Willow Ideas, Tips & Guides

Attractive, mature trees boost a property’s curb appeal, and offer shade and privacy for residents.

How to Grow and Care for Willow Oak Trees Quercus phellos

Learn how to make your plants thrive in the colder months with these simple tricks for successful plant propagation indoors. From using mycorrhizal fungi to creating a greenhouse effect with cloche containers, these easy methods ensure your plants stay happy and healthy. Try natural solutions like willow water and tea water fertilizer, and consider coconut coir as a sustainable propagation medium. There are more below.

This is the time of year when garden pundits tell their disciples to bring in branches of forsythia, pussy willow or flowering quince for indoor bloom.

Your kids must have asked you about Harry Potter plants and you might also have got a request from them to get these specimens for the garden or their room. If you just nodded, well, we have a good news for you! Keep reading!

Many trees can take a while to establish, so if you’re impatient, need an area to look good in a hurry, want some fast growing privacy trees, or are creating a garden from scratch, you might want to choose a fast-growing tree or two.

The black poplar (Populus nigra) is a large deciduous tree with a rounded crown, fissured bark and many burrs growing up the trunk. A member of the Salicaceae or willow family, the black poplar tree can grow to 40m in height and live for up to 200 years. Like other members of the family, black poplars are dioecious, which means male and female catkins develop on separate trees.

We’re back in East Berlin, Pennsylvania (Zone 6b) visiting with Barb Mrgich today. We’ve visited her flower-filled garden before, but yesterday we got a different kind of tour of the butterflies that visit her garden and the plants they need to thrive. Today is the second part of the tour.

Witch Hazel '‘Amanon’ 'at Kalmthout Arboretum in Belgium

In late winter and spring, usually before the leaves appear, catkins hang from the bare branches of trees like alder, hazel and silver birch. The first known use of the word ‘catkin’ is in an English translation of a Flemish botanical guide written in 1554 by physician and botanist Rembert Dodoens. He uses the Dutch word katteken meaning ‘little cat’ which was translated as ‘catkin’. Catkins are also known as ‘aments’, derived from the Latin for ‘strap’ or ‘string’.

There are so many beautiful DIY winter wreath ideas that you can make using natural materials. Collect foliage, flowers, berries, fruits, and other interesting items from your garden – or forage for them on seasonal walks.

Forcing Branch Cuttings to Bloom All Year Indoors offers a cost-effective way to expand your indoor garden. In this guide, we’ll unveil the secrets to selecting, cutting, and nurturing branch cuttings to ensure a constant display of blooms throughout the year!

Pussy willows, with their distinctive soft and silvery catkins, are a delightful and versatile addition to indoor décor. These branches, symbolizing the onset of spring, bring a touch of nature into the home. In this article, we explore various Pussy Willow Branches Decor Ideas and Uses!

When creating a stylish and relaxing garden we often tend to think of perfectly tended flowerbeds, expertly trimmed topiary and carefully selected garden furniture. Whilst these all help to create a stunning garden it often takes something out of the ordinary to add the finishing touch and create a truly unique space.

Trugs are a must-have garden accessory, combining practical utility and ornamental value. They can used for collecting cut flowers and plant cuttings, as well as for harvesting your homegrown fruit, veg and culinary herbs. Plus, they can be used to create indoor displays and they make wonderful gardening gifts.

Imagine strolling through your garden and stumbling upon blooms that uncannily resemble the curious eyes, pointed ears, or delicate whiskers of a cat. Yes, you heard it right—nature’s incredible mimicry has given us flowers that capture the whimsy, elegance, and enigmatic charm of our feline friends. Here’s a list of Flowers That Look Like Cats!

Obelisks give you the chance to grow climbing plants throughout your garden, rather than limit them to just your walls and fences, while plant supports are indispensable for helping prevent herbaceous perennials flopping over paths, lawns or their plant neighbours.

As harbingers of stunning butterflies and moths, these colorful Orange and Black Caterpillars not only capture the eye but also serve as intriguing subjects of ecological importance. Get ready to delve into fascinating patterns they exude!

From gliding swallows to feisty thrushes, the RSPB helps us identify which birds will be making an appearance in your garden now that the summer sun has arrived.

