January is a gloomy month for those of us who live where the cold winters keep us cooped up in the house. The skies are often gray and dreary, the clouds heavy laden with snow. Read More
When I think of my childhood in Florida, I envision the shade of Live Oaks and Spanish moss draped like old men's beards from the trees. Read More
Have you dreamed of boasting flower beds akin to the great palaces of the world? Perhaps you thought it impossible. But even the most humble plot can flaunt a flower parterre. A parterre is a formal garden. The individual planting beds are bounded by clipped hedges then filled with flora or nothing at all. Paths direct one through the parterre. The parterres of the great palaces were designed on a grander scale along sweeping lawns and often incorporated topiary, impressive planting beds and paths. This article will help you attain a touch of that royal elegance within your backyard. Read More
Do you appreciate the rich patina of an antique? Is your house filled with relics form days gone by? Perhaps Granny's priceless heirlooms reside happily in your parlor. Antiques add character to the decor of a home. Did you know there are a variety of antique flowers? These antique flowers can be found in many gardens and in countless settings. Why not travel back in time by creating a garden abundant with antique flowers? Read More
Halloween is the time to ponder on all things creepy. And these large, hairy predators are no exception. They are serious about hunting their prey. They creep about the environs, often in the night, in search of tender morsels such as cockroaches. Don't be squeamish. These hairy hunters are a gardener's best friend. We may not enjoy the fare they do, but their steady appetite of insects makes for excellent biological insect control. Read More
One morning I awoke to find my newly planted altheas eaten down to small remnants of the thriving shrubs they had once been. I was livid. My mother had given the altheas to me. I had hauled them over one thousand miles from her place to mine. They had certainly not been planted as cuisine for the local wildlife. And so began my search for deer-resistant plants. Read More
Is there anything more striking than a majestic white oak with its sweeping limbs and broad, familiar tops? The white oak is often a superb acorn producer. It is also prized for its hardwood lumber. One of the products made from white oak lumber is whiskey barrels. As a gardener, I value whiskey barrels for their many uses. Read on and learn about the white oak tree and ways to use whiskey barrels in your home and garden. Read More
As a gardener I find the scarecrow is a delightful and practical addition to my vegetable garden. And I am not alone; the scarecrow is an accepted method of scaring away birds the worldwide. It is also a familiar symbol of the fall harvest. With the harvest season upon us, I thought it would be interesting to research the history of the scarecrow. Herein are tidbits of scarecrow history, humor, and ideas to create your own unique scarecrow. Read More
On Whitehead Street in Key West, you'll find a Spanish colonial house with big, shuttered windows and several dozen polydactyl cats wandering freely about the home and beautifully kept tropical gardens. This was once the dwelling place of the late Nobel Prize winning author, Ernest Hemingway. If you want to walk where he walked, then visit Key West and tour his former home and gardens, and enjoy the tranquility... Read More
I have many plants in my gardens. To select my favorite would be impossible. As with my children, I love them all. But to choose the most stress-free plants among my gardens is not as difficult a task. In this article I share my top ten stress-free plants with my fellow gardeners. Read More
Growing up in the sandhills of northwest Florida, I was blessed to have the freedom to roam the woods. One of my favorite places to walk was a stand of longleaf pines on the west side of our property. An uninterrupted stroll through a stand of longleaf pines, the piney woods to old-time southern folks, is a true pleasure. Read More
Is your entryway humdrum, woebegone or simply bland? Is your front door the focal point of your home or does it blend into the facade of your home like a wallflower? There are many ways to add curb appeal to a home, but for those of us who love the flower garden there is nothing better than adding a new flower garden for that special blossoming touch. Read on and discover a recipe to spice up that bland entryway by creating a pleasant dooryard garden. Read More
During the Victorian period in England, the language of flowers was utilized in different ways. One such way was by making tussie-mussies. A tussie-mussie was used to convey a particular message to the recipient. Creating a tussie-mussie is a unique and enjoyable craft for the young and old gardener alike, and you can use plants from your own backyard to create the it. Read More
For those of us who enjoy an old movie, Helen Hayes is one of the stars which come to mind when we think of the black-and-white films made long ago. Although she was dubbed the First Lady of American Stage, she also achieved success in countless films. But did you know there was a rose named in Helen Hayes' honor? This article discusses both the woman and the rose. Read More
False spirea is a deciduous shrub with leaves that resemble a feather. It has clusters of billowy white blossoms which move like ballet dancers in the wind. It is a tough shrub with a delicate appearance. It is not a shrub for small gardens. Nor is it for those who want compact shrubs which mind their manners. This shrub requires its own quarter. It grows rapidly and will gladly spread to fill a space of 5 to 8 feet. If you need a shrub that will quickly naturalize areas prone to erosion this is the shrub for you. Read More
If you want to create an instant garden hedge then this is the article for you. In part 1 I introduced you to my 'instant hedge' which also doubles as a garden wall. I spoke of how you can achieve a 6' tall hedge almost instantly. If you are in need of an instant windbreak as we were, but haven't the funds to purchase trees or shrubbery large enough to create it perhaps this may be a practical alternative. Part 2 includes fence building instructions. Part 3 will explain how I fashioned unique 'toppers' for the hedge. Read More
When you live on a windy knoll the definition of unhinged comes fully into perspective. The unrelenting southeast winds which rode over us akin to a herd of wild mustangs propelled me over the proverbial edge more times than I care to admit. If you need an instant windbreak as we did but haven't the funds to buy trees or shrubbery large enough to create it then there is nothing better than tall fencing. It truly works. Read More
By now you may have begun your instant garden hedge. In this article I will explain how I made unique 'toppers' for my instant hedge. You can do the same or create decorative tops all your own. More important than the 'toppers' is the choice of flora you adorn the panels in. Depending on the purpose you have intended for your instant hedge your plants will vary. You may want to cover it with climbers, perhaps put an assortment of shrubs in front of your instant hedge. Read More
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