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Their large, green, scalloped or rounded leaves can be inconspicuous in the garden, but these plants are remarkably stunning when they’re in bloom, in a wide range of available colors. Alcea rosea Are you looking to infuse more attention-grabbing flowers into your garden? Then hollyhocks are perfect for you. Growing and caring for A. rosea is easy. Their flowers create impressive displays, and they’re also exceptional pollinator plants. Stunning additions to the garden; they can reach nine feet tall when in flower!...

If you don’t like pink flowers, you can choose from red, white, and purple varieties, depending on your preference. Bergenia spp. If you’re anything like I am, it’s easy for you to fall in love with a new plant, sometimes based on its picture alone. For me, bergenia is such a plant. I find it difficult to resist a glossy photo of those gorgeous flowers and tantalizing leaves. Unfortunately for those of us in warmer climates, most types grow best in cooler Zones 4 to 6, although many can be grown in warmer locations through Zone 9....

Ready to get started? I’ll explain everything you need to know to grow vigorous bird of paradise plants in your own garden in Zones 9-12. Strelitzia spp. If you are looking for a plant with large, show-stopping blooms, look no further than the bird of paradise. With its orange, blue, and white flowers that look like a bird in flight, this plant just cannot be ignored. And this South African native will grow happily year-round throughout warmer parts of the US....

Heck, you can even break off a leaf and rub the gel on your skin to soothe burns. So, they’re practical and beautiful – even if it’s true that I probably wouldn’t waste one of those pretty leaves if another salve was handy. Aloe x ‘Christmas Carol’ I’m both frugal and an admirer of a good work ethic, so I find ‘Christmas Carol’ aloe appealing. This member of the Asphodelaceae family provides holiday cheer in season, and is also a beautiful house plant all year long....

There are hundreds of known species, and most are native to Asia. Because of their beauty, they’ve been cultivated throughout the Northern Hemisphere for hundreds of years. Pop quiz: which perennial, flowering vine is super hardy; offers large, spectacular blooms in a rainbow of colors that open from last frost to first frost; and is right at home in a container? That’s right – it’s clematis! No doubt you’ve probably seen one beckoning to the pollinators around a neighbor’s mailbox or dazzling in the summer sun along a trellis or fence....

The elderberry has so many amazing uses, and I’m excited to see it making a comeback! SAMBUCUS CANADENSIS In the summer, around late August or early September, the ditches in Nebraska are filled with dark, black, and purple berries. These clusters of tiny fruits soon get eaten up by the birds. But before then, I grab as many as I can for baking, making tinctures, and drying into powders. What are these in-demand beauties?...

Whether for cosmetic reasons or to improve the health of your houseplants, you’re likely to have to do some pruning sooner or later. This article will help you understand how, why and when to prune houseplants to keep them looking great and in perfect health. How To Prune Houseplants: Most houseplants are best pruned little and often, while they are actively growing. Use sharp, sterile pruners and cut back to just before leaf nodes....

Fruits From Palm Trees are used in a variety of ways. If you don’t know much about them, then our List of Best Palm Fruits will help you out! Check out the Best Palm Trees in Florida here List of Best Palm Fruits 1. Senegal Palm Botanical Name: Phoenix reclinata This palm is native to tropical Africa. The edible fruit is smaller than date but grown like it. Apart from taking a spot in the List of Best Palm Fruits, it is also a great foliar specimen....

Some of the most rewarding plants to grow for the patient gardener are persimmon trees. These fruit trees provide gardeners with sweet, delicious fruits in early autumn. Once they set fruit, gardeners have access to sweetness for years to come. Table of Contents Depending on the species, a persimmon tree grows either bitter, astringent fruit or sweet fruits. Once they are ripened, they’re incorporated into pies, salads, jellies, and more. Growing persimmons is a worthwhile endeavor, and there are persimmon trees suited to multiple climates....

How to prevent squash vine borers organically in three simple steps. Step 1: Immediately upon planting your squash seeds or transplants, cover the area with floating row cover or a layer of insect netting to keep the adult vine borers (see photo) from accessing the plants until they’re large enough for Step 2. Step 2: When the plants have two to three sets of true leaves, remove the row cover and wrap a four-inch long strip of aluminum foil around the base of each plant....

