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Hot Home Trend: Xeriscaping

Have your heard of xeriscaping? It is promising to be a hot home trend this summer. Learn about xeriscaping and whether or not it is right for your home. What is Xeriscaping? Xeriscaping is the practice of landscaping with plants that require very little water. Lately, it has really developed into an art form among home owners. Why? Well, there are a few elements that make xeriscaping so attractive. As global warming is causing a reduction in rain fall, we have been seeing more drought and water restrictions in the summer in many parts of the country, making it hard … Continue reading →

What is Xeriscaping?

Unless you live in a warm climate you are likely in the midst of winterizing your yard and garden. We winterized our yard a few weeks ago (and it’s a good thing since it has snowed twice since then). Our recent snowfalls got me thinking about all of the other homeowners who don’t have to deal with the white stuff… or the wet stuff—rain. If you happen to live in a hot dry climate and are struggling to maintain a bountiful garden you should know about xeriscaping. Xeriscaping is a term used to describe low water gardening or landscaping. Xeriscape … Continue reading →

When Should You Transplant Vegetable Starts?

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When should we move our tender tomatoes and growing squash outdoors? This is the burning question in our house. When you’re living in a cooler and much wetter climate than most, when should you move your vegetable starts outside? How about when you live in a climate that’s just really cold until June? Or one that is hot, hot, hot come April? Here’s a quick guide to what you should be doing with your vegetable starts. First, let’s talk a little bit about why you start vegetables indoors. The majority of our vegetables are not well-suited to the exact climates … Continue reading →

Creative Gardening

Beautifully landscaped gardens don’t come cheap… or do they? Yesterday I popped into our local Garden Exchange to pick out a Father’s Day gift for my uncle who is an avid gardener. Boy, some of the items in there cost a fortune… and I was just looking at the plants and flowers. A person could go bankrupt filling his garden with all of the gorgeous options that are blooming in gardening centers. I left empty-handed, but determined. I figured there had to be ways to add to or create a stunning garden without having to rob a bank to do … Continue reading →

A “Green” Way To Get Rid Of Garden Pests

It was a balmy 73 degrees today. (Seventy-three degrees in March in Wisconsin—that’s something to brag about.) Our family took advantage of the beautiful weather by visiting a local wildlife sanctuary. After I got a good look at the critters there I came home and surveyed our yard and garden. Lo and behold, not five minutes into my inspection, a big fat fly landed on my arm. (Ah, the welcoming committee doesn’t miss a beat.) With the spring thaw in progress it won’t be long before I am battling bugs and other garden-loving pests. In previous blogs I’ve written about … Continue reading →

Winter Gardening

We just got pounded by a major winter storm that dumped more than a foot of snow on our front lawn. It certainly dashed our hopes of an early spring. But, it did nothing to dampen the spirits of our neighbor who spent about 20 minutes today telling me all about the delicious herbs and vegetables she was growing in her year-round garden (this as we both shoveled paths from the sidewalk to our respective front doors.) Honestly, it never dawned on me to relocate my outdoor plants indoors. The idea of digging up, potting plants, and hoping they flourish … Continue reading →

Picking The Right Flowers For Valentine’s Day—The Day I Bought Flowers For A Boy

Roses are Red Some Orchids are Green I Love You A Lot Despite the Miles In Between That was a poem I wrote in 1991 to my then boyfriend (we lived 500 miles apart at the time). I know. I’m not much of a poet, but to make up for my less than stellar prose I also sent him flowers. Sending flowers… it was a bold move on my part. I had never even dreamt of sending flowers to a guy before meeting Roger. But, I was in college and thought it was time to venture out of my comfort … Continue reading →

Valentine’s Day And Your Garden

Flowers and Valentine’s Day—it seems you can’t have one without the other. But for many of us, February is not the exactly the best time of the year to create bouquets from our own gardens. If you happen to live in a part of the world where your garden flourishes year round then putting together an elaborate flower arrangement (or simply picking a bunch of daises) is not out of the question. For the rest of us… it’s time to hit the flower shop. If you are considering skipping the flowers this Valentine’s Day because you think that it’s too … Continue reading →

Even More Simple and Affordable Ways To Spruce Up Your Garden

In a previous blog I mentioned the Christmas card I received in the mail from one of my best friends, which features a photo of her three older children and her baby—her utterly gorgeous garden. Sure, she lives in Hawaii where she the climate allows her to toil in her soil year round, still it’s not just anyone who can write to Martha Stewart about a gardening dilemma and actually get a personal response from the domestic diva based on the pictures she sent and the information provided in her letter. Yes, my friend has quite the green thumb. It’s … Continue reading →

More Simple and Affordable Ways To Spruce Up Your Garden

We’ve established that despite the bitterly cold temperatures wreaking havoc on most of the nation, there are still some lucky gardeners (the world over) who are busy cultivating their prized petunias. Most gardeners here in the United States are anxiously waiting a good spring thaw—-but let’s get through Christmas first. Until then, consider tucking away these simple and affordable tips for your garden. Make Your Own Compost This is my neighbor’s second job (I say that with a smile). She is a die-hard when it comes to turning household organic waste (vegetable peelings, grass cuttings, fallen leaves) into compost and … Continue reading →