden with a handful of practical accessories that can make life even easier? If you are hoping to think outside of the proverbial box, the suggestions outlined below should provide a much-needed sense of inspiration.

Discover the Best Cruciferous Vegetables, offering a unique blend of nutrition and flavor to elevate your meals and promote a healthier lifestyle.

Pale brick pavers, laid in a herringbone pattern, run from the open-plan ground floor out into the garden, creating a seamless transition between the two spaces.

Are you planning to install a pergola to enhance your outdoor space? Whether it's creating a shady retreat in your backyard or adding an architectural element to your patio, installing a pergola can be a great way to improve your outdoor living. But before you start building, there are some key things to consider to ensure your project is successful.

Last month, the job listings page for the American Climate Corps went live. The ACC is a new program developed by the Biden administration that plans to mobilize young people into careers fighting climate change and environmental injustice. These roles span the country and both private and public sectors. Like other corps-type jobs, these roles will be term limited.

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When selecting plants for chameleons, it is important that you choose specimens that are non toxic and also act as a mode where these pets can climb and have some fun!

The Reform Club

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How to Create Glorious Garden Color Schemes

Calibrachoas, also known as Million Bells because of their familiar bell-shape, are gorgeous annuals that will fill any basket or patio pot with ease and gusto over the summer months. If you’re wondering what to pop in your new hanging basket this summer, or perhaps are looking to decorate your patios with greatness over the season, then look no further! Calibrachoas are one of our favourite seasonal picks. To help you choose your favourites, we’ve gathered ten of our most popular and our favourite million bell blooms, giving you inspiration for the summer garden. Calibrachoa Black Cherry 

Many of you may be familiar with our native fringetree, Chionanthus virginicus, often called Grancy graybeard, granddaddy graybeard or old man’s beard. It is a wonderful small tree that grows throughout the state but is certainly not a common site. It begins blooming in late March with airy, off-white flowers.

Thinning seedlings is the best way to promote better growth and allowing the healthier and fitter ones to survive. Lets learn about this art in detail below!

Averting my eyes from the tulips which were shouting “Pick me! Pick me!” as I walked past, I headed towards the bottom end of the garden to pick some of the marauding Spanish bluebells that have sneaked their way in under/over/round the fence. The impact of bluebells in the garden has really registered in recent days, with the uninvited guests and the more local residents joining forces to provide by far and away the biggest splash of blue in the garden out of all the seasons. There may be little patches of blue from spring bulbs and isolated spots in the summer months, but bluebell season is something else and the splashes will only get larger and more widespread as time goes on, with even the English bluebells popping up in other parts of the garden than the woodland. By picking the Spanish bluebells, however, I can at least try and restrict their desire for dominance!

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If you love decorating with the flowers that you've worked hard to grow in your backyard garden but are looking to change things up a bit when it comes to display, we're here to provide you with plenty of creative ideas.

If you want to add tranquility, peace, and spiritual significance to your home, these religious houseplants are a great choice!

I don’t know about you, but I love plants that have large foliage! They make for a lovely centrepieces indoors, and outdoors, they end up being an awesome focal point! Monstera is one of my favourite plants for the job, and I will tell you some secrets to make it grow bigger in a limited time frame!

You might have spotted different vines on trees, and must have wondered what sort of plant they are. Well, we will give you the list of the ones that are notorious for this habit!