You never know where you will come across amazing gardening ideas or unique plants. I wouldn't necessarily think a zoo is a great place to find gardening ideas, but on a recent trip to the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids, Michigan, I came across this gorgeous display of functional landscaping. In a shady corner, near the otters and turtles, the … [Read more...]
Adding A Little Magic to My Garden: Using Fairy Lights
This year I planted Mandevilla in the spring/summer container gardens I planted for my mom. I just took out those summer plants and replaced them with fall mums, pansies, decorative cabbage, and snapdragons for the fall. Since the Mandevilla vine isn’t dead yet, I left it and the small trellises in the pots. After all, it is Mississippi, and the … [Read more...]
Gardening in Small Spaces
I enjoy walking through my town and the towns that I visit. It gives me a great perspective on the town, the people that live there, and an up close and personal way to enjoy people's gardens. I have seen some very creative ways of utilizing every inch of space to garden in small yards. Don't think you are limited just because you only have a … [Read more...]
Tips For Halloween-Proofing Your Garden
With Halloween just around the corner, I finally got my decorations put up outside. I love seeing the neighborhoods kids in their costumes when they come to trick-or-treat. Some of my scarier decorations have even been known to send little kids running. It’s all in good fun. While I love getting trick-or-treaters at my door on Halloween, I also … [Read more...]
Landscape Solutions for the Base of Trees
Updated: Nov. 5, 2016 Leaving the base of the tree bare can often look unkempt or out of place since it's not easy to mow right up to the edge of a tree or to even weed-eat around it carefully. Plantings or mulching around the base of the tree trunk can not only help protect roots from the mower's blades, but also make your existing trees a part … [Read more...]
Stream Bank Erosion Control Using Rocks and Flowering Plants
Fast running water can erode the banks of a stream quickly. While keeping the bank planted is important, I wanted to reduce the amount of weed-eating necessary to keep the grass (and weeds) down and also make the stream bank more attractive. I opted for lining the stream edge with large landscaping stones and mixing in irises, daylilies, and even … [Read more...]