Smart Garden

 6 Braiding Plants  Starting a garden is one of the most rewarding things you can do. Plant fragrant flowers or start a vegetable garden (or both!), and everyone can benefit from getting their hands a little dirty. But if you're new to gardening, it can be hard to know where to start. Still, it doesn't have to be complicated; When you break your plan down into manageable steps, you can ease into gardening at your own pace. You will soon see the rewards of your efforts with beautiful views, delicious flavors and colorful flowers. These steps will help you get started, but if you have something in mind, you can also use a garden plan to guide your design. Remove weeds and weeds from the area you plan to plant. If you want quick results—for example, it's already spring and you want vegetables this summer—cut it. Slice under the lawn with a shovel. Cut the lawn into sections to make removal easier. For a long-term plan, the lasagna gardening method is easy to use: ...

If your bed needs a touch of glam or charm My property was sloped enough to mow the garden before it hit the road. Like any good gardener, “Why grow grass when you can grow plants?” I thought that. In its second year, the bed I had moved to the lawn began to fill up. The plants grew larger and began to join together. That's when it became a problem. Several plants blocked the view from the lane of oncoming traffic. People drive too fast on my road, and as much as I love my plants (and hate the extra work), I can't risk any of my loved ones getting into an accident with my 'Big Blue' sea holly (Erychium × Zabeli). 'Big Blue', zones 4–9) was too good to move. Began my search for short plants - I would consider anything under 2 feet, but 18 inches or less was what I needed. When I started collecting countless short varieties, only a few of which worked in my front bed, I started planting short plants all over my garden. I observe them in all the garden...

Buckets, baskets, and spring planting boxes Buckets, baskets, and spring planting boxes all help create space for new transitions. Colorful container plantings celebrate the start of the gardening season. Use your favorite spring bulbs and flowers to welcome the warmer weather. 1. Pink spring container Tulips, daffodils and hyacinths are the bellwethers of spring. In this simple ceramic bucket, a skirt of pale pink daisies surrounds magenta tulips. Extend the life of your plantings by purchasing plants with tightly closed buds. The buds open in a few days and color your spring container garden for two or more weeks. 2. Spring Dianthus pots Two small galvanized buckets (like this Better Homes & Gardens Galvanized Metal Planter, Set of 2, $34, Walmart) crosswise and connected by a simple handle make a perfect planting spot for perennial dianthus or pinks. Spur dianthus will send out second blooms by cutting off the spent flowers. If grown in full sun to partial shade and...

Thrillers, Fillers, and Spoilers For a stunning green container, use three types of plants that perform different functions but work in harmony. One of my favorite gardening pastimes is cooking up new ideas for container planting. I don't bother counting how many pots I plant each year, but the number is easily over 100. But no matter how many pots I showed, I realized that there was no mystery to creating a wonderful container plant until I followed a simple three-ingredient recipe. The first is what I call "Thriller," a centerpiece with star quality, big, bold, and beautiful. Then I add a few spicy "fillers," foliage or flowering plants that complement but don't overwhelm the main player. Finally, I add a tasty twist, a "spiller" that falls out of the pot. Thriller is the star As the name suggests, thrillers are big, attention-grabbing star players. They're usually tall, upright plants, with colorful leaves, an intriguing shape o...

You will love having stunning True blue flowers are not abundant in nature. But if you get some, they are eye-catching and really get them. Plants with blue flowers add a calming, cool color to your landscape. Choose from these easy-care perennials, annuals, shrubs, vines and flowering bulbs in various shades of blue. 1.  Blue Hydrangea A large, blue hydrangea is absolutely breathtaking. You can turn your large leaf hydrangeas sky blue by increasing the acidity of the soil. Adding soil sulfur is one way to do this. Bigleaf hydrangeas usually bloom on last year's growth, so if you must prune them, do so right after they finish blooming. Look for new varieties bred under the name Endless Summer that produce flowers on both new and old growth. 2. Perennial Geranium Plenty of plants offer purple flowers that lean toward blue, but perennial geranium 'Roseanne' is one of the best. This long-blooming geranium blooms from June until frost, producing a nearly endless su...

Bring a bounty of blooms to your landscape  While gardeners often extol the virtues of fine bark and winter passion, let's not kid ourselves—flower power reigns supreme. A tree that is a majestic focal point for most of the year can be transformed into a stunning centerpiece with spectacular blooms. Spring-blooming trees often occupy prime garden real estate, but for some easy, unexpected floral elegance, planting trees that bloom in late summer, fall, or winter is truly worthwhile. Many of my favorites have stunning displays when they are not in bloom. Here are some great choices for you to consider. 1. ‘Appalachian Red’ redbud illuminates the garden with a unique hue Redbud should be on every list of spring-flowering trees. If I had to choose just one for its color and impact, this is it. New cultivars with unique growing patterns or foliage have flooded the market, but cultivars with distinct flower colors are difficult to find. In this category, 'Appalachian Re...

Green variability and adaptability set them apart Hecheras come in leaf colors—chili, cinnamon, amber, peach, grape, plum, and chartreuse; Some show a combination of colors at once or are green in color. The leaves and veins are often red, burgundy, or silvery, etched, or covered. Leaf size, shape, and texture vary, and leaves may be flat, cupped, curled, or rugose. But don't forget flowers—they provide color and movement and often complement foliage well. Most flower color comes from the inflorescence; Petals are usually insignificant or absent. Airy clusters of small flowers are held on wiry stems above the leaves and attract bees and butterflies in late spring and summer. 1. 'Silver Gumdrop' 'Silver Gumdrop' (H. 'Silver Gumdrop') made my recommendation list two years before completing its trial in 2021 due to its beauty and strong habit. The leaves are initially purple in color, then gradually become silvery purple and dark airy. The pinkish-...

Houseplants for your bathroom Houseplants are a great addition to any bathroom. A small plant by the sink or a plant hanging over a shower window adds greenery and life to a starkly curved space. With typically warm temperatures and high humidity, bathrooms are ideal places for houseplants that respect those particular conditions. When choosing bathroom plants, consider three factors: light exposure, high humidity and temperature changes. If your bathroom doesn't have a window with light streaming across the room, choose a low-light species that can survive on less than four hours of light daily. Plants that need indirect light thrive near windows. These include ferns, air plants and many other tropical and subtropical plants. Here are suggestions for bathroom plants that do well in average bathroom conditions. 1. Asparagus fern Airy, lacy asparagus fern likes the humidity of the bathroom. It works best in moderate or bright light, so a spot by a window is best. Aspara...