Your Backyard Garden Information Source
Spring is a wonderful time of year to be in the garden. As the temperature starts to rise, new life emerges from the darkness of winter, and wildlife comes out from hibernation, our gardens once again become a hub of activity. The most attractive spring gardens are home to a variety of plants, from colourful flowers to beautiful shrubs. These […]
Fall planted bulbs for Spring Beauty Tulips, Daffodils, Hyacinths, Crocuses … the bulbs of spring … are plants in miniature, having within them the flowers, leaves, etc.. waiting only for warmth and moisture to start rapid growth toward a complete blooming plant. WHERE TO PLANT BULBS: Bulbous flowers can be used in. many places in the garden on the lawn, […]
Tulips are the gardener’s pot of gold Remember your old “magic set” and the wonderfully colored brews you mixed? And the surprises, and the fun? Today you’ll find there’s greater magic in tulips and even more gorgeous and beautiful colors packed away in their sleek brown bulbs. To work this new magic, think of the happiest flower colors and the prettiest combinations you ever […]
The first thing you should know about daffodils is that it’s smart to choose the ones you want while they’re still in bloom in the spring. If you miss the boat this spring, your best bet is to read carefully the descriptions in next fall’s seed and nursery catalogs. The second thing you need to know is something about the […]
Dahlias are half-hardy perennials, originally from Mexico, and now very popular in the United States. Very adaptable, they grow well in any type of soil. They are versatile, being used for garden decoration, cut flowers, floral art, and exhibition. Few flowers can match them for their wide range of brilliant colors, their wide variety of shapes and sizes, and their […]
Peaches and Nectarines The peach, Prunus persica, is closely related to apricots, cherries and plums. It was introduced into England in the early sixteenth century via Europe and Persia from China. The nectarine is a natural sport of the peach with smaller, more delicately flavored fruits, which are smooth-skinned, whereas peaches have a rough skin. Bush peaches are hardy in […]
What are hardiness zones? It seems every gardening book and nursery catalog refers to plant hardiness zones, also known as climate zones or growing zones. If you’re new to gardening, you may be wondering what all the fuss is with these zones, and how to find out which zone you are gardening in. Basically, plant hardiness zones are a guide […]
A gardener in Pheonix, Arizona, and a gardener in Bangor, Maine has vastly different gardening quandaries. It should go without saying that a region’s climate has a profound impact on its gardens; the temperature, the humidity, the precipitation, and more affect the region in the short and long term, so gardeners need to fully understand their climate to keep their […]
Australian Hardiness Planting Zones This map is from the Australian Government Bureau or Meteorology. Hardiness zones are a way of classifying areas based on their average minimum winter temperatures. In Australia, there are 10 hardiness zones, ranging from zone 1 (the coldest) to zone 10 (the warmest). These zones are used to help gardeners determine which plants are likely to […]
When you live in the south, there’s nothing quite like St. Augustine Grass to give you a lush and beautiful front lawn. Its durability helps it stand up the rigors of a southern summer, and its resistance to salinity means it’s appropriate even if you have a home on the coast. For those who live a bit further north and […]