The American Holly grows in several zones, specifically Zones 5 to 9, and is well adapted to almost all soil types.  This means the plant is fine in clay or sandy, acidic or rich soil and everything in between.  It is very hardy and thrives in full sun or partial shade.

One of the best features of the American Holly is the fact that it can either serve as a focal point in a garden, growing to heights of 40 to 50 feet, with the typical evergreen pyramid shape.  If it is privacy that you crave, the American Holly can be trimmed down to serve as a hedge.

Despite the functions of the tree, the American Holly offers food and homes to many animals and you will find yourself not only enjoying year round color but also a host of friendly animals to your yard.  It is a well-known fact that the luscious berries that reach maturity between September and October are enjoyed as a food source by birds and deer alike.  I should mention that, although deer and birds enjoy the berries they are poisonous to humans.

Lastly, if you are interested in having a successful American Holly in your yard, complete with berries, it is important to plan for more than one.  The American Holly is a dioecious, which means that male and female are found in separate plants.  To pollinate correctly, there must be more than one tree.  Another detractor of the American Holly is its slow growth rate.   On average, an American Holly can take roughly 4 to 7 years before it even begins to blossom and it gains an average of only 12 to 24″ in height each year.

Still, despite its detractors, the American Holly is a hardy plant that grows in a wide variety of zones, soils and geographical areas.  It is a perfect addition to any yard, whether you want a decorative tree or a nice hedge.

Sirena Van Schaik

Photo Credit

Related posts:

1. Plant of the Week: Camellia
2. Plant of the Week: The Knock Out Rose
3. Plant of the Week: Cyclamen

Still, even with that knowledge safely tucked away, there is still one point about fall that many people are thinking about in late summer and that is the fall bulbs. There are many to choose from but for this week’s plant of the week, I thought I would look at the Cyclamen, which is a beautiful fall bloom that you will want to see in your garden.

The Cyclamen can be planted in late August and early September and you will begin to see blooms in October, although this can vary with blooms occurring between September through to November and some varieties also have blooms as late as January.

It is a hardy plant that can survive low temperatures that are found in Zone 5 and it does well in shade. It has small shooting star-like flowers that come in several different colors; pink, white and rose-purple. The stems are usually between 2 to 4 inches, which make them an excellent plant for the front of a garden. The leaves are two toned and provide ample color throughout the fall and winter.

Lastly, this is a plant that can be brought inside, and you will often see it at Florist’s or the garden section at the grocery store. All you need to have success with this plant indoors is to provide it with enough humidity and a cool temperature (the recommended temp is about 55 to 65 degrees).

So if you are looking for a beautiful fall bloom, I would suggest the Cyclamen.

Sirena Van Schaik

Photo Credit 1

Photo Credit 2

Photo Credit 3

Related posts:

1. Plant of the Week: The Knock Out Rose
2. Plant of the Week: American Holly
3. Plant of the Week: Camellia

What you need:

• Wire Wreath Form
• Sphagnum Moss
• Small Well Rooted Plants
• Floral U-pins
• Fishing Line
• Rubber Gloves
• Scissors
• Bucket

Before starting, a nice leisurely stroll through your local garden center is a wonderful way to find the right theme for your wreath.  Go in and absorb the sights, sounds and smells around you to gain inspiration for the wreath.  Plan your visit around the central idea of the wreath; a busy garden center might inspire a wreath that is colorful and filled with busy cheer.  A quiet early morning visit may inspire a wreth that exudes serenity.

Now that you have the mood, you need the plants.  There are hundreds of plants that can be used for living wreaths but it is important to use well-rooted plants.  When choosing the plants, take into consideration the soil composition, light requirements, and moisture needs of the plants since they should all be similar.  Succulents do very well in living wreaths and they come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors.  If you are looking for some blooms in your living wreath, plants such as pansies, violets and many other flowering plants can do well.  Plants that have quick growing roots such as ivy also make an excellent choice for a living wreath.  Herbs such as mint, rosemary and lavender to name a few can be added to a wreath to create a desired ambiance.  Take time when choosing your plants and play around with placement before you commit to the purchase.

When you sit down to create your living wreath, make sure you do it in an area that can be cleaned easily.  Like many creative processes, this can be very messy.  I usually place a garbage bag down and work on top of it.  This makes clean up a breeze and saves time for the more important stuff, like admiring your work.

You will need a wire wreath form but it does not have to be a simple circular shape; hearts and other shapes also look nice.  You will also need fishing line, scissors, floral u-pins, a bucket and rubber gloves.  It is very important to wear rubber gloves since you will also be using Sphagnum Moss to line the wreath and hold the plants.  Sphagnum moss can cause a skin infection if it is handled without gloves. 

To begin, you will need to tie the end of the fishing line to a starting point on your wreath.  Place the Sphagnum Moss, which needs to be soaked for 30 minutes before hand, around the wreath form and make sure that it is generously layered.  Arrange the plants on top of the moss.  It is best if you lay them loosely so you can position the plants until you have created the mini garden that you desire.  After you are happy with the placement, take the first plant closest to the fishing line and place it in the Sphagnum Moss.  Secure the plant with more moss and loop the fishing line around both the moss and the plant.  Repeat these steps all the way around the wreath and keep a close eye on the shape to prevent the size from fluctuating around the wreath.  When the wreath is complete, tie off the fishing line and place the wreath where you want it.

