With spring finally here, green-fingered enthusiasts and gardening professionals alike will undoubtedly be keen to prepare for the brighter weather on the horizon. Attracting pollinators can be a key consideration at this time of year, as the creatures behind this process offer a great deal for gardeners. Pollination is a process by which pollen is […]
Box is a very popular form of topiary that is often used as an alternative to hedgerows. It can line borders beautifully and is noted for it very distinctive scent, which is beloved by many gardening professionals and green-fingered enthusiasts alike. Its Latin binomial name is Buxus sempervirens – and it is an evergreen shrub […]
OK, I confess—I don’t know much about color design in my garden. I’m just pleased when my plants thrive. However, on visits to other gardens, I appreciate the bright (or subtle) combinations. How does that happen? Recently, I walked through Rebecca Sweet’s elegantly designed backyard in Northern California—a symphony of greens and blues, with accents […]
He’s the man with the scruffy red ponytail and baggy shorts. Croc markets the Bistro Mario Batali Edition of his signature footwear (in colors graphite and orange) to foodies everywhere. The co-proprietor of twenty-two restaurants world-wide from Hong Kong to Las Vegas, he’s a household name through TV and numerous—thirteen and counting–cookbooks. Beginning April 6th […]
Ah, what a difference a year makes. Last year, during a freakishly warm spring, flowering trees and shrubs all over the Midwest were in bloom by the end of March. This year, only witch hazels are blooming, all the other trees and shrubs are still dormant. The average temperature in Illinois for March 2012 was […]
The greenhouse is a controlled environment that is ideal for growing plants requiring closer attention than others and are not as tolerant to unpredictable conditions that the climate might throw at them. Indeed, it is a wonderful way for green-fingered enthusiasts and gardening professionals alike to work – so much so that it might be […]
Magnolias are highly versatile plants that can be very adaptable to a wide variety of environments. Indeed, the genus – which takes in an estimated 210 flowering plant species – is an ancient one, which appeared in the world before bees did. As a result, they evolved in such a way so as to encourage […]
Gardeners who are still considering how to theme the overall look of their green space this year can rest assured there is plenty of time in which to give the topic some thought before committing to growing anything. Indeed, there are lots of plants that are best put to seed around about [del] this time […]
There is so much on offer for the greenhouse grower that it can be very difficult for them to narrow down their choices and focus on just a few plants to really commit to. Indeed, this is more of an issue for green-fingered enthusiasts and gardening professionals who take advantage of a controlled space like […]
There are many issues that plague gardeners at this time of year – and this is just as much the case for greenhouse growers. While the controlled green space can offer a whole host of benefits that conventional gardeners may not be able to enjoy, they are still able to be impacted by adverse climate […]
There are many pleasures to be had when growing plants in a greenhouse – not least of which is the fact that the controlled gardening environment offers a considerable degree of flexibility. This will be particularly noticeable at this time of year, when extensive snow cover is being experienced in some parts of the country. […]
The grafted tomatoes are coming! Marry a disease-resistant rootstock on the bottom to a tasty scion on top, and you get the best wedding of both worlds—tomatoes with vigor and higher yields, as well as the amazing variety of taste choices from artisan-bred home-growns. This month, I talked with Alice Doyle, co-owner of Log House […]
