Spring Flower Gardening

Spring is the time when nature and your garden awakes and comes alive after the long winter. That first spring flower or that first green leave is the sign that winter in coming to an end and that a new growing season has arrived.

Spring and Flower gardening is almost synonymous. Spring is the time to interplant perennials, shrubs, roses and plant or transplant your annuals.

It's time to shape up your soil, loosen the mulch around your plants and prune your early blooming shrubs. Rake and remove leaves and debris from your garden. Without a good planting medium your flower garden will never be at its best.

Perennials will save you a lot of work in your flower garden. So keep perennials high on your list. These hardworking beauties eliminate yearly replanting and will still give you that spring and summer color that you are longing for. It�s best to choose varieties that don�t need a lot of staking or frequent division. Notorious sun lovers are daylilies, sedium, and speedwell. Plants like hosta, fern, sweet woodruff and columbine feel more at easy in the shadow.


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Elegant and Easy Outdoor Water Gardening

The element of water brings an unmatched beauty to any outdoor space – movement, color, and ambiance. Water gardens are highly prized for the relaxing sound of the flowing water, and the sense of being at one with nature. While many water gardening enthusiasts spend countless hours and thousands of dollars achieving this serene effect, you can have a water garden in your own outdoor space with minimal time and effort. Water spouts or simple re-circulating pumps paired with watertight containers bring all the benefits of a full-sized water garden into any size space, whether it’s your backyard, a deck or even a balcony.

The first step is to find a suitable container to hold water. This will be the basis of your new mini water garden. Lotus pots (planters with no drainage holes), whiskey barrels, or any kind of container with a wide mouth will work. Recycled wine barrels are a great solution for those who like a rustic look. They’re recommended over any other type of wood, because they’re already watertight and as such, require no liner. They can be found at most garden centers. Japanese hand-carved granite basins can lend a striking Zen look.

Once you’ve chosen your container, make absolutely sure it’s watertight. Carefully check it for holes or cracks. To be absolutely sure, try filling it with water, sitting it on your porch or deck and watching for any leakage. Any holes found can be patched up with plumber’s putty or silicone. If you’ve found a great terracotta pot, spray it with some polyurethane before using as terracotta absorbs water.

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