If you have the good fortune to travel to other countries and see how other parts of the world garden, you know that it can be inspiring. I usually return from travel wanting to incorporate what I have seen into my own garden. Often, foreign travel takes us to climates vastly different than what we experience in the Southeastern United States. Our unique combination of hot humid summers and wet winters makes this a singular place to garden. One of the best parts of gardening is experimentation. I have both succeeded and failed in many garden endeavors. This often happens when I try and replicate something I have seen during foreign travel that cannot be done in my climate successfully. Here I’ve compiled a few memorable lessons and ideas I’ve gained after visiting more than 20 countries on a quest to see the best gardens on the globe.
GPOD Vignettes: A Succulent Front Yard, New Blooms from a Zesty Plant, and a Compost Cake
28.06.2024 - 08:15 / finegardening.com
Happy Friday GPODers!
We’re doing something a little different today, I’m starting a new series I’m calling “GPOD Vignettes”. We often get submissions that are a little too short for a stand alone post, three photos or less. But I know gathering photos and writing up descriptions is very time intensive, so I wanted a way to share these shorter submissions without requiring extra work on your end. I decided I could compile a few of these shorter submissions we receive over the course of some weeks and make one post featuring a collection of gardens and plants.
If you’ve ever wanted to submit to GPOD in the past and have been overwhelmed with the lift, or afraid you don’t have enough to share, this is your time to send something in! Even if it’s just one photo of a plant doing particularly well this year (you’ll see an example of that below), send it in with a quick note about you, where you garden, and the plant in the photo.
Hopefully I’ll get to see more of your gardens, and we’ll all be able to enjoy more plant photos along the way. So, without further ado, here are some vignettes from the past few weeks:
Hello Fine Gardening Team!!! Here are a few pics of my front yard personal paradise. Last year we tore out the lawn and jasmine that the previous owners had installed and replaced it with a mix of waterwise plants and succulents, along with a few shade trees from our local Shade Tree Program. This year I’m planning on putting in a California native garden to add to the beauty and hopefully attract even more hummingbirds and butterflies. I am so grateful for the peace and calm this space has given me.
Who needs a lawn when you have rocks! Lawns require a lot of maintenance no matter your location, but in a hot, dry
Tips and Tricks for Growing Bougainvillea
Mention bougainvillea to almost anyone, and their first images may be of sun-drenched stucco walls festooned in the neon colors of the tropics. From beachside to desert to lush tropics, their exotic vibe proclaims, “I love warm weather!” In the relatively small Nyctaginaceae family, Bougainvillea is likely the best-known member, with Mirabilis (four-o’clock) and Abronia (sand verbena) being runners up. With bougainvilleas, the color is provided by papery bracts that enclose a small white bloom that is the true flower. Flowering occurs in cycles: as a burst of new growth matures, a bloom cycle begins, repeating many times over the course of a long, hot season. Learn the basics of growing bougainvillea here.
Rabbits and Their Leftovers in Maxine’s Garden
Happy Monday GPODers!
New Zealand Wants to Tax Cow Burps and Farts
As of last summer, the island nation of New Zealand was home to 6.3 million head of dairy cattle, up 82 percent over the last two decades. The country also holds 3.8 million beef cattle, 800,000 deer and a whopping 26.8 million head of sheep. That’s a lot of livestock for a country of about five million people.
New Report Shows Canadian Government Has Failed Indigenous Fishers
The Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans had harsh words for the Canadian federal government. At a meeting this week in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the committee presented its new report, which looked at the implementation of Indigenous rights-based fisheries. Its findings suggest that, despite more than two decades since key precedents were set, the fisheries have not been fully implemented. This has led, the committee stated, to confusion, tension and violence.
How to Grow and Care for Ceanothus (California Lilac)
How to Grow and Care for Ceanothus (California Lilac) Ceanothus spp.
How to Identify and Manage Armillaria Root Rot in Pear Trees
How to Identify and Manage Armillaria Root Rot in Pear Trees Armillaria mellea
Our friend has warned us against planting a hawthorn boundary hedge. What can we use instead?
Q: We were planning on using a native hawthorn as a boundary hedge around our country garden. But a friend has warned us off it, saying that there’s a disease spreading throughout Europe that’s killing hawthorn trees and hedges. Should we use something else instead? Kate H, Co Wicklow
A Memorial Garden in New Jersey
Hi GPODers! While most gardens could certainly be described as “special” this space gives that adjective even more meaning. Today we’re looking at the memorial garden that John Svinos created for his late father in New Jersey:
Most Common Pothos Plant Problems and Their Solutions
Pothos plants are popular for their lush growth and low-maintenance nature. This houseplant is quite hardy and can flourish in a range of conditions; these traits make the gardeners careless about pothos, and they ignore signs that indicate the plant is in trouble. This article will focus on the Most Common Pothos Plant Problems and Their Solutions and keep you in check.
Rich on a Little Plot of Land in New Jersey
Hi GPODers! Today we’re visiting Dan, who didn’t let a yard with a small footprint stop him from creating a magical garden that has become the perfect space to create special memories with his young family: