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Fragrant Flowers for Cutting and Garden Decoration Carnations in all their various forms are generally considered to be derivatives of Dianthus Caryophyllus, although the origin of some is not entirely clear. In North America, when referring to Carnations we immediately think of the Carnation of commerce, the continuous or Perpetual flowering Carnation that is commonly grown under glass. There are, […]
There are not many plants that can be truly called a workhorse in a garden, yet many groundcovers are exactly that. Once established, they require no care, instead providing a large, weed-free mat of their vegetation and flowers. The choices available to a gardener are becoming unreal as well; plain or variegated leaf, bloom colour, small or large-leaved, sun or […]
The other day I was in the dentist’s office reading a gardening magazine where I came across the word “ubiquitous” to describe silver lace vine (Polygonum aubertii). Webster’s helped me out with that one. It means present everywhere at the same time. It’s a perfect description because this vine sprawls everywhere. Then I began to think about how, in gardening, […]
Under natural conditions plants feed themselves. Water makes up 80 to 90% of their weight, and the assimilation of carbon dioxide from the air provides a high proportion of the rest of the tissue material. Three elements only—carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are concerned in this: the other 1 or 2% of the plant however, consists of 60 or more different […]
When filling out your seed orders this winter, you may want to include some of the new vegetable varieties for 2002. This year five vegetables–two pumpkins, a winter squash, a slicing cucumber, and a sweet basil–were chosen as All-America Selections (AAS) winners. These varieties, along with hundreds of others, were grown in test gardens all over the country. Throughout the […]
Turnip This root vegetable, Brassica campestris rapa (syn. B. rapa), has been grown in Britain since the sixteenth century. The roots are global or flattish round. A well-drained sandy loam is suitable for both types—summer and winter. But if the soil is light and sandy, it dries out rapidly and turnip flea beetles flourish. A heavy soil is unsuitable for […]
Basil is a well-known culinary herb that’s popular in many Italian dishes. But did you know that there are many other uses of this herb, including its use as a tonic to aid in digestion? The most common use of basil is for cooking, such as in tomato sauce, pesto, or vinegars. But it also can be sprinkled over salads […]
For any gardener who still hasn’t been convinced about the need to garden organically, here are some statistics that may help change your mind. In March of 2001, the American Cancer Society published a report linking the use of the herbicide glyphosate (commonly sold as Round-up) with a 27% increased likelihood of contracting Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. John Hopkins University also revealed […]
When looking to improve your garden it can be a good idea to take inspiration from your surroundings. Why confine your creative thoughts to standard garden themes. If you look around to draw inspiration you’ll be surprised at the number of ideas you can get. The Challenge My client had a postage stamp-sized plot in the heart of the city. […]
We are just not satisfied with ordinary gardening any longer. Water gardening is sweeping our country. More and more people are adding water features to their landscape. Water has been a part of landscaping throughout the ages. Within the last few years water gardening popularity has increased by leaps and bounds. Why are ponds and waterfalls becoming more and more […]