Gardening Life

Training trees to grow in all manner of decorative shapes is not new, it has been part of the skilled landscape gardener’s repertoire since the 13th century

Where do YOUR fairies live?

Do not forget to add a little whimsy to your garden :)

During high heat conditions, bottles of ice can cool the area around your tomato plants to allow the blossoms to set fruit.

Follow the photo-link to read about how frozen water in 2-litre jugs can help tomatoes to set fruit in the extreme heat of the deep South.

There are many great perks to gardening. It makes your home look welcoming, adds warmth to a bare room, and burns some extra calories. 

Follow the photo-link to read more.

Square food gardening is the perfect introduction to growing a successful vegetable garden. In a square-foot garden, plants thrive in raised boxes that are sectioned and filled with nutrient-rich soils.

Follow the photo-link to find these instructions, and you can start enjoying organic vegetables from your own backyard!

How to build an inexpensive 12 by 32 foot hoop-style greenhouse made from pvc pipe for under $400

Follow the photo-link to read the tutorial.

A study shows that wild bees are more effective pollinators than honeybees. As domestic honeybees decline, native bees will become even more important.

As quoted from the creator of this project – ” Everything for the discerning arthropod, this simple, elegant and fun to make large insect hotel, using pallet wood with foraged interiors."

Follow the photo-link to find a step-by-step instruction with alternative roof structure for those not wishing to use a circular or band saw.

A rare, parasitic, rootless and leafless southeast Asian plant, Rafflesia arnoldii is the largest known flower in the world.

Rafflesia arnoldiionly becomes visible when its plump buds emerge through the bark of its host and develop into the large, fleshy flowers which are pollinated by carrion-flies.

Follow the photo-link to read more about this unique plant.

It's dangerously HOT outside! Please remember to keep your pets cool by providing shelter, shade, and LOTS of water. 

Follow the photo-link to read the article.

Bend hardware mesh into the shape of a cone...using jute, stitch the ends together and tie it off. Line it with burlap, then window screen mesh, add your well draining soil and succulents.

Follow the photo-link to read more from The Succulent Perch.

"On my last day in India, I had my first taste of rose petal honey, swirled into the yogurt I ate for breakfast as I sat on a balcony watching the Taj Mahal shimmer through a haze of humidity. Back home, I couldn't forget the taste—sensual, sublime, exotic, and familiar all at once, like India."

Virtually all roses are safe to eat; just make sure they're organically grown.  Follow the photo-link to find the recipe.

Perhaps the most important thing you can do for your garden is feed it with nutrient-rich compost. This mix of decaying vegetable matter, grass clippings, and leaves may not be glamorous, but it improves soil structure and provides the nutrients your plants need to thrive. And it’s easy to create your own compost in your backyard or patio, at little or no cost.

Follow the photo-link to find the Guide.

Better than store bought and packed with flavor, these little liqueur gems are versatile in the kitchen and very easy to make. What’s more, they make terrific gifts at holiday time. What could be better than that?

Find recipes by following the photo-link.

The TERRAform pod is made from food safe, UV-treated, recycled polyethylene that is molded to fit the dimensions of wheelchairs. When the three-sided pen is built around the pod it creates a garden at table height that allows easy access for planting, weeding and harvesting. Currently there are around 100 of the TERRAform pods being tested and used in gardens throughout France.

Follow the photo-link to read more about this collaborative effort.

Seventeen years ago Kamal Meattle found out that the air in his home city of Dehli was killing him.  He had grown allergic to the pollutants in the air and his lung capacity started declined to 70%.  He began researching and found that these three plants can provide a human with all the fresh air they need indoors to be healthy.

Follow the photo-link to read about the plants and their benefits.

It doesn’t matter what kind of spring garden style you have, whether it is smart and modern, stark and minimalist or wonderfully old-fashioned, there is always room for a strong display of spring plants. The secret is choosing the most suitable plants for your preferred style, and then finding the right position.

Cacti and succulents often seem intimidating, but they are actually forgiving plants that respond to a gardener’s attentions by multiplying freely (succulents) or bursting into bloom (cacti).  Because they require little water, succulents are a great choice for rooftop gardens.

Follow the photo link to discover the benefits of, and instructions for, planting succulent gardens.