Today’s Garden Ideas

A favorite of mine for holiday decorating (and gift giving as well) are tabletop evergreens. Tabletop evergreens are available in several varieties and can vary greatly in size. I like to use those in 4″ and 6″ pots. These tiny trees are perfect for a mantel or grouped together for an interesting centerpiece. They can be placed in attractive holiday containers or the plastic pots can be covered with cut evergreens. These trees are also fun for children to decorate and have in their rooms for their own special tree. Read the rest of this entry »

Very few of the holiday plants at today’s superstores cost more than $15, and most are much less. As for quality, many large retailers are purchasing plants locally if possible. Local plants are often of higher quality due to the shorter stressful shipping time. An extra bonus is that buying them supports our local economy. Read the rest of this entry »

The questions all of us have about this winter concerns how it will affect our gardens and landscapes. Are my trees and shrubs going to make it this year? Will my bulbs come up? Will my azaleas bloom? What will happen to my lawn? Read the rest of this entry »

Gift-giving time is nigh — our nights are longer, our jackets are warmer, and our gardens are enjoying a well-deserved rest of their own. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s around that time buy a Christmas tree. But what kind should you buy? Artificial, fresh cut or live? And what variety? This depends on the length of time you wish to keep the tree inside. If you’re looking at more than three weeks to keep a tree inside, you should consider an artificial tree. If less than three weeks, a fresh cut tree is certainly an option; and if you keep a tree up for 10 days or less, you can consider a living tree. There are many varieties of trees you can choose when planning on a fresh or living tree. Read the rest of this entry »

Now is the time of year when we begin to see holiday plants and bulbs for sale all over the place – poinsettias, amaryllis, Christmas cacti, and others. Maybe you want to grow an Amaryllis bulb for bloom at Christmas, or perhaps you have a Christmas cactus that never blooms. We have talked about caring for pointsettias and the lovely amaryllis. Here you can learn how to care for your Christmas cactus. Read the rest of this entry »

Now is the time of year when we begin to see holiday plants and bulbs for sale all over the place – poinsettias, amaryllis, Christmas cacti, and others. Maybe you want to grow an Amaryllis bulb for bloom at Christmas, or perhaps you have a Christmas cactus that never blooms. Or do all of the leaves fall off of your poinsettia prematurely? Here are a few hints for caring for these plants. Read the rest of this entry »

The trees are bare and there is snow on the ground. This doesn’t mean that your garden has to become a winter wasteland. Evergreens can be quite stunning in the winter months. However, do not limit your landscape to these for winter interest. A well-planned garden should provide year-round interest and aesthetic entertainment. Read the rest of this entry »

When it comes to gardening, we like to carry this into every aspect of our life. And yes, that even comes to gift giving. So when we can’t be digging and hoeing and planting and pruning, we like to carry our love for the outdoors to our holiday season. There are many ways to enjoy gardening during the holidays, but one way you can take advantage of the season is to express your love for the living plant by passing them on as gifts. What plants then make the best holiday gifts? Read the rest of this entry »

Many gardeners use the winter months to plan and dream about their summer gardens. Since this is the season of giving, and not the season of planting, why not inspire some dreams for your favorite gardener this season. But what can you give the gardener who has everything they need? Here are a few hints in case your gardener is shy of dropping them themselves: Read the rest of this entry »