Indoor Gardening
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Plan for Winter Plantings
   
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A Compost Primer
Most gardeners and landscapers will agree almost unanimously that the single best thing you can do for your lawn is to add compost. Good, organic compost can remedy almost any .....
Part four in a seriesMost gardeners and landscapers will agree almost unanimously that the single best thing you can do for your lawn is to add compost. Good, organic compost can remedy almost any .....
Its hard to think about winter when our gardens are in full bloom and the
vegetables are ripening on the vine! But we must keep winter in mind when we are
planning our landscape. Afterall, we have to look at our landscape all year long,
including winter. (Unless, of course, you are fortunate enough to be able to move to
warmer climates in the winter or live in a climate that is tropical all year long!) But
for most of us, we have to contend with four seasons and the life cycle of our
landscape.
So when you are planning your landscape, keep in mind this life cycle of the plants
you choose to add to your landscape design. Some plants, like flowering trees and
shrubs look their best in Spring, others reach their full beauty in Summer, others
still attain stunning and vibrant color in the Autumn, and yet, some evergreens look
beautiful in the Winter, offset by a striking snow-covered landscape.
Add plants to your landscape that offer a variety of looks in different seasons. Dont
plan your landscape with plants that all reach their peak of beauty at the same time.
For example, a bed of perennials will provide a rainbow of color all summer long,
but in the fall and winter, you will have to contend with a big empty space in your
landscape. The same holds true for evergreens. While evergreens look beautiful in
the winter-white of the colder months, they dont offer much in the summer.
So, try to choose plants for your landscape that have different focal points for
different parts of the year. Look for plants that may keep red or orange berries
through the winter months, or that keep a beautiful bud head through the winter for
a variety of shapes. You can also postpone dead-heading some of your flowering
plants until the end of winter so you have some visual interest all winter long.
Just dont be afraid to experiment. Remember, this is your landscape. Use your
creativity! And if something youve tried doesnt work, try something else! You can
always move a planting somewhere else and try something new.
The Terrorist's Favorite Weed/ Castor Bean
The Terrorist's Favorite Weed/ Castor Bean
Thomas Ogren
The Castor bean plant (Ricinus communis) with its large bold, highly colored .....
The Terrorist's Favorite Weed/ Castor Bean
Thomas Ogren
The Castor bean plant (Ricinus communis) with its large bold, highly colored .....