I love going for walks through my neighbourhood and on garden tours, and seeing which plants the resident gardeners have chosen, and how they’ve arranged them. It’s a great way to gather ideas. You can see which plants might be space hogs and which ones work well in small spaces. Whether you have a postage-stamp-sized urban space, or a small garden where you want each plant to stand out, I’ve gathered a list of perennials for small gardens.
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Growing brussels sprouts: A seed to harvest guide
As a kid I was definitely not a fan of brussels sprouts. Boy, have times changed! Now I grow several varieties every year, waiting impatiently for the harvest season to begin in late autumn. Growing brussels sprouts isn’t difficult but it does require patience as the plants take about four months to go from seed to harvest. If you love this cabbage cousin as much as I do, read on to learn how to grow a bumper crop of crisp, crunchy brussels sprouts.
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Top dressing the lawn: How to have thicker, healthier grass
If you love the look of a lush, green lawn, but you don’t want to spread synthetic chemical fertilizers where your kids and pets play, consider feeding your lawn naturally instead. Top dressing a lawn with compost is the best way to provide the long-lasting, slow-release nutrients that encourage optimum turf grass growth. In this article, you’ll learn the many benefits of top dressing lawn, when to do it, and a few different techniques for getting the job done right.
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Garden weeds: Identifying the unwanted plants in our gardens
Every spring, I see various iterations of this quote superimposed over various plants or in some fancy graphic: “What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.” It’s by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Can someone please tell me what the virtues of bindweed are? I haven’t discovered them yet. In fact, this insidious weed makes me want to move.
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Garden soil amendments: 6 organic choices to improve your soil
There are very few gardens with naturally perfect soil for growing plants. But, as gardeners we have a wide assortment of garden soil amendments we can add to build soil, improve structure, provide nutrients, and promote healthy plant growth. I rely on amendments like compost, leaf mold, and aged manure digging them into my beds in spring, between successive crops, and in autumn to ensure I enjoy a bumper crop of homegrown vegetables. Read on to learn more about the pros and cons of the organic amendments you can use to improve your soil.
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Low maintenance shrubs: 18 choices for your garden
Whether you’re putting in a brand-new shrub bed or planting more shrubs into an existing landscape, low maintenance shrubs are a must-have for today’s time-starved homeowners. They offer beautiful natural plant forms that require little to no pruning, are pest and disease resistant, bloom reliably, and are tolerant of different growing conditions. Some are evergreen while others offer colorful blooms, but all low maintenance shrubs require little care beyond making sure they are well watered until they’re established in their new home.
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