Living wreaths do require a significant amount of care.  The plants need to be trimmed and controlled with floral pins and the living wreath will need to be watered every day.  The best way to accomplish this is to place the wreath in a garbage can lid and soak it for a few minutes in cool water.     

A finished living wreath can be a work of art and can be used in a multitude of ways.  Deep greens and seasonal flowers can create a welcoming wreath during the holidays.  Create a wreath with nothing but fresh herbs and place it in a kitchen.  Not only do you have a wonderfully scented kitchen but you can use the clippings to spice up any dish you desire.    

Romance can be achieved by adding candleholder spikes into the wreath and setting it on a table.  Be sure to securely fasten the spikes with fishing line.  Add a touch of mint or another favorite herb to give the romantic setting a seductive scent.      

A great way to bring the romance from indoors to out is to create several small wreaths and place them on candle spikes down a walkway.  The flickering light of the candles warm the colors of the wreaths at night and can provide a charming decoration during the day.      

One of my favourite ways to use a living wreath is to fill it with soothing greens, warm colors and a soft blend of lavender and chamomile. Add it as a table decoration or as a wall hanging in your bathroom spa.  The need for scented candles will be unnecessary with the relaxing smells that drift from a well-placed living wreath.    

The living wreath has become more than a way to bring the garden indoors during winter months.  It has become a way to create a decoration, a miniature garden, and a central object for relaxation and meditation and there is no end to their enjoyment throughout the whole process of creating and owning one.

Sirena Van Schaik

Related posts:

1. Creating a Living Wreath Part One
2. Types Of Gardening Gloves
3. Creating A Beautiful Bonsai Garden

For anyone that grows a well-tended garden, there is no limit to the amount of emotions felt when it has taken shape. Gardens can reflect so many things; a person’s moods, dreams, desires or they can be a guided path through peace and tranquility. They can incite feelings of sun kissed joy, whisper of deep green serenity and exotic romance. There is no limit to the structure, flow and accessories that can be added to a garden but sometimes when the focus is on the central space, the outer edges become blurred and forgotten. A living wreath is a wonderful way to take the central idea and move it towards the edges of a garden or even inside.

Wreaths have been used for decades to provide decoration during holidays, to add a touch of color to a room or as a welcoming flourish to many front doors. Wreaths have moved from being decorations only seen around holidays to a potential yearlong celebration of both art and beauty. Living wreaths take a work of art and turn it into beauty that breathes life into a space. They can make an excellent accessory to any garden gate or home, welcoming people with deep greens, vibrant colors, and heavenly smells. They can be used for centerpieces during holidays and can be made year round, although the cost of a living wreath during off seasons can be fairly high. They can be simple to extravagant, a pool of deep cool greens or a bright splash of color. There really is no limit to the shape, colors, size or enjoyment that a living wreath can add to a space.

Making a living wreath can be as rewarding as tending a full size garden, in fact they can be thought of as small gardens that need to be shaped, tended and loved. Living wreaths do not have to be difficult to make and they can inspire the same feelings of accomplishment that gardens do.

Sirena Van Schaik

Related posts:

1. Creating a Living Wreath Part 2
2. Gardening Ideas for Container Gardens
3. What Are the Advantages of Creating Herb Gardens Outdoors?

The key to utilizing the shady areas in your garden is to not be afraid to use a lot of foliage. I know I just said that I wanted to get away from that but you can use the foliage as the main filler and add bursts of flowers in eye catching spots. It is also much easier to find foliage for the shade than flowers and you can find some very nice colors in that foliage.

Below I have listed a bunch of flowers that you can use for a shady garden and if you find a few others that work well, please feel free to post them in the comments section.

• Coleus: Although this is an indoor plant, it can be acclimatized for use in the garden during those warmer months. It is a brilliant foliage with wonderful leaves of red, pink, yellow and green patterns.
• Pansies: These little flowers are great for any environment and they can do just as well in the shade as they can in the full sun. They come in a wide range of color and you can create a great little garden space with them.
• Sweet Rocket: Although it does much better in partial shade it can also do well in shade. It produces spikes of single flowers in lilac or purple.
• Busy Lizzie: I love the name of this plant, don’t ask me why, and it is a great addition to any shaded garden. It does better in partial shade but again, like the Sweet Rocket, it can do well in full shade. It also comes in a wide range of colors and it can be found in a range of sizes as well.
• Woodruff: Beautiful lavender blue flowers that have a wonderful scent, this plant does very well in full shade.
• Petunias: Another great flower for the shade, petunias can be grown in partial shade. They also come in a wide range of colors and I used them once to create a full rainbow in one of my garden beds.
• Forge-me-not: The last flower I am going to mention today, the forge-me-nots can be found in blue or in light pink and they can do very well in partial shade.

And hopefully, I gave you a few tips on some great plants for your shady garden.

