Flower Gardening

One of my favorite plants to grow is scented grass. Although some of the scented grasses are perennials, most of them are not. Their uses range from medicinal, to culinary and crafting such as making potpourri or smudge sticks. There are so many advantages to growing scented grasses in containers and in the ground that …

Did you know that one way to garden in the winter is by forcing bulbs indoors? There are a number of bulbs that are easy enough to plant indoors in November and December that will produce flowers February. Some of these are ideal for making cut flower bouquets, so even without a greenhouse, you can …

Miniature plants require very little space to grow, making it possible to create one or more miniature gardens in containers if yard space is an issue. There are many types of miniature plants available and they come in a variety of sizes. Creating a trough filled with miniature plants can add interest to an existing …

Well, here I sit at the computer on another hot, sweltering day looking outside wondering if the plants and animals are hotter than me! I never dreamed I'd be gardening during a heatwave where the only people, plants and animals that are happy are in air conditioning. Although tropical flowers are beautiful, I certainly don't …

Commonly called the “Empress Of Brazil,” Worselya rayneri boasts a flower color that is a deep blue-mauve or violet blue fading to almost white in the center and the flowers may also be soft pale lavender with lots of blue spots. Worselya rayneri grows on the side mountains in South America, especially Brazil and is …

When it comes to four easy plants to care for, busy gardeners will delight in these  low maintenance perennials that require minimal care once established and bloom throughout most of the summer. Picking the right plants to start with makes it easy to create a beautiful landscape. In addition to looking good in the garden, …

Disclaimer: I did receive these plants for free in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. One of the most colorful plant combinations that I have found in recent years is the daylily and geranium. While these two plants are not my favorites and in fact, I most likely would not have bought …

Many people want to learn how to grow Heliconia simply because they are blown away by the colorful bracts the plant produces. This is a fascinating plant that can grow indoors but many people are not aware of that because these plants are not readily available. As with all tropical plants there are small varieties …

What a grand suprise I had tonight when I opened my greenhouse door – the very first bloom on the Zantedeschia aethiopia Green Goddess I grew from seed was waiting for me! I was so excited I had my daughter Sarah stop decorating the Christmas Tree to come and see the bloom! Angel, my yellow …

There are many benefits of container gardening, especially when the weather is constantly changing. This spring , at least here in Indiana, has been a challege - to say the least - for gardeners who want to plant in the ground. One day, the weather is warm and very spring-like. The next day there is …

There are a few tricks to successful viola seed germination, however the good news is these are perfect for winter sowing! For those of you unfamiliar with winter sowing, it is based on the fact that many seeds need a cold stratification period to germinate. It is one of the easiest ways to germinate perennials …

These gardening tips for beginners are meant are meant to help you understand that gardening can be fun and easy. The key to success is to keep a few basic tips in mind and make a plan before you begin buying plants or preparing your flower beds or vegetable garden area. There are also a …

Learning how to make compost at home isn't difficult to do.  More than likely you have all the tools and ingredients you need to start composting in your own yard and kitchen.  

This post is courtesy of The Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center. The best time to plant bulbs varies by a few weeks according to what bulb planting region you live in. Below are the regions as well as a few tips for fall planting, courtesy of the Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center. There are also …

Learning to grow iris is not hard. In fact they are one of the easiest flowers to grow once you learn how to properly care for them. Brief Background I don't know about you, but I love growing Irises in my garden. I've had the regular ones and the re-blooming ones which are really cool …

Check out these four easy to grow flowers that are also edible - as long as you are gardening organically!  

These five gardening tips are sure to save you money in both this, and future gardening seasons. There are also links to products I recommend from companies I have a referral relationship with. I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. Plan Your Vegetable Garden Plan your vegetable garden according to …

Creating a creative container flower garden is the goal of most gardeners, but many simply do not know where to begin. Creating stunning container gardens is easy if you remember that three types of plants are required – a thriller, a filler and a spiller. Below are some tips to help you get started. There …

Here are seven tips for successful container gardening that work well for vegetables, flowers, herbs and even house plants. This is because container gardening has many benefits. It’s hard to believe more people don't grow plants in containers. Although container gardening has become more popular over the past couple of decades, it still isn’t as …

Container gardens create a natural sanctuaries along busy city streets, on rooftops or even on balconies. The key is to come up with creative containers that are pleasing to the eye and meet your needs. You can easily accentuate the welcoming look of a deck or patio with colorful pots of annuals, or fill your …

