Create a magical miniature container garden that will mesmerize the children in your life. In this make-believe landscape, a pint-sized bush is a large tree, twigs and leaves turn into furniture, and tiny woodland sprites are as close as your imagination. Arranging plants just-so can create the effect of a little forest, a mossy lawn and other scaled-down echoes of Mother Nature's grander schemes. Then start imagining the fairies that visit late at night when the world is asleep.
Find instructions for creating your own fairy garden, here: http://goo.gl/Tp6Kp
I wouldn't say I love spiders, but they do fascinate me. And I find jumping spiders particularly fascinating.
Not only can they jump more than 50 times their own body length, but jumping spiders have the best eyesight of any spider.
They need great vision to help them find their prey and to be able to accurately work out how far they need to pounce to catch that prey! If you've ever been up close to one you might have noticed four beady eyes looking straight back at you.
So, forget for a moment that spiders probably aren't really 'your thing' and marvel at the detail that's been captured in this photo by Jeroen Stel of a jumping spider's eyes.
Find additionsl articles of interest from the site '100 Acre Wood', here: http://goo.gl/0K6Q6
Succulents make excellent display plants in dish gardens. You can plant succulents in between stones in walls or paths, in between patio pavers, in rock gardens and on the rocks themselves. Because of their shallow roots, you can fit several in a wide, shallow dish that you can move around for instant color.
All succulents have very similar growing needs. Outdoors, succulents prefer full sunlight. Indoors put them in bright light; a south-facing window is ideal. That said, some succulents will burn if they are suddenly put in direct sunlight.
Read more tips about succulents from the source of the article, here: http://goo.gl/VEuLt
Roses are considered one of America's favorite flowers, with hybrid teas being right at the top of the list. But if you've grown these delicate and finicky princesses, you know they take a lot of work. I'd like to introduce you to some alternatives to the prima-donna hybrid teas that are pest- and disease-resistant, simple to train, don't need a lot of fertilizer or elaborate winter protection and are beautiful to boot!
They're the wild roses. They start with a spectacular spring explosion of blooms, then these hardy, old-fashioned beauties provide great-looking foliage, vivid thorns and vibrant hips the rest of the year. And they don't have to be heavily pruned. In fact, it's better not to prune for the first couple of years as they get established.
Since water gardens are usually home to fish and aquatic plants, the water garden needs to be in a place where there is constant access to sunlight during the daytime because most fish and aquatic plants depend on the sun. Also, the place should steer clear of any tree or tall shrub, to have access to sunlight and also to avoid leaf and stick rubbish in the water.
When planning your water garden, you have to use some basic principles. You have to consider the size of your lawn and your ability to maintain a water garden. If you have a small property, a small pond would probably be best. You may also add waterfalls, rockwork, lighting and fountains if you have the budget, and it would also depend on the style and purpose of your landscape. However, doing so would further enhance the scenery, especially at night.
A lifelong love of gardening should not have to end as mobility and other issues arise in seniors. The leisure pastime provides exercise, stimulation, accomplishment and a host of other benefits that are healthy for the mind and body.
Enjoying gardening late into life provides more than health benefits. The successful senior gardener can also stretch his/her pocketbook. Seniors are usually on fixed incomes and may find it difficult to afford some necessities. Growing food in the garden stretches the tight budget and ensures a well-rounded diet.
Seeds are cheap and there are methods of easy sowing for elderly gardeners. Use gardening tools for seniors such as seed syringes, seed tape and seed with the soil mixed in.
Gardening helps to keep elderly general health in a better state by strengthening bones, muscles, and joints. It helps the elderly with balance resulting in fewer falls: keep blood pressure at bay, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, and of course keep the mind in a positive state.
"There are a few reasons why I use Epsom Salt in my garden. It provides both magnesium and sulfate, which are minerals that all plants need. Magnesium also helps plants absorb other nutrients in the soil. When my plants are looking stressed or at the end of an especially hot week I give them a shot of Epsom Salt!"
Read the original article and find the recipe for this gentle fertilizer, here: http://goo.gl/XBSMC
During the Second World War, the idea was that this patriotic act of producing one’s own food would aid the war effort. Today, we need some new victories. Victories over rising food prices, over processed, mass produced, and low nutrition “food”. With fuel costs rising and reports of salmonella in tomatoes, people should consider their alternatives. Trends are moving towards buying organic and buying local. Why not start a small garden—a victory garden?
Read the remainder of this article from Self Reliance Workshop, here - http://goo.gl/xngco
They are shade plants and generally indigenous to woodlands. This means that they will rarely, if ever, tolerate direct sunlight, preferring to live in partial or even deep shade.
They are therefore just right for those shady spots in your garden or in your woods where nothing else will grow. If the growing conditions are right, they can be not only very hardy, but can even be aggressive. This is not always a bad thing.