Sirena Van Schaik

Photo Credit

Related posts:

1. Choosing The Perfect Shade Gardening Plants
2. Three Varieties of Roses that Take to the Shade
3. Starting Shade Gardens

I have to admit, like most gardeners, that many of the plants that I find are either found in a nursery, garden center or on the pages of a gardening magazine or book.  The Knock Out Rose is one that I saw in a Fine Gardening magazine and after seeing the plant, it has been put on my must have list.  This is surprising in itself since I am not a big rose fan.  I mean, I love them in a garden but since they are not my favorite flower, I tend to move away from them and move towards flowers and plants that I love.

The reason why I love the Knock Out Rose is simple.  It is a “Knock Out” with its dark foliage providing a breathtaking backdrop of deep green, which deepens to a dark purple in fall, for this fast growing shrub rose.  The flowers themselves are brilliant colors and you can find this rose in red, pink, blush and rainbow (pink with a yellow center) and sunny (white with a yellow center).  The rose comes in single or double blooms.

Although the color and shrubbery is wonderful, the main draw for me over this flower is the fact that it is fairly hardy and requires very little care.  Generally, you only need to prune in the spring, provide it with proper care, i.e. water, fertilizer, and that is it.  The plant does the rest right down to the deadheads.  This rose is also very resistant to black spots.  The bush itself is very hardy and can survive in Zones 4 to 10.

I honestly do not believe that you can find a rose that requires such a low amount of fuss and have as much glory with a full shrub filled with brilliant blooms.  There is nothing that I find that would deter me from purchasing this rose for my garden, well except space but I can always make more of that.

Sirena Van Schaik

Related posts:

1. Plant of the Week: Camellia
2. Plant of the Week: Cyclamen
3. Five Red Rose Varieties for your Garden

Landscaping

If you’re trying to create an attractive landscaping scene, you might not even be aware of the useful items you already have lying around. For retaining walls and boarders, many people will purchase expensive decorative stones and bricks. How many of us already have rocks and stones of all shapes and sizes lying around our property. Rocks and stones are great for economic gardening purposes. In addition to the walls and borders already mentioned, rocks and stones are great for decoration as well. Carefully placed rocks inside a garden can be a great addition as well. Some people even use rocks as the focal point of their garden.

Scrap pieces of wood can also be very useful for economic gardening. Planting containers and decorative fences can be constructed out of scrap wood to save you money on buying them. If you have old tree stumps that you can’t get rid of, why not turn them into part of your garden? A stump with flowers planted in it or around it can be quite lovely. These are just a few of the common items you might have around your property that you can use. Don’t stop there, though, use your imagination and see what else you have that can be of use.

Plants And Flowers

There are also several ways you can save money on your plants and flowers as well. Instead of buying expensive plants, try growing them from seeds. There is a little more effort involved, but you will save a bundle. Some seed packets will cost you as little as a dollar. You can also save unused seeds until the following year if they are kept cool and dry. When your plants begin to come up, you can make them stretch further by dividing and transplanting them as well. Buying plants out of season can also save you some money. Another economic gardening idea is to plant your seeds in the ground. This will save you money on pots and potting soil and things like that.

These are just a few economic gardening ideas to help you create a beautiful lawn and garden while staying within your budget at the same time. Remember, you’re only limited by your imagination, so let your creative juices flow.

Related posts:

1. Planning For Economic Gardening
2. How To Tackle Economic Gardening
3. Essential Gardening Equipment

Choosing The Right Kind Of Tree For Bonsai Gardening

Although, practically all kinds of plants and trees can be made into bonsai plants there are some trees that are more favored than others because they look more attractive and can be easily manipulated. Bonsai gardening requires the gardener to frequently prune and shape the tree or plant. Most trees that are chosen for bonsai gardening are coniferous trees but other species are also acceptable even shrub species like bamboo.

Usually, bonsai gardeners choose trees for bonsai gardening that can be easily manipulated and trimmed to make into various shapes and designs. There are not a lot of fruit bearing trees that are made into bonsai but these can also be done along with other different kinds of trees. In fact, some people like to make fruit bearing trees into bonsai. This is due mainly because they also bear miniature fruits as well.

The Art Of Bonsai Gardening

Bonsai gardening is actually achieved by constantly pruning the crown and roots and pot confinement. Constant cutting and trimming of both the roots and crown of the bonsai is one of the ways of maintaining the size of the bonsai. There is a time period for some bonsai trees where they must be dormant and left alone without any pruning. This is usually during winter time when the trees hibernate in their natural states and environment. Pot confinement also discourages rapid growth of the plant.

There are several different ways of achieving bonsai gardening; these include growing the plant from a seed, cutting, grafting and air layering. Bonsai gardening comes in many different styles which are so called because of the way they are designed or manipulated. These styles have been around for centuries and many bonsai trees in China and Japan are made in these styles. Many of the bonsai plants in China and Japan are old and have been maintained well thanks to bonsai gardening techniques.

Related posts:

1. Reviving Bonsai Trees Takes Patience
2. Simple Beginner Bonsai Trees Tips
3. What You Should Know Before You Start Growing Bonsai Trees