Whenever we start a garden, we wonder what we should put in it. Do I want annuals, perennials, shrubs, or maybe biennials? Perhaps some ornamental grasses would work as well. Victorian gardeners in the late nineteenth century faced this same dilemma, but James Vick (1818-1882) had the answers. Owner of a seed company in Rochester, NY […]
Author: National Garden Bureau
Pollinator predicament: What happens when the birds and bees can’t do it?
When it comes to birds, bees, plants, and pollination, timing truly is everything. And, in the Rocky Mountains, where short summers dictate extreme synchronicity, the timing is off. Less snow and earlier springs may be a blessing for those of us who tire of winter around the first of February but for the tiny plants and animals […]
Wildflower Seed Paper: 9 Steps to Make Your Own
This handmade, Earth-inspired paper is made with recycled paper and embedded with wildflower seeds. A meaningful way to celebrate our planet! Makes a beautiful gift for family and friends. Material Needed: Scrap paper (suggested types listed below) Wooden frame (build your own or use an old picture frame) Window screening (you will need a number of pieces that are […]
2022 is the year of the Gladiolus: A classic summer-bloomer
Discover why these classic summer-blooming bulbs are making a comeback Overview and History Gladiolus are as American as apple pie. Generations of gardeners, from Maine to California, have tucked these summer-blooming bulbs into their gardens in spring and been delighted by the gorgeous flower spikes that appear just a few months later. Buckets of long-stemmed glads […]
A goth garden may suit your spooky taste
Do you gravitate to graveyards, finding ancient tombstones creepily intriguing? Do you prefer reading Daphne du Maurier to Sophie Kinsella? Do you relish an antique aesthetic rather than farmhouse chic? If your personal taste leans more toward creepy, mysterious vibes than pretty, perky designs, then a goth garden may be the perfect solution for your outdoor […]
Four hydrangea myths busted
Written By: Lorraine Ballato Author of: Success With Hydrangeas: A Gardener’s Guide Gardeners are waking up all over the country. How do I know this? I am seeing all sorts of garden-related info flash across my devices, from Yahoo News to horticultural sites, to personal blogs. But what gets most of my attention these days is all of the […]
Unleash your culinary creativity with garden-grown greens
Salad greens that you can grow in your garden are an opportunity for culinary creativity. Most greens can be served raw, wilted, blanched, sautéed, or grilled. Curiously, salad got its start not as a dietary staple, but as an aphrodisiac! We know this because leafy relations to modern romaine are depicted in ancient paintings as sustaining Min, […]
Easy ways to create edibles and flowers combinations
Peanut butter and jelly … macaroni and cheese … Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. Perfect combinations make life a little happier. Just like favorite flavors and power couples, your garden can benefit from great combinations, too. Who says veggies need to be relegated to the backyard? Beautifully blending veggies, fruit, herbs, and flowers means you can show […]
Houseplants are the New Officeplants
Humans breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide, plants “breathe” in the carbon dioxide and release oxygen. We are perfect partners with plants. While we have officed at home, more and more of us have felt the benefits of houseplants. Filling our home office with undemanding plants we’ve understood more fully the calm they can […]
Create your own sanctuary with a Zen garden
Originally appeared in the Nation Garden Bureau Destress, embrace tranquility, and journey to enlightenment with a Zen garden Are you having a hard time channeling your inner Zen? Peace and tranquility may feel in short supply these days, but gardening elevates mental health and provides a great escape from relentless news cycles and the stressful state of the […]