Cultivating curiosity and confidence
It was an enchanting hosta garden that got me thinking about the possibilities of displaying miniature outdoor plants. Tiny hostas were displayed both in the ground, with other shade plants, while others were planted together in pots, rocks and tree stump crevices, and in hypertufa planters. Now creating some type of miniature plant garden is on my radar and I’m excited to source my plants.
READ MORE » about Pint-sized picks and ideas for a miniature plant garden
While they may have endured a high-maintenance reputation in the past, roses have been enjoying a renaissance, of sorts. Modern varieties feature attractive qualities for busy, modern gardeners, such as hardiness in cooler climates, drought resistance, self-cleaning (meaning no deadheading required!), and greater disease resistance. Selecting low-maintenance roses for an established or new perennial garden, or even for a hedge, will add vibrant color and interest to the chosen space—without any fuss.
READ MORE » about Selecting low-maintenance roses for the garden
Years ago, vegetable gardens were tucked away in backyards where their long rows and practical plantings could be hidden from the neighbors. Today, food gardens are a point of pride for many gardeners and are placed wherever there is enough sun to grow healthy vegetables, herbs, and fruits. Garden design has also changed, with many growing their edibles entirely in containers, vertically on walls, or in raised beds. To help you grow a productive and beautiful kitchen garden, we’ve collected some of our favorite edible garden design ideas.
Growing plants in containers isn’t necessarily as easy as it looks. While plunking a plant into a pot seems pretty simple, making sure that plant thrives can sometimes be a complicated affair. What kind of soil is best for the plant? How much water does it require? Where’s the best place to put the pot after it’s planted? Does the plant need to be fed? If so, how often? To simplify all of the tasks involved in growing in containers, we’ve compiled this container gardening tip list that runs from the start of the season all the way to the end, giving you all the advice you need to grow a successful container garden wherever you live.
READ MORE » about Container gardening tip list: Advice to help you succeed
One thing I find tricky about gardening trends is that they have way more longevity than, say, fashion, which changes constantly. Pollinators, for example, have been a “trend” for the last several years now, but gardening for pollinators is quite obviously a concept that is not going to go away—well, unless the pollinators do, but that’s a whole other story. This type of mindful gardening, while it may start out as a trend, generally sticks around because it’s in response to an environmental factor. Xeriscaping, eating local, butterfly gardens—these all started as trends, but we’re not going to toss them out and move on. They’re all elements of a garden we should be conscious of. Which brings me to fusion gardening. This buzzword has crept into the latest gardening conversations that I’ve seen in articles, on social media, and at Canada Blooms 2018.
There are so many reasons to grow your own herbs. The most important reason is flavor; you just can’t beat the fresh flavor of homegrown herbs. Of course, growing a culinary herb garden is also an easy way to save money on your grocery bill. Store-bought herbs are expensive, often of questionable freshness, and many are hard-to-source. But, savvy gardeners know that most herbs can be easily grown in a home garden or on a sunny deck.
