Winter Garden
Outdoor Holiday Decorations
During the holidays we often spend a great deal of time, money and effort to decorate inside our homes, but why not continue that decorating outside? There are so many types of beautiful outdoor holiday decorations, you can make the exterior of your home just as distinctive and lovely for the season as the interior.
Tools for Holiday Gift Giving
It's easy to shop for gifts for the gardeners on our holiday list. There are always new tools available for the serious, and not so serious, gardeners in our lives. In fact, there may be too many to pick from, but we can help you narrow down the selection to find the perfect gift.
Feeding Birds in Winter
Winter is a crucial time for birds. As temperatures drop, there are no insects to eat and the natural seeds are covered with snow, and as the season lengthens, the berries and crab apples are long gone. Birds need enough food to maintain their body temperatures and must search for food from sun up to […]
Dormant Pruning With the Proper Tools
Late winter pruning is often recommended for many trees and shrubs. Pruning the plants while they are dormant is less stressful for the plant and it’s also easier to view the structure of deciduous trees and shrubs without their leaves.
Worm-Casting Tea
Perhaps you used compost tea on your plants and saw the amazing effect it had. (If you haven’t, you should try it and then you’ll see it... promise!) However, if you think your plants loved their compost tea, try giving them a drink of worm casting tea. No, it’s not the liquid dripping from the bottom of an elevated worm bin.
Vermicomposting
We’re very excited about one of the newer trends... vermicomposting, otherwise known as worm composting! This simple process mixes food scraps with yard waste and other organic materials in an enclosed area containing specific types of worms.
Living Christmas Wreath
For a unique holiday wreath, consider a living wreath you can enjoy throughout the year. These make beautiful gifts and are a fun project for the entire family to enjoy.
Winter Interest in the Garden
Many gardeners think of the fourth season as a time for rest, but winter can be interesting and fun to plan for a bold, appealing landscape. While most of us plan our landscapes for bloom times in spring and summer, there are many plants offering color and texture appeal for the cold season landscape. Winter […]
Size Up Your Site: A First Step in Planning Your Landscape
Whether you plan your garden from start to finish or use a professional designer, a few simple steps can help you assess your property’s potential to develop the landscape of your dreams. By getting involved in the landscape design process, you can address practical problems, structure your outdoor living space and develop a plan that […]
Attracting Birds to Your Garden
One of the benefits of a garden is the wildlife it attracts, and birds are some of the most popular garden wildlife. Most birds are voracious eaters that are glad to keep the insect population down, and may eat 500-1,000 insects in one afternoon. This makes them ideal for natural (and free!) pest control. Anything […]
Bird Feeding 101: Low Maintenance Suet Feeding
Suet is a high-energy brick of animal fat and other ingredients to attract insect-eating birds. Because it is high in fat and calories, it is a quick source of heat and energy for birds and has been used as a good substitute for the insects that birds usually feed upon, but are not plentiful in […]
Tooling Around in the Garden: Selecting and Caring for Garden Tools
Let’s face it – purchasing a new garden tool is usually not the first thing on your mind when you visit your friendly neighborhood garden center. Most of us tend to gravitate toward the latest and greatest herbaceous eye-candy without considering whether we have all the equipment necessary to prepare and care for it. The […]
Pruning Fundamentals
The first thing to look for when pruning a tree is broken, diseased or dead branches, all of which should be removed. Many deciduous shrubs can really benefit from annual pruning. Pruning not only controls the size of these shrubs, but it can also increase flower production and encourage colorful bark.
Getting Your Trees and Shrubs Ready For Winter
Winter wind and sun are responsible for much of the injuries your landscaping plants will sustain over the winter. The elements are especially hard on broadleaf evergreens such as rhododendrons, hollies, mountain laurel and boxwood.
Plants for Winter Interest & Holiday Decorating
Wouldn’t you love to have an abundance of fresh holiday greens, brilliant berries and colorful twigs at your fingertips at the beginning of the winter holidays each and every year? Endless fodder for wreath making, mantle decorating, garland enhancing and container filling can be yours for the taking if you plan now and plant come spring.
Christmas Fairy Gardens
Let the magic of miniature fairy gardens give you the Christmas you've always wanted. You can create the garden and entry of your dreams without breaking the bank, redoing your landscaping or remodeling your home!
