Be inspired by beautiful botanical artwork, writing, and crafts. here you will also find instruction and help related to building projects, photography, personal garden writing projects, and more.
Guest post by Felicia Friesema Gardening, as you may well know, is a constantly changing learning process that tests our willingness to give in to the natural world, to submit ourselves wholeheartedly to a process that denies us what we think we want in favor of what the garden wants. You want fresh zukes? Battle …
Guest post by Zesty “Now is the winter of our discontent” -Richard III, By: William Shakespeare Ah yes. There is nary more apt a quote when it comes to gardeners. Last Sunday, I reconciled myself to the inevitable and commenced getting my garden ready for winter. It’s not a tedious task with particularly a lot …
You don’t need a lot of money to have classy-looking container plants. I rarely purchase my containers new anymore. Not just because they are expensive, but because most of the time I think they’re ugly. Go to any department store or garden centre and you’re bound to find those awful plastic pots that are meant …
Guest post by Andrea Crisp As everyone knows, each plant has its own unique smell. Scents can alter your mood in subtle ways, so when you plan your garden, why not let your nose decide the arrangements for you? If you’re planning a quiet, private garden, a mix of mild-scented flowers like lily-of-the-valleys, lilacs, and …
Turn your plastic bottles into miniature greenhouses. The cloche or bell jar is a miniature greenhouse contraption designed to protect seedlings from cold, bleak, or windy weather in order to hasten their maturity. Traditionally, it is a dome made of glass that can be completely sealed (such as the bell jar) or have a small …
In this part of the world (southern Ontario) it isn’t uncommon for people to begin craving springtime as early as February. People reach out to brighter days and warmer weather anyway they can. One of the easiest ways to satisfy this need is to purchase forced bulb plants such as crocuses, tulips, narcissus and hyacinths. …
It used to be lush, vibrant red and in full bloom. It arrived wrapped in a lovely foil wrapper. But now the few leaves left are about to succumb to gravity, and more leaves are falling off. What can you do to restore it to it’s original goodness? Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) Member of the spurge …
If you happen to have a pineapple on hand to eat, (and they are abundant and cheap during the late spring and summer months), then why not take a few minutes and grow your own pineapple plant from the discarded top? It seems nearly mythological that anyone can grow a tropical fruit such as pineapple …
Guest post by Beate Schwirtlich Want to turf your lawn and put in a garden instead? It’s easy. Fall is the perfect time to create a new garden, but summer is the time to get started. You may already know what you’d like your garden to grow. But if you’re planning on changing a lawn …
The last time I forgot to water my outdoor potted plants and discovered them completely wilted and hanging on the cusp of near death, I decided it was time to take action. Some of the plants on my deck receive a full, searing sun all day long during the hottest mid summer days. While these …
Guest post by Claire Pfeiffer Cats are so lucky. It takes just a sniff of catnip to get them feeling wonderful, whereas we humans must rely on more invasive and costly contraband materials to receive the same effects. And catnip is so cheap; if I gave my cats an allowance, they’d become total dope addicts. …
Why use rain barrels? Water that comes to city dwellers in the form of rain is hurried—into storm sewer systems and away by asphalt, concrete, or the roof of your apartment, surfaces that don’t absorb water. Sewer systems in many cities combine household sewage with storm water in the same pipes. Because of population growth …