Once you decide to plant a container garden, the first step is choosing if those plants are going to be grown indoors or outdoors. Or you can take advantage of the opportunity to move the containers inside during the cold weather and outside when it warms up.   A lot of people think container gardening is only …

Disclaimer: I received some of these seeds for free in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are honest and my own. Below I share with you everything I know about growing dianthus from seed after years of experience germinating a wide variety of dianthus seed. Dianthus is one of my favorite flowers. I love the …

The White House ought to have an allergy-free landscape! The oldest Obama daughter, Malia, age 10, has allergies, as much of the world now knows, ever since all the talk about them getting a dog, and needing an allergy-free dog. What the Obama’s may not understand though, is that any dog that runs around in …

  I was a little suprised when I saw this combination of winter aconite and miniature iris growing in my garden this week. Both of these plants are early spring blooming bulbs. I did plant them both, several years apart, not really thinking about how they would look together, or to be truthful, even caring. …

  Understanding the life cycle of a plant can lead to a better success growing them. Understanding how seeds develop can mean the difference between successful seed starting and failure. Put the two parts together and they equal a formula for success. Plant Parts Plants have several parts that we are all familiar with, the …

Spring is the time of year when many gardeners wonder about pruning and tidying up the garden. While it may be tempting to trim everything to make it look tidy this is not the best way to go. It is important to know what plants you are growing, when they like to be pruned and …

Late spring is the time of year when flowers are bursting open on a daily basis. The garden, for the most part, is a flurry of activity. Bees, hungry after the long winter are flocking to the opening flowers and dandelions to gather nectar. Butterflies are arriving. The birds are flying around looking for bugs …

Clitoria is an easy care-free vine that can thrive in a variety of conditions. Although this plant prefers well-drained soil it can thrive in poor soil or even sand and under various lighting conditions.   The flowers of this plant are available as both single and double varieties. A little known fact is that they …

Baby, it’s cold outside, but spring is just around the corner, so even if you don’t garden year-round outdoors, now is the time to prepare for spring. Getting a head start on the growing season indoors will insure your garden lights the landscape up come spring. Make a list of what you want to grow, …

Germination Tips: I planted seed of this during the early winter of 2003. I placed the seed in a peat pot filled with ¾ potting soil and ¼ vermiculite. The seed was pressed into the vermiculite and slightly covered. The seeds had just begun to form roots on October 25, 2004. I potted them up …

First flowers from seed grown Brunfelsia americana.   On December 4, 2004 I began soaking fresh seeds. They were in the water for about four days before I planted them directly on top of some vermiculite. On December 23, 2004 the seed germinated. The first flowers appeared on April 28, 2009! Join the discussion on …

I planted these seeds on October 12, 2004. I placed them in a coldframe. They germinated on October 25, 2004.

Botanically speaking a bulb is not always a bulb. Many times plants are sold as bulbs and unsuspecting consumers do not know the difference between a true bulb, a corm, a rhizome or a tuber. Plants such as Oriental Lilies and Crinums come from bulbs which are a modified, shortened shoot that is enclosed by …

This is going to be a new feature of the blog – and although I hope to post on a daily basis, that may not always happen. You can always look at the previous post by clicking on the Daily Indiana Garden Post category to give you an idea of what might need done during …

  This is going to be a new feature of the blog - and although I hope to post on a daily basis, that may not always happen. You can always look at the previous post by clicking on the Daily Indiana Garden Post category to give you an idea of what might need done …

  It's a crisp, chilly morning here in my Indiana garden and it feels more like November than December, but December it is. We are expecting snow later today and that is normal for this time of year. In the garden there are plants in different stages of growth. Some have died back for the …

  MADISON, OH – It’s one small step for plants, and—just maybe—a giant leap for Planet Earth. Bluestone Perennials, a top mailorder and web source for garden plants (www.bluestoneperennials.com), is the first perennial nursery to com­pletely banish the use of plastic growing pots. Think of it as a green industry leader that has gone green. …

  It is a cold, dreary day here in my Indiana garden - yet, I know I must put on my coat and head outside to wander through my garden - after all, if I do not go today, I may miss a garden treasure. November is an exciting time in my garden. Although it …

Ah - winter is just around the corner - my greenhouse is still in disrepair and once again plants are moving into my living room. Yip - I have hook after hook mounted in my ceiling. Plants are clustered in those large wire baskets meant to have a coconut fiber lining in them - but …

    We moved here in August 2004 and I brought plants with me. Some I had grown for many years and some had just been bought that summer. I also brought tubs full of seeds in anticipation of having acreage that I could garden on. Over the years I have watched the garden change …