Flowers for Your Garden

Garden Planning

When planting a garden there are many questions which you must ask yourself before you begin. Where are you going to plant it, do you have the garden equipment to do so and how big do you want your garden to be? When do flowers bloom and what are their heights? These are all very important questions, however they mean very little if you have not yet decided which types of flowers you want to plant. There are many to choose from and don’t le anybody tell you which ones you can and can’t plant. Gardens are unique and fascinating to look at because each one is unique it its own way.

There are endless possibilities of flowers to choose from but if you are unsure of which types of flowers are known to look best in gardens, keep reading and you will find out. The following is a list of the five most popular types of garden flowers chosen by gardeners from all over the United States:

1. Cosmos - These flowers have the ability to grow anywhere from 12 inches to 4 feet tall. Cosmos are perfect for cutting gardens and are often picked out of gardens and used in flower arrangements.

2. Marigold – Marigolds can be found in yellow, orange, red or a combination of all colors. This type of flower blooms in 45 to 50 days from sowing and very rarely requires additional water than what the rain provides.

3. Morning Glory – Morning glories have heart shaped leaves and are available in a variety of colors including white, blue, red, pink and lavender. This type of flower has the capability to become more than ten feet high.

4. Zinnia – Zinnias are traditional, old fashioned flowers which are constantly blooming all season. If there is not a lot of rain, this type of flower will require watering on a consistent basis but try to get water on the foliage (leaves) as this can cause mold which can potentially cause the plant to die.

5. Sunflowers – There’s no better flower for your garden than the sunflower. Sunflowers have yellowish-orange petal with a black circle in the middle. These flowers can grow to be as tall as 6 feet or possibly even higher depending on the flower itself.

In order for your garden to flourish successfully, you will have to maintain it and keep it healthy on a daily basis. Watering cans, pruning shears, gloves and spades are all types of gardening equipment which will assist you in keeping your garden in good condition. These pieces of equipment are very important and are relatively inexpensive.

The types of flowers you choose will have a large impact on the overall outcome of your garden. The list above was provided as a guideline for novice gardeners who area unsure of which flowers may be most adaptable to a garden atmosphere.

Which flowers you choose will ultimately be your choice and regardless of the kinds or colors of your flowers, your garden will be a wonderful piece of work for everyone to admire.

Varieties of Shrubs

Shrubs

Paul Curran

Among the bewildering lists of shrubs, certain names stand out as new and unusual, or, on the other hand, tried and familiar. These include both the evergreen and deciduous types.
Rhododendron and azaleas (a type of rhododendron) head the list of evergreens with some 700 species. Hardy and long-lived, these ornamental woody plants have flowers of all shapes, colors and tints. Well-liked are the pink pearl, and the Rhododendron maximum, with its large pinkish flowers.
Hardy hybrid species also are the Boule de neige (white) ; the Abraham Lincoln and Lady Armstrong (pink) ; the Everestianum (purple) ; and the Caractacus (red). Rhododendrons won’t grow in limey soil, and humus should be supplied liberally to protect them from winter-burn.
Azaleas thrive under the same conditions as rhododendrons—that is, in partial shade—and like rhododendrons in general may be used for foundation planting; they do well in thin woodlands. The Azalea malus has flowers in pastel shades of orange, yellow and tan.
Boxwood has been a well-loved shrub for generations, especially where winters are not so severe. This evergreen can be pruned to formal rounded shapes. Left to grow, it sometimes attains 20 feet. It is used as a shrub for paths and walks.
Euonymus patens is an evergreen shrub that is hardy. It has glossy green leaves and red berries. Some of the evergreen holly shrubs, such as Japanese Holly, or Inkberry, are popular. Japanese Holly resembles boxwood.
Laurel is another familiar evergreen shrub, valuable for foundation planting. American mountain laurel bears clusters of pink flowers in spring.
Pachysandra (Japanese Spurge) is a dense evergreen ground cover for places where grass won’t grow. Among the deciduous shrubs, lilac is probably one of the best liked. If you buy lilac be sure that it is grafted either on its own stock or on privet stock. Plant lilac as early as the soil can be worked.
The common lilac, which has light purple flowers and reaches a height of about 10 feet, is the best known. There are several hundred varieties, in white, pinkish-lilac, reddish-lilac and bluish-lilac.

Climbers

Roses

author:Ron King

Add drama and color to your home with climbing roses. They can be trained around a trellis, a column, or a boundary. You can even let them climb up a wall of your house.
Some gardeners are leery of climbing roses because of concern that climbing roses can be damaged by cold weather; also because some types take years to reach full maturity. However, a wide selection of climbing roses can sustain harsh weather and bloom beautifully.
Rose Planting Time
The best time to plant any type of climbing rose is early spring. This will give your roses 6 months or more to get established before the cold sets in.
Before choosing your climbing rose, get acquainted with the 3 distinct categories of climbing roses: rambling roses, trailing roses, and true climbing roses.
Ramblers
The most intrusive climbing roses are the ramblers. These exuberant roses can grow up to 20 feet in 1 season. Although most of the roses from ramblers are quite small, many of the newer varieties produce larger roses. Unfortunately, ramblers tend to be susceptible to mildew.
Trailers
If you’re looking for a climbing rose that is tougher and less prone to mildew and disease, you might prefer a trailing rose. These climbers look great planted alongside walls. You should stake them, otherwise the long canes will grow along the ground instead of upright. Trailing roses typically have blooms 2 to 3 inches in diameter. 2 of the more popular trailing roses are the cultivars and Rosa Wichurana.
True Climbers
If you enjoy climbing roses with large flowers, true climbers fit the bill. These types of roses produce flowers in large clusters. There are 2 categories of true climbers: bush climbers, and climbing hybrid teas. Bush climbers will bloom throughout the season, while climbing hybrid teas may last only a few weeks. The bush climber has more resistance to mildew and disease than the climbing hybrid teas.
How to Plant Roses
Planting your roses is an easy task. The first thing is to pick your area. The hole should be approximately 1 foot from your trellis or wall, and be about 1 foot deep by 1 foot in diameter.
Once you’ve dug a hole, you’ll need to add organic matter. Well-rotted manure or compost are good. Next, carefully remove the rose from its container. If you come across tangled outer roots, gently untangle them with your fingers. Place your plant in the hole and fill it in with any extra soil. Then water it thoroughly.
How To Water & Train Your Roses
You should water your climbing roses at least once a week, saturating the soil.
Once your rose’s canes have grown long enough to reach the trellis or arch, tie the canes to the structure. Unlike a vine, which is equipped with tendrils, climbing roses need help to attach to a structure. You can tie them with a soft cloth or string. Remember to give the canes enough room for growth and expansion. Be sure not to tie them too tightly.
Choose the right climbing roses and they’ll beautify your home for years to come!

