Ideas, Info, Tools & Technology to Create Your Dream Garden
bulbs
Harbingers Of Spring
Jan 31st
Not even February 1st and the crocuses are already starting to bloom!
Ack! I was outside yesterday and the first crocuses are already blooming! I’m so far behind. I still have bulbs sitting in the storage room waiting to be put in the ground!
Even the best-laid plans can go haywire when you have to work around weather, work, and other obligations.
It looks like I’m already into the spring madness. Seems every year I get myself into the same pickle. I don’t manage to get all the cleanup and planting done in the fall that I need to, so then in the More >
Long-term Planning For Gardens
Dec 19th
Shade patterns change throughout the year. Keep a log for successful planting.
Maybe you’ve got it on you resolution list to finally do something with the yard. You’ve got some ideas, but aren’t sure exactly which plants will work well for each garden.
The first thing you need to do is know the lay of your land. Which way is north, south, east, and west? How does the house line up with these directions? Where are large trees or shrubs located in relation to the directions? Are the trees/shrubs evergreen or deciduous?
Before you plant anything you need to know what the shade More >
Focus Plant: Amaryllis
Nov 21st
My beautiful amaryllis, posing for a portrait.
This is the time of year when you see all the special packages of Christmas bulbs to force into bloom. The all-time favorite is the amaryllis. When I grew my first amaryllis the only color you could get was bright red. Now you can get red, white, pink, and bi-color. There are even specialty colors available from online sources.
Watching an amaryllis grow is something everyone loves. You open the box, start watering, and within a few days a tiny sprout shows up. However, the next morning when you get up that tiny sprout is More >
Planting Fall Bulbs
Oct 10th
Bulbs are often a very underused, misunderstood plant. I think part of the reason is that you usually buy them when they are dormant and not very interesting. However, taking the time to plant some bulbs now, will bring you a wealth of color in the early spring.
There are plants that bloom almost any time of the growing season, but they are best known for spring because they are usually some of the very first color after the bleakness of winter.
Just like any plant, give them a good start and they’ll continue to produce for you for years to come. More >