Read more of this article by Easy Shade Gardening, here: http://goo.gl/FkPbq
One of the best-selling perennials in America is treasured not for its flowers but for its foliage. Hosta has won the hearts of gardeners across the Country.
According to the American Hosta Society, there are more than 30 hosta hybridizers at work in the United States alone. Cultivars with showier, fragrant blossoms have been cropping up in nurseries, expanding the palette still further. Old as well as new cultivars bloom with white or lavender flowers in late summer, just when a splash of color is needed most.
Phyllis and Richard Null have a charming bunny nestled within their Eugene, Oregon garden.
To create a bunny like this, order an undivided flat of baby's tears (Soleirolia soleirolii) from your local nursery. Choose a site in full shade, inland, or in some sun if you're near the coast. Remove the entire "carpet" from the flat, taking care to keep it in one piece, and press the root mass lightly into prepared soil. To trace the bunny, make an outline with string or place a rabbit-shaped cake pan upside down on top of the baby's tears. With a sharp knife, trim away the excess baby's tears beyond the outline. Add back extra pieces to fill in any gaps (avoid using pieces too small to thrive).
When the baby's tears is established (look for new growth), use scissors to hollow out the rabbit's ear and form its three-dimensional haunch and neck. Clip it regularly to keep the bunny looking its best. When vigorous growth spreads beyond the design, cut it away and remove any roots.
The bunny will go dormant in cold winters, but will put on a new coat of tiny green leaves to greet the spring.
Read the entire post from the story by Mary-Kate Mackey, here: http://goo.gl/myVZc
Michigan is amazing. This is Michigan's version of the Venus Flytrap.
"I've photographed 6 species of 'carnivorous' plants in Michigan, this one was the most challenging - a dime could completely cover this single leaf. I prefer the term 'Insectivorous'. Like my naturalist friend, Larry West, would say, "They don't eat squirrels do they?!" so I prefer the term insectivorous." -Mark S Carlson
Find additional photography by Mark S Carlson on his website, here: http://goo.gl/Ug3xO
Learn how to make dolls with hollyhocks - the kids will love it. Although not shown here, it's easy to paint "faces" on them by using a permanent marker.
In the landscape, agapanthus plants mass beautifully in borders, enhance a garden as a focal point, highlight tidy swimming pool plantings and make outstanding accents as potted specimens. Agapanthus is hardy, easy to grow and needs minimal attention.
Varieties both small and large grow from 2 to 4 feet tall and spread 12 to 24 inches wide. Agapanthus grows at a moderate rate in upright clumps of long curved shiny green strap-like leaves just waiting to produce those decorative delicate blooms that are such a favorite with hummingbirds.
Plant agapanthus in warm sunny to semi-shady sites in the garden for the best growth and flowering. Use modestly fertile soil that is well drained. Water moderately and feed with a balanced fertilizer during the growing season. The plant is drought-tolerant, once established.
The younger the bare root plant, the easier it is to move successfully, so long as you follow a few simple rules, such as:
Make sure that it is thoroughly watered before being disturbed.
Make sure that the new site is prepared and ready for the new occupant.
Don’t waste any time.
Don’t leave bare root systems exposed to strong light at any time.
Don’t forget to check out the plant in its new location regularly until you are sure that it has settled in successfully.
When planting out the likes of bedding plants and vegetables that have been growing in pots or modules, they will establish much more easily because there is no disruption to the root system.
If the soil falls away from the root system in the process of lifting and replanting plants in full growth in high summer, there can be serious losses unless the after-care is regular and consistent.
If you have to consider moving an established plant and it can’t be put in its new location immediately, plant it in a big pot and treat it like any other patio container for the rest of the summer.
Read the article in its entirety from The Press and Journal, here: http://goo.gl/IpNKv
Birds are fascinated by water. They’ll come to a fountain or pool and hop around the edge, staring and exploring, occasionally bending down for a quick sip.
In hot weather, birds bathe daily, and you’ll have to refill the bath every morning or evening. The water should be shallow – one to two inches . . .
Photographer Tustel Ico of Borneo, Indonesia, captured a brilliant macro shot of a Praying Mantis sitting on two budding leaves which made it look like a bicycle ride. Just amazing!
We're always looking for ways to save money and with today's economy what it is it's not just wise, it's crucial for gardeners to save a buck when they can!
There are several ways gardeners can save money on their garden that are really easy to do and don't require anything really crazy.
Bats are victims of bad PR. They carry rabies. They tangle in your hair, suck the blood from their victims and turn into vampires on dark and stormy nights. Poor bats! Their unwarranted reputations have been the result of bad press and worse movies. The truth is, attracting bats to your backyard is one of the safest and most efficient methods out there for natural insect control. One little brown bat can eat 1,200 insects per hour. Now imagine what a small colony can do!
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