Spring is when wildlife reawakens in our countryside, parks and gardens. Despite the cold chill still in the air, signs of spring will be starting to appear and our garden birds will become more recognisable during the breeding season. From the noisy Willow Warbler to the colourful Siskin, the RSPB help us identify what birds will be paying a visit to your garden this spring.

If you’re searching for a unique, fast-growing shrub that adds a touch of magic to any landscape, look no further than the Dappled Willow Tree. Known for its variegated leaves that perform a mesmerizing color show throughout the seasons, this ornamental gem is a gardener’s dream and a focal point in any outdoor space.

With the ease of maintenance and beautiful foliage colors, these beautifulTypes of Pussy Willows are a must-have in any garden!

There are areas in our homes that tend to be common storage areas, such as attics or basements. But just because a space can hold a stack of boxes doesn't mean it should. Before you stash a box of clothes or holiday decorations away, consider the ways in which factors like temperature, moisture, and household pests might affect the items you're storing.

I wilt faster than my plants in the heat, so I haven’t been spending much time in the garden during this heatwave. Most nights we get the hosepipe out and water, to stop plants shrivelling from drought. We haven’t had any significant rain in weeks, and there’s none forecast (although we might be treated to a light shower on Friday!). The weeds are thriving without water, though – how do they manage that?

Autumn slowly settles in and the pretty flower gardens lose most of their charm. However, every cloud has a silver lining, which means it’s time to admire the pretty autumn foliage that trees offer. Did you know that the ancient Celtic druids used to worship trees?

Willow can be grown as a crop and used for many purposes. It is not a garden crop as it needs a lot of water and can be a bit of a thug as a tree.

Winter Interest

Early crocus amongst leaf litter, the only good litter feeding the soil Wet weather reflects on the tree roots There is still colour to be found not least on these Rowan berries Sorbus hupehensis Listers Mill in the afternoon light with a ring of trees on the horizon and in the foreground.

In a garden the weeping willow can look untidy and in need of a trim as it has a propensity to straggle and have branches trailing on the ground. Along side water it will favour the wet side. This can play havock with the area underneath and the designs symmetry.  A solution has been found in this garden which I spotted on a lockdown walkabout. The lower branches have been trimmed to a uniform height around the bole.

When I have garden tours, everyone asks what “that silvery-green tree by the vegetable garden” is—even many experts—because you don’t usually see it looking like a tree.And even though I know somebody changed its name, at first I answer, “Salix rosmarinifolia…I mean…” then stop myself, and get it right.The reason you won’t see this looking like a 15-foot-tall, 20-foot wide small tree is that as with other “shrubby” willows, regular rejuvenation pruning is usually practiced.“Will get leggy unless cut back hard periodically” is the kind of advice you’ll find in refer

A little about Michael:“That’s Michael Dodge,” I say, when I show people around the fall garden, as we pass a large group of show-offy, yellow-fruited Viburnum I enjoy all fall into winter. V. dilatatum ‘Michael Dodge’ is truly a standout plant.But the original Michael Dodge, the one that great shrub was named to honor, is a well-

‘IT’S ENDLESS,” plantsman Michael Dodge (former owner of Vermont Willow Nursery) was saying over the phone a few years back. He was alluding to the possibilities of the genus Salix—the willows to which he has been devoting the recent chapter of his impressive horticultural career.  We narrowed it down to some best-of willow selections from about 200 in his collection—best willows for outsmarting deer; winter interest; abundant flowers and even best for making honey if you’re a beekeeper—and I also got a brutal tutorial on willow pruning (also known as coppicing) to share with you.best of the salix: michael dodge’s picksBest cut flowers:  Pink ‘Mt. Aso’ has “such a dense stem of flowers,” says Michael—some have 30 catkins along a space of 2 feet of stem.

Pussy Willow is a popular shrub known for its soft and fuzzy catkins that appear in late winter and early spring. This hardy plant can be grown in a variety of conditions and is relatively easy to care for.

If you haven’t got a willow tree for your backyard, now is the time!

When most people think of a willow tree, a vivid image of grace and elegance often comes to mind.The willow is renowned for its distinct featu