Martinis and Marigolds - Refreshingly Quick Tips for Home and Garden

What Can I Plant in the Shade? - 7 Easy Care Shade-Loving Perennials for Your Garden

What Can I Plant in the Shade? - 7 Easy Care Shade-Loving Perennials for Your Garden

Got shade? Gardening in the shade can be tricky. I’m always looking for plants that do well in the shade and I'm especially fond of perennials because they come back every year. Many also spread or grow large enough to be dug up and divided, giving me more value for my money.

Read on to learn about a few shade loving perennials that have worked well for me. I've included their hardiness zones so you can see if they will be perennial for you, too.

Posted in flower bed, flower gardening, garden design, garden maintenance, garden planning, garden tips, gardener, gardening, gardening tips, new garden, perennials, planning my garden, planting, shade loving plants

Tips for Success with Mulching

Tips for Success with Mulching

I love a freshly mulched garden bed in the spring. While it can be a lot of work, I love the tidy look when we've finished. Besides the aesthetics, mulch provides a few more benefits.

Read on to find out how to get the most out mulching your flower beds and make your gardening life easier.

Posted in flower gardening, garden, garden maintenance, garden planning, garden tips, gardener, gardening, gardening tips, mulch, mulching, new garden, planning my garden, weed control

Who Needs a Spring Haircut?

Who Needs a Spring Haircut?

One of my favorite perennials is Variegated Liriope. The bright green and white foliage looks great from late spring into fall. Liriope does not need much maintenance - except in the spring. In spring, it needs a good haircut.

Read on to find out how a spring haircut helps this plant look great all summer long

Posted in garden, garden design, garden maintenance, garden planning, garden tips, gardener, gardening, gardening gifts, gardening tips, liriope, new garden, ornamental grasses, perennial grasses, perennials, planning my garden, planting

7 Easy Care Sun-Loving Perennials to Plant This Spring

7 Easy Care Sun-Loving Perennials to Plant This Spring

Perennials are a great way to add color and seasonal interest to your flower beds. They have the advantage of coming back every year and many spread to fill in spaces, giving you more value for the money spent on them. 

Read on to explore 7 sun-loving easy to grow perennials to plant this spring

Posted in flower bed, flower gardening, flowers, garden, garden design, garden planning, garden tips, gardener, gardening, gardening tips, new garden, perennials, planning my garden, planting, spring gardening

How To Care For Spring Flowering Bulbs

How To Care For Spring Flowering Bulbs

After a long winter, seeing the daffodils blooming along our roadways really lifts my spirits. And I do see some tulips emerging in time for Easter. If you have spring bulbs in your yard,  you might be wondering how to best take care of them.

In this week's tip, I'll give you a few easy steps to caring for your spring bulb plants so that they keep flowering every spring.

Posted in daffodils, flower gardening, flowers, garden, garden planning, garden tips, gardener, gardening, gardening tips, spring bulbs, spring gardening, tulips

Spring Is Finally Here! What Can I Plant Now?

Spring Is Finally Here! What Can I Plant Now?

It looks like Spring is finally here!!!

One of the questions people ask me most often as the temperatures get warmer is when can I start planting??? The answer is, it depends on where you live and what you want to plant. 

Read on to find out how to know what you can plant now!

Posted in garden design, garden planning, garden tips, gardener, gardening, gardening tips, planning my garden, spring gardening, what should I plant

Beauty in Every Season

Beauty in Every Season

As 2023, with all of its challenges, draws to a close, it's a great time to reflect on what this year brought to us and take time to appreciate the good things it had to offer before moving on to 2024.

Most of us have a favorite season of the year. But part of the joy of gardening is that, as we actively engage with nature in the intimacy of our own yard, we can find beauty in every season.

Read on as Paula shows us the beauty she finds in every season of her garden. 

 

Posted in flower gardening, garden planning, gardening

How to Save Time and Money by Planting Perennials

How to Save Time and Money by Planting Perennials

Fall is a great time for planting and a great time to take advantage of plant sales. By planting perennials in the fall you get a jump on spring. Read on to find out how to get the best value for your dollar when buying and planting perennials.

Posted in flower gardening, gardening, perennials

Easy-to-Grow Perennials to Plant This Fall

Easy-to-Grow Perennials to Plant This Fall

Perennials are one of the most popular types of flowering plants, both for the beginning and experienced gardeners.  And fall is a great time to plant them.

But there are so many varieties, choosing can be overwhelming.

Read on to find out about some of the most popular varieties to plant and how to get started.

Posted in fall gardening, flower gardening, gardening, perennials

Using Ornamental Grasses to Enhance Your Landscape

Using Ornamental Grasses to Enhance Your Landscape

Fall is definitely a great time for planting. As we decide on what to plant, most of us think of flowering perennials, trees and shrubs. But as you consider your choices, consider perennial grasses.

Read on to find out why ornamental grasses are a great addition to any landscape.

Posted in gardening, ornamental grasses, perennials

Fall is Here - Time to Think Spring!

Fall is Here - Time to Think Spring!

Fall is a great time to prepare for spring! You see there are so many things going on in the garden in the spring, that it’s almost too much to get done. And while spring is a really inspiring time to start new things in the garden, fall is actually a better time for certain garden tasks.

Read on for details on 5 Fall Projects that you can do in the fall to make spring gardening season a lot easier. 

Posted in gardening, new garden, perennials, planting

Getting Started with Composting

Getting Started with Composting

I love this time of year! We are so blessed with the bounty of summer fruits and vegetables. I hope that you are finding delicious ways to enjoy them!

But we are also faced with the resulting peels and pits that many times end up in our trash. According to the EPA “The estimated 35.3 million tons of wasted food that went to landfills in 2018 represents 24.1 percent of all MSW landfilled.”  Somehow that just doesn’t make sense, since all of this organic waste can quickly break down and return lots of nutrients to the soil.

 So what’s a home gardener to do? Composting your kitchen and garden waste is a great way to reduce the amount of waste you dispose of in the trash.  By composting, you can generate a free source of nutrient-rich material to help improve your garden.

Read on to find out how to get started!

Posted in compost bin, composting, garden tips, gardening