Posted on May 21, 2009 under Best Perennials |
Perennials are those flowers which reliably bloom year after year. They die back to the ground each winter after flourishing for a full growing season only to reemerge again in the spring. They’re also noted for their texture and vibrant colors. Generally, perennials are a bit maintenance though there are those require almost no maintenance. These perennials are some the easiest to care for. They also provide colorful flowers and long lasting foliage.
Daylilies are a very common perennial which do remarkably well with very little maintenance. Their flowers, which are available in a wide range of colors, bloom on stocks which grow up from clumps of long pointed foliage. A profuse bloomer, daylilies flower for weeks. They prefer a bit of shade in the afternoon when the sun is strongest.
Iris is one the first perennials to emerge in the spring. Its purple or white flowers are an essential in the spring garden. Iris grows in spreading clumps which increase in size each year. When their finished blooming, iris will provide the perennial garden with striking foliage through the summer.
Hosta is an extraordinarily hardy and durable perennial. They can grow for an entire season with very little care. Hosta provides the garden with mounds of lush foliage and striking purple or white flower. Hosta is also very adaptable and versatile and can be used in a variety of garden situations. They’re effective as an edging plant and when grown among other flowers in a perennial bed. Hosta is great for shade and part shade gardens.
Astilbe is one of best perennials for the shade or part shade garden. They prefer organic soils and protection from the afternoon sun as dry soils and direct sun tend to cause withering in the plant. Astilbe has finely cut, fern like foliage and pink, white, or peach colored flowers. Astilble may require dividing every few years to encourage healthy blooms as they will often out grow their spot in the garden.
Geranium, a great perennial for the border garden, is a vigorous grower and flowers abundantly. With its spreading habit and profuse flowering abilities, geranium provides the garden with pink, white or purple flowers through mid-summer. Geranium is a wonderful edging plant in a full sun perennial border. Geranium is able to thrive for years with very little maintenance.
Asters bloom in fall and are effective in both the formal perennial garden and the wildflower meadow. Asters bloom in a variety of colors including, white, pink and purple. They are great addition to any perennial border.
Black eyed Susan can tolerate poor soils and survive extreme conditions such as heat and drought. The challenge with black eyed Susan isn’t growing them its keeping them from taking over your garden. As a vigorous grower, they require dividing every few years. Their tall stems produce bright yellow flowers bloom in summer which last though early fall.
Sedum autumn joy is a wonderful fall flowering perennial. It grows clumps which grow larger year after year. Its blooms are tones of pink and not deadheaded, they turn a rusty brown which can add winter interest to the garden. Sedum autumn joy also provides the garden with beautiful lush foliage in the summer.
While these perennials are easy to grow, there are a few very basic maintenance guidelines to follow which will help your garden flourish. In the summer, deadheading the perennials the process of clipping off the spent blooms, in necessary to encourage new blooms. As your perennials grow larger and begin to crowd each other, they may require dividing. Dividing perennials is easily the best way to increase your plant stock. Simply dig the perennial you intend to divide out of the ground making sure to dig out as much of the root system as possible. Take a shovel and chop or divide the plant in half and then replant each half.
Before planting your flowers, observe the conditions of your garden so you can determine what will work best for you. Have a plan or list in hand before you head out to the greenhouse. Once planted, these perennials will provide years of gardening enjoyment.
anonymous
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/gardening-with-easy-care-perennials-87624.html
Posted on Mar 18, 2010 under Gardening Tips |
Even if you’re not an avid gardener or flower lover, the sight of a well-maintained indoor garden is impressive. However, if you’ve tried your hand at indoor gardening, it’s not as easy as bringing the plants indoors. Here are some tips to start you off on the right foot.
The first crucial decision has to do with lighting. Ask yourself, exactly how light should I give the plants? Your house may not have enough light for your plants to exist, so this is a prime consideration. Are you prepared to supply your plant with light through artificial means? It could be expensive. If possible, try to select plants that require minimal lighting such as Philodendrons and Boston ferns.
If there are not that many indoor plants, you may consider bringing them out into the sun during the day before bringing them back inside. Think of your plants as batteries. If you expose them to enough sunlight outdoors, they can store this as a reserve source of energy indoors. This is especially effective during summer.
It’s also important that you know how to spot the signs that will tell you whether your plants are getting the right amount of light. One sign is in the leaves. If the plant has small leaves and thin stems, it needs more light. The same is true if the color of the plant turns paler than usual.
You may even have to condition your plants, which is a way of making them used to the lights in your house gradually, especially if they came from a place that has brighter lights than your home. You start by exposing the plants to the brightest possible light in your house. Move them around daily while lessening the amount of light they get, until they reach that point where they are exposed to their regular amounts of light.
When it comes to watering, the rules are fairly simple. Make sure to water the soil thoroughly and to have the water drained at the bottom of the pot. The quantity of water depends on the plant. The biggest mistakes here are not watering them enough or watering them too much, so avoid both. Also, use water that has the same room temperature.
Try to keep the room temperature at an even level, ideally in the 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit range.
Other items such as fertilizers and humidity levels depend a great deal on the type of plants you choose.
Kadence Buchanan
http://www.articlesbase.com/advice-articles/indoor-gardening-tips-63604.html
Posted on Mar 18, 2010 under Best Vegetables |
Posted on Mar 18, 2010 under Best Tomatoes |
Posted on Mar 18, 2010 under Best Seeds |
You might disagree, but hear me out on this. Natural skin care oils are the safest and most effective. Mineral oil, the primary ingredient in most lotions, is not one of them. The name might make you think of minerals that are necessary for human health, but it is actually flammable petroleum based oil that is not similar to the oil produced by the skin’s sebaceous glands.
There are many beneficial plant-based oils that are very similar to the skin’s own. Here’s a look at just a few of them and what they can do for your skin’s health and appearance.
Avocado Oil
This one is a little too heavy for use during the day, but it makes a great nighttime moisturizer. It is rich in vitamins A, D and E, as well as potassium, protein and essential fatty acids.
Vitamin A and E are used to treat a variety of skin problems, including eczema and acne. As antioxidants, they provide anti-aging benefits by protecting the skin’s cells from damaging free radical molecules.
Potassium is one of the minerals that help to balance the skin’s moisture content. The amino acids in protein are the building blocks of collagen, elastin and keratin. Essential fatty acids are the primary component of the skin’s sebum. Of all of the natural skin care oils, it is one of the few that has been shown to increase the skin’s collagen content.
Jojoba Oil
Jojoba was used by Native Americans to treat burns and other injuries. It is really more like a liquid wax. It is expressed form the plant’s seeds and is one of the natural skin care oils that is most similar to the skin’s.
It helps reduce wrinkles, stretch marks and the appearance of scars. It can be used, regardless of skin-type, because it is non-greasy and is also rich in vitamin E.
Grape Seed Oil
This one is light enough to use during the day. It makes an effective shaving lubricant and has a dual moisturizing effect. First, it hydrates, and then it locks moisture in, because it has a unique filming ability. The invisible film also keeps dirt, grime and make-up from clogging the pores. Like most of the natural skin care oils, it is also rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids.
Olive Oil
Although some people use the kind is designed for cooking purposes, I recommend an emulsification known as “OLIVEM 800″. In my opinion, the kind used for cooking feels too greasy. The special emulsion provides the nourishing qualities of olive oil, without causing a greasy feeling.
Everything that I have mentioned here, except for mineral oil, in the first paragraph, is a beneficial ingredient. But, you should know that there are some ingredients to avoid. The cosmetic industry is not very well regulated. Manufacturers are allowed to use practically anything in their products and they are not required to test for safety before-hand.
There are many ingredients to avoid, but if you shop for those that are free of artificial preservatives, sunscreens and added fragrances, and only include natural skin care oils, you’ll be headed in the right direction.
To learn more about vitamins for healthy skin, and other incredible natural substances for natural healthy skin care, visit my website today.
Laurel Levine
http://www.articlesbase.com/skin-care-articles/the-best-skin-products-contain-natural-skin-care-oils-695801.html
Posted on Mar 18, 2010 under Best Perennials |
Sometimes the sheer audacity of a flower grabs your attention and simply won’t let go. The first time I saw a dahlia, I was stunned. Not only is their size larger than life, but also the colors are absolutely amazing! The intricacy of petal structure, the huge array of shapes, oh yeah, did I mention the COLORS! In short, I was mesmerized.
In the intervening years, not much has changed, except of course, there are better selections of these incredibly immense dahlias. Stronger stems, better foliage, brighter colors are all thanks to the hard work and intuitive genius of many hybridizers.
I know several people who have devoted their entire garden to growing dahlias. Some people might say it’s a sickness. I don’t agree - if dahlias are your passion, live it! On the other hand, not everyone can - or would want to — devote a large amount of time and effort to one kind of plant. But, seriously, there’s room in just about any garden for a few of these show-stopping flowers.
Besides border dahlias, there are decorative, dinner plate, karma, powder puff, tree, collarette and a huge number of unique dahlia shapes available. Flower sizes range from under 2 inches wide to more than 10 inches in diameter. While the colors include everything under the rainbow with a few surprises in between. That’s a lot to choose from; I’m certain there is more than one for your garden.
One of the best reasons of all to grow dahlias is their flowering time. They begin to bloom usually in late July and continue unabated until frost, a time when many other perennials are finished blooming and there’s not much else going on in the garden.
Dahlias are native to the mountainous central region of Mexico and Guatemala. Spanish settlers in Mexico sent the first dahlia seeds and tubers back to Spain in the 18th century. Spanish botanists at the Royal Botanical Garden in Madrid sent seeds and tubers to botanists in other parts of Europe, for more details visit to www.insomnia-battle.com and the dahlia began to spread across Europe. The first varieties with large, double ball-shaped flowers were bred in Belgium in 1815 and within a few decades nurserymen had expanded the combinations of colors as far as they thought they could be. Most turned their attention to other projects, and dahlias languished.
Then, in 1872, a box of dahlia roots from Mexico arrived in Holland. All the roots had perished except one, which produced a brilliant red flower whose shape was distinctly different. It was combined with earlier varieties and the resulting babies became the parents of today’s diverse hybrids. Thanks to the skill of breeders in England, Holland, Germany, for more details visit to www.100computertips.com Australia and America, dahlias come in a range of sizes and colors unmatched in the world of garden flowers.
There are some spectacular dinner plate sized dahlias that grow 36-48 inches tall. How about ‘Emory Paul’, biggest of them all in orchid lavender; maybe ‘The Big Wow’, with enormous bright, scarlet red flowers. What about checking out ‘Ferncliff Illlusion’, fabulous in white with violet tips or ‘Kelvin Floodlight’, immense, dazzling, deep, clear yellow. Any one would be perfect for creating a dramatic display in your garden.
There are more demure dahlias that come in powder puff shapes and grow 24-40 inches tall. Most of these large flowers have a petticoat of regular petals with a puff of smaller, ruffled petals in the middle. Try ‘Blue Bayou’ in lavender-blue; or ‘Soulman’, in a rich, deep maroon, a color very rarely seen in the horticulture industry.
You can mix it up with Karma dahlias for an array of different shapes and vibrant, iridescent colors. These tall dahlias (36-44 inches) were developed for the Dutch cut flower market and have long, very sturdy stems. The colors are truly magnificent. For an amazing effect in your garden, try ‘Karma Sangria’ with a rose center, and golden yellow petals tipped in salmon rose. Single colored flowers include ‘Karma Prospero’, in soft lilac-pink with a golden center and ‘Karma Ventura’, a dazzling lemon yellow the perfect contrast to the pink petals of ‘Prospero’.
