We all know that water is a precious natural resource and an essential component of our lives and landscapes. Without it, nothing on Earth would survive. Did you know that less than 1% of all the water in the world is available as fresh, clean water? With all the rain that we have had this year,…
Today, October 29th is National Cat Day. National Cat Day was established in 2005 and is sponsored by The Animal Miracle Foundation. I’m someone who is lucky enough to be owned by five cats. I’m also someone who has been owned by many cats since I adopted my first cat when I was 15. I…
DECORATING WITH PUMPKINS AND OTHER EXOTIC GOURDS FOR THE FALL Fall officially arrived last month but it sure hasn’t felt like fall until now. Since September, we have been experiencing above average temperatures. Here we are in late October and finally starting to experience average, cool temperatures. It’s pumpkin season time!!! Everyone is decorating with…
Beautiful Flowers with an Amazing History In 1593, a Flemish botanist named Carolus Clusius was sent some tulip bulbs by a friend of his who was the Austrian ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. When Clusius accepted the position of curator at the botanical gardens in Leiden, Holland, he took his bulbs with him. The first…
WHAT TO DO ABOUT LICHEN ON MY SHRUBS AND TREES First, in doing some research for this blog, I found writing this blog more educational for me than I originally thought it would be. Over the years I have talked to many customers who wanted to know what was this grey looking barnacles growing on…
What do Corn Plants, Dragon Trees, and Lucky Bamboo have in common? They are all members of the Dracaena family. Dracaenas are a family of herbaceous plants that are, believe it or not, related to Asparagus! The name “Dracaena” comes from the Greek word “Drakaina” meaning Female Dragon. Some varieties of dracaena have a reddish…
GOLD MOP CYPRESS Chamaecyparis pisifera filifera ‘Golden Mop’ is better known by its’ common name – Gold Mop Cypress. Gold Mop Cypress is a needled, thread-leaf evergreen with bright yellow needles. Gold Mop Cypress is a beautiful plant that will add interest to any landscape because of its bright yellow color, and it is colorful…
Ever notice how some of the best things in life coming layers? Lasagna, baklava, even pizza (think of tangy sauce with gooey melted cheese on top)! Well, layering bulbs in your garden is fun, easy, and—delicious—to the eyes, at least. How to Plant You can do this in a container or in the ground. For…
THESE TASKS WILL HELP PREPARE YOUR GARDEN FOR WINTER AND FOR A SUCCESSFUL SPRING. What a difference a year makes – besides being a year older. Last year we were experiencing a dry period. From mid-August through the entire month of September we only received 1-½ inches of rain. Obviously, this is not the case…
Our locally grown peony roots just came in last week and I’m reminded of how much I love these huge gorgeous easy-care perennials. The first peony I ever got was a division of one my grandmother had—and she said it was a division she’d gotten from her mother. Peonies are one of the longest-lived perennials—living…