How often to Mow

Yard

Brad Slade

How often you mow your lawn will depend on a number of factors. Firstly how much time you have to devote to your lawn’s maintenance. How fast your lawn grows, and this in turn will depend on whether you fertilise it regularly and whether it receives adequate water and sunlight. Normally, lawns should be mowed at least one a fortnight to keep them in check, so to speak.
One of the worst things you can do for a lawn and a big misconception is that you can or should mow your lawn very short in order to reduce the number of times you have to mow it. Grass generally will do much better when mowed at a higher setting. This is especially the case in the summer months, where short grass can often be burnt by the sun otherwise. It is suggested that you should never be cutting or trimming off more than 1/3 of the length of the grass in a mowing session. If you have let your lawn go and it is far too long, it is recommended that you firstly mow it at a longer cut and then remow it at a slightly lower setting. If it is still too long, then you can go over it again in a couple of days time. Although this is time consuming it is the preferred method for caring for your lawn. Needless to say like having your hair cut, you should maintain your equipment. In this case make sure your mower blades are sharp and in good condition. Remove any stone or other obstructions from the lawn before mowing to avoid any damage to the mower or lawn.
Other recommendations for mowing a perfect lawn:
• Do mow in different directions, it does not matter which way – whether it is diagonal, horizontal, or vertically each time you mow your lawn. This prevents the grass blades from curving in a particular direction after numerous cuts.
• It is well known that you should never mow when your lawn is still wet. The reason for this, however, is not so well known. There are actually two reasons for this. Firstly, you will not be cutting your lawn evenly and when it dries may be a lot longer than expected. Secondly, you can often cause fungus to establish itself.
• For the lawn bowl look of a flatten smooth lawn larger lawn rollers can be purchased. To use these you simply roll them over your lawn after mowing in nice even and straight rows.

Composting & Nutrition

Organic Gardening

From a roundup of several books examining the role of composting in creating nutritious food.

The role of manure, so beloved by gardeners, is much discussed. Homes quotes the traveller and chronicler the Reverend Arthur Young who, after a six-week tour through the southern counties, praised the farmers of Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk: “I have never met with any place around which the farmers had such a spirit of purchasing manures.” A Carthusian monk writing in the early 18th-century recommended dung of wheat-straw, being careful to mix the “excrementitious balls with the straw”. Pliny described a vineyard owner made wealthy through thoroughly “dunging” his vines over an eight-year period.

Dung good

Hydroponic Germination

Hydroponic

Author: Katherine Keleher

Germinating seeds hydroponically has several advantages over using soil. Many common diseases can be avoided because the hydroponic medium is clean while soil may contain fungus or insects that can harm vulnerable seedlings. Root rot can also be avoided by using a good hydroponic growing system.

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Mulch : Part 2

Landscaping

Copyright © 2005 Tammy Clayton

The use of shredded wood mulch exists for reasons unknown to many of us. It is true and a good point that the mulch does in fact control erosion in a new planting prior to the roots taking hold of the soil. The wood mulch does retain more moisture and insulate the roots from extreme temperatures. Therefore the addition of a mulch is in deed beneficial for a newly installed shrub and tree landscape. The truth is folks have been successfully growing landscapes and gardens for centuries prior to this modern innovation commonly known as shredded mulch. So the mulch is put down initially to aid the plants in adjusting to their new home with less setbacks and repercussions. But the renewal of mulch is where the problems seem to begin.

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Mulch : Part 1

Landscaping

Copyright © 2005 Tammy Clayton

“I don’t want any weeds to have to deal with.”

The infamous statement uttered by millions. That is a pretty tall order to attempt to fill. Over the years, I have discovered that many people believe the fallacy that rock mulch over plastic or landscape cloth will render their planting free of weeds forever and ever. Covering up the soil equals no weeds?

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Soil pH

General Gardening

Author: Frank Kilkelly

As you may have observed from your gardening experiences plants can be fussy things. The right location, amount of sunlight and 101 other factors influence your plant’s growing ability. One factor which is very beneficial in understanding before putting that new plant into the earth is soil pH.

What is Soil pH?

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Rooting Cuttings

General Gardening

Author: Michael J. McGroarty

The secret of rooting cuttings can be summed up in two words. “Timing and technique”.

When you do your cuttings is every bit as important as how you do them. So if you do the right thing, at the right time of the year, your efforts are sure to bring success. Through this article you will learn both. “Rooting Hardwood Cuttings of Deciduous Plants”

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