Sandeep
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/most-turned-their-attention-to-other-projects-and-dahlias-languished-696640.html
Posted on Mar 18, 2010 under Best For Garden |
Nothing focuses the mind on transforming raw material into an object of beauty, utility, and practicality better than landscaping. The land will make you wait when you do not feel like waiting, and nature, a mysterious consequence of every landscaping design, will do everything you do not want it to do.
Landscaping can do wonders for the surroundings. Many people find it very useful. In fact, in the survey conducted by the Gallup Organization, almost 54% of Americans have said that the top benefit of landscaping is the relaxation and enjoyment it brings for people to enjoy.
In beautifying a big garden, employing the principle of landscaping is extremely important. Some people contend that improving the appearance of a big garden can be a daunting task.
So what is a landscaper to do? It would be best to relax and respect the natural rhythms of the elemental materials found in the garden.
A landscaper should learn the value of patience and flexibility. It is with these attributes that a true landscaper can work out the details of the job.
The landscaper must take into consideration the size of the yard. If it is a big garden, it is best to use the proper number of plants and trees so that the area will not appear dull and empty.
When landscaping a big garden, one should keep in mind that employing the principles of landscaping should not just focus on enhancing its features. The way the trees provide shade is a vital factor.
A big garden usually contains some trees and shrubs even before the landscaping process begins. It is best for a landscaper to examine the area before he starts planning the design.
The proper placing of the plants is a necessity. Since it will be a bigger area, it is best to consider the plants that need more sunlight and those that should not be directly exposed to the sun.
In landscaping, what is important is to emphasize the beauty of the nature. This means that if there are natural rock formations in the area, it is best to put emphasis on them if the rocks seem to be worthy of attention.
All of these things boil down to the fact that the size of the area should be the top consideration of the landscaper. The size of the garden will determine if it needs more trees, plants, or other embellishments. Size really does matter.
Joey Simmons
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/making-beauty-in-your-big-garden-675698.html
Posted on Mar 17, 2010 under Best Vegetables |
What are the best fruits and vegetables for guinea pigs? I want some vegetables that I can give my guinea pigs on a daily basis and some fruits and vegetables I can give them as a treat. If you have guinea pigs what are their favorites?
Me Mysel- Guinea Pig, not hamster.
My guinea pigs favourite vegetable is cos lettuce/romaine lettuce, and his favourite fruit is watermelon.
Daily vegetables:
> Cos lettuce/romaine lettuce
> Carrot
> Carrot greens
> Cucumber
> Celery
> Celery greens
Daily fruits:
> Apple
> Grapes
> Watermelon
Vegetable treats:
> Parsley
> Spinach
> Capsicum
Fruit treats:
>Strawberries
> Cherries
Best of luck 
Please be sure to check out my website dedicated to guinea pigs, and become a member for free:
http://guineapighut.webs.com/
Posted on Mar 17, 2010 under Best Seeds |
Please advise me what to plant, here is my brief.
I have 7 Tubs x 18" wide and 4 hanging baskets x 12" wide.
I have last years compost in each.
I want something that is easy and simple, basically throw in and rake the seeds and throw some water their way as required. Something that will be assorted colours, will bloom most of the summer with as little interference as possible.
Impossible? or please advise thanks.
Not impossible at all. If they’ll be in the sun, plant zinnias or cosmos or marigolds in the tubs and trailing nasturtiums in the baskets. Those are all vivid, long blooming, incredibly easy care plants that grow effortlessly from seed. Just keep the soil lightly moist until the seedlings are growing well.
Posted on Mar 17, 2010 under Best Tomatoes |
Home grown toms usualy taste better than shop bought. A reliable favorite for a number of years is called Gardeners Delight, a red cherry tom. with fruits around 25/30mm, a heavy cropper if looked after & a flavour that’s hard to beat! Does best in the greenhouse but will still produce outside in a nice warm spot. Raise your own from seed or bring on bought plants. Lots of info on the web on how to. Good Luck!