Did you know that there’s more than one seed starting method? Yes, it’s true, and they each have their own unique purpose. In this post, I’m going to tell you all about 3 sowing techniques, the pros and cons, and which seeds work best for each method. The biggest mistake I made as a new gardener was using one sowing method to start ALL of my seeds – and that was planting them inside of my house....

Overwatering is the biggest reason why most container plants die. Beginner plant growers often do this mistake, they keep watering their plants out of love until they summon the death for them. So, what are the Signs of Overwatering and How to Save an Overwatered Plant? Let’s find out! Here are the best ways to water plants Signs of Overwatering Signs of overwatering are usually similar to under-watering, but you can easily observe that you were overwatering by checking out the soil and drainage....

by Matt Gibson Looking for flower options that work well in containers? Not everyone has time to plant and tend to a full outdoor ground plot for their gardens. Cultivating beautiful blooms outdoors in flower beds can be a lot of work and a lot of maintenance—it’s pretty much a year-round job. In today’s fast-paced society, many of us already work more than one job. Container gardening is a wonderful way to learn about plants and hone your gardening skills without becoming overwhelmed by having to manage too much space....

Your roots may be too small, or they may be oddly shaped or deformed, despite the fact that the leaves may have looked perfectly happy above ground. Growing beets is an exercise in faith. You work for weeks or months to nurture those little seedlings into hopefully vigorous roots. In the end, you’re rewarded with a crop of vibrant veggies that you believed all along were there, even though you couldn’t see them....

What is Lychee? Lychee (Litchi chinensis) is native to Southern China and grown extensively in China, India, and other Southeast Asian countries. The tall evergreen plant can attain height up to 49-92 feet (15-28 meters). It has evergreen leaves that resist water. Small whitish or yellow-green flowers bloom in clusters usually in spring and early summer in warm climates. Lychee fruit develops in 70-112 days, depending on the climatic conditions. The fruit grows in oval and round shape, the outer crust is pinkish-red and hardly textured with small and little rough spikes....

QUESTION: What is the difference between a trowel and a spade? I see both of them mentioned in my gardening books and in articles online, but I don’t know the difference between them. Are they both just shovels? – Evelyn F ANSWER: A spade is similar to a shovel. However, its handle is slightly shorter than most shovels. This tool is used to dig trenches and other deeper holes. It would be useful when dealing with hard ground, clay soil, heavy dirt, if you need to dig a small ditch, or if you’re planting larger plants or small shrubs....

Don’t worry about your Zebra Plant Leaves Turning Brown anymore! We have all the information that will help you to save the plant on time and keep it out of harm’s way! Botanical Name: Aphelandra squarrosa Check out different types of Zebra plants here Reasons for Zebra Plant Leaves Turning Brown 1. Under Watering You’ll have to bear the fact that Zebra plants hate overwatering but keep from underwatering too. Wet the topsoil when it feels dry to the touch....

1. Oprah Winfrey – Roses and Vegetables “I don’t think of flowers as something material, Flowers come, and then they go back to where they came from. You can’t hold them for long.” Oprah needs no introduction! She is fond of roses, and her garden has lots of them. She especially loves growing Brass Band and Marilyn Monroe roses. Apart from the roses, Oprah Winfrey also devotes her time in farming and has an organic vegetable farm in Maui, Hawaii....

In this article, we have some Secret Tips for Growing Most Fragrant Herbs that will help you have an abundant and sweet-smelling supply! Have a look at the most exotic herbs here Secret Tips for Growing Most Fragrant Herbs 1. Do Less Watering Water the herbs less and only reach for the can when you feel the topsoil is dry to touch. The herbs become more fragrant when the oil content is high, and it happens with less watering....

1. Roses love garlic According to the Herb Society of America planting garlic around rose bushes keep the pests and diseases away from it and also enhance their fragrance. 2. Garlic tea for powdery mildew Cut 5 garlic cloves and pour 1 liter of boiling water over it. Leave this mixture for 24 hours, then drain and dilute it with 3 liters of water. Pour the mixture into a sprayer and spray it on the plants suffering from powdery mildew....