How To Grow Phlox- Those Wonderful Perennial Flowers

Shows you how to grow Phlox in your perennial flower garden and gives details of the exciting new varieties now available.

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How To Grow Banana Plants

. Depending on where you live, you may be able to grow your own banana plant in your backyard, perhaps even experiment with varieties that produce fruit with better flavour.

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Create a Rustic Flower Garden - wikiHow

Create a Rustic Flower Garden - wikiHow

10 Disease Resistant Roses.

These are varieties which are free from blackspot and are strong and healthy roses.

1. Caribbean Dawn - Semi-double 2ft tall, patio rose with lots of pink flowers shaded in orange and yellow. Small green leaves.

2. Silver Ghost - Repeat-flowering, 2ft tall with single white flowers and dark foliage.

3. Golden Gate - Repeat-flowering climber with mid-yellow flowers which are semi-double. Ideal for pillars and arches at around 6ft.

4. Summer Beauty - Apricot coloured 2ft 3in floribunda, with olive green foliage and clusters of full flowers.

5. Temptress - Repeat flowering, dark red climber, with glossy dark green leaves. Ideal for walls, pillars and arches at around 6ft.

6. Champagne Moments - Superb floribunda,2ft 6in to 3ft it has clusters of pale apricot flowers, which fade to cream.

7. Cinderella - Repeat-flowering climber with clusters of light pink quartered flowers. Very fragrant and over 6ft tall.

8. Red Finesse - A 3ft dark red floribunda, with rich green leaves.

9. Buxom Beauty - A 4ft hybrid tea rose, highly scented,huge mauve-pink flowers and spiralled buds.

10. Lancashire - Low-growing and repeat-flowering, this gtound cover rose has unscented flowers and dark green leaves.


If you would like more help or advice on gardening, please take a look at:

Perennial Flower Garden Ideas

Mulch Your Spring Flower Bulbs in the Fall for a Beautiful Spring Display

by Michael J. McGroarty

You are welcome to use this article on your website or in your newsletter as long as you reprint it as is, including the contact information at the end. You must include an active link back to the author's website, as well as an active link back to http://gardening-articles.com

Flower bulbs need a good, long, winters sleep. Like some people we know, if they wake up before they are fully rested, they get kind of cranky, and then they don’t bloom well at all.

Actually what happens is during a mild winter, the soil stays too warm, and the bulbs begin to come out of dormancy early. They start to grow, and once the tips emerge above the soil line, they are subject to freezing if the temperatures dip back down below freezing. And that’s usually what happens. After the bulbs have emerged, they freeze and then don’t bloom at all, or if they do it’s a very sad display.

Another reason this happens is because the bulbs are not planted deep enough. They may have been deep enough when you planted them, but as the soil goes through the freezing and thawing process, the bulbs can actually work their way up in the ground. One way to keep your flower bulbs sleeping longer, which will protect them from freezing, is to mulch the bed.

In the fall just apply a 3-4” layer of well composted mulch. This layer of mulch will do a couple of things. It will maintain a higher moisture content in the soil, which is good, as long as the soil isn’t too soggy. Well composted mulch also adds valuable organic matter to the planting bed. Organic matter makes a great natural fertilizer.

A 3-4” layer of mulch also acts as an insulator. It will keep the soil from freezing for a while, which is good because you don’t want the bulbs going through a series of short cycles of freezing and thawing. Then when the temperatures drop below freezing and stay there for a while, the soil does eventually freeze. Then the mulch actually works in reverse and keeps the soil from thawing out too early. Keeping it in a frozen state is actually good because the bulbs remain dormant for a longer period of time.

When they finally do wake up it is spring time, and hopefully by the time they emerge from the ground the danger of a hard freeze is past and they will not be damaged. If you can keep them from freezing, they will flower beautifully. The extra organic matter will help to nourish the bulbs when they are done blooming, and the cycle starts all over again.

We also plant annual flowers in the same beds with our spring bulbs. By the time the danger of frost is past and it’s time to plant the annuals, the top of the bulbs have died back and are ready to be removed. The mulch that is added in the fall also helps to nourish the annual flowers, as well as improve the soil permanently. Anytime you add well composted organic matter to your planting beds, you are bound to realize multiple benefits. The key words here are “well composted”. Fresh material is not good.

Michael J. McGroarty is the author of this article. Visit his most interesting website, http://www.freeplants.com and sign up for his excellent gardening newsletter. Article provided by http://gardening-articles.com.

Spring Work in Your Perennial Flower Garden

Spring is the time to start staking your herbaceous perennials, to prevent the taller or weaker stemmed plants from flopping down or falling. This is especially important for perennial plants, when heavy rain or strong winds are expected.

Insert stakes early on, it is far more difficult to insert them when your perennials have advanced growth and they are more likely to be damaged.

Taller perennial plants, can be supported by purpose made supports or canes. The former, include half-moon border restrainers, Y-stakes, loops and spiral stakes.

For clump forming perennials, such as helianthus and delphiniums, bamboo canes or metal rods and string will provide great support. Be sure to cover the tops of the canes or rods with eye protectors.

Perennials which are top heavy, like herbaceous peonies and dahlias, are best supported by Y-stakes. Use border restrainers at the front of your perennial borders.

For a natural effect in your perennial flower garden, birch and hazel pea sticks , will help you achieve the look.

If you'd like to see more articles, tips advice and even garden products, visit:

Perennial Flower Garden Ideas

Lupins, The Ultimate Perennial Flower.

Although lupins have been grown for centuries, the much loved sturdy varieties which we now have in our perennial flower gardens, were only created in the 1930's.

George Russell, worked on the blue lupin from North America, crossing it with tree lupins and annual species. He weeded out the weaker and duller plants, until he began producing bigger flower spikes and richer colours. These eventually became known as the Russell lupins., that we now have in our perennial flower gardens.

Because he disliked interference and was a recluse, George Russell kept his records to himself. It was only when he was in his late 70's, that he reluctantly passed on his secrets. Russell only agreed to this, when James Baker, the nurseryman in question, promised that Russell could carry on weeding out the rogue seedlings. This he continued to do, until his death in 1951, aged 94.

After James Baker's retirement, just a handful of dedicated nurserymen have improved the Russell lupins still further. For today's modern taste in perennial flowers, hybrids are being bred with more subtle single colours and stronger bi-colours.

Among these new perennial flower colours are pastel apricot and lemon ice, pink tinged with white and purple-black black and yellow standards. Although these perennial flowers will not produce the same flowers from seed, they can be raised from cuttings, unless protected by plant breeders' rights.

If you would like more information on growing and looking after perennial plants, or other gardening advice, take a look at: Perennial Flower Garden Ideas

Spring Lawn Care For Your Perennial Garden.

Nothing compares to a lawn, it sets off perennial plants and buildings to their very best and invites relaxation. It's no wonder that people devote so much time to them.

No matter how much care and effort you put in, there are still times when brown patches appear, or the grass seems to have lost its vigour. Fear not! a bit of effort in the spring, will transform your lawn into velvet perfection, to compliment your perennial flower garden.

On a dry, mild day, rake out any dead leaves, moss and thatch. This scarifies the grass and improves ventilation, allowing new grass to grow. Because of compