Starting a garden is definitely one of the most exciting and rewarding experience you can do. Whether you are starting a vegetable garden or planting fragrant floral, you can hugely benefit from getting your hands a bit dirty. Sure, Spring can be a good time to start growing and digging, but you can always start planning even before the snow […]

Nothing tastes better than fresh, crisp vegetables on a summer day.  But, did you know that summer is not the only time you can grow fresh vegetables?  Most people think that if you live in Portland or other cold places, it’s hard to enjoy fresh vegetables year-round.   But, with some help and guidance, your summer vegetables can frequent your […]

Prepare for Seed Starting by Arzeena Hamir How do you satisfy the gardening itch in the middle of winter? Easily! Start plants from seed. Now is a great time to get a jumpstart on the gardening season. Just a little preparation will help ensure you seed starting success. Here is some of the equipment you’ll need: Containers Almost any type […]

  The selection of seeds available to start your own plants is unbelievable. With such a variety to choose from, and beautiful pictures on the packages, it is difficult to make up our minds which ones to plant in our gardens. Well, there are many that we can successfully grow in our gardens and even our planters. The old-fashioned varieties, […]

Friends and family who visit my garden when the Iris in bloom, often exclaim, “Aren’t these colorful! What type of Iris are they?” They are referring to the Siberian Irises, which are planted in long drifts above the bog garden path. Apparently, for all their graceful beauty, with flowers poised like resting butterflies on tall, reed-like stems, they are not truly […]

Looking for ways to improve the appearance and usability of your home’s backyard space? You have many different options. You could choose to use stacked stone. You could go with traditional brick. You might decide on customer concrete. However, Besser blocks offer a lot of versatility and the ability to create just about any sort of aesthetic you might desire. […]

According to the National Christmas Tree Association (www.realchristmastrees.org), 25 to 30 million real Christmas trees are sold each year.   Of those with real trees, about three out of four bought them at retail outlets, the others cut their own at a tree farm—a trend that has been increasing in recent years.  If you get a tree, either way, this year, […]

Most people associate mistletoe with kissing, as it’s customary for anyone caught standing under a sprig of this plant (often strategically placed in a doorway) to receive a kiss. But did you know that mistletoe, now considered a Christmas plant, was used as a religious symbol in pagan rites centuries before the time of Christ?   To the ancient Druids of […]

Kalanchoe is a popular flowering indoor plant used year round but particularly found for sale during the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons.  This succulent plant (thick, fleshy leaves) has bright flowers, coming in various colors, and with the proper care lasts for weeks.  Kalanchoe (pronounced kal-AN-cho or KAL-an-CO-ee) come with either red, pink, orange, yellow, or white flowers.  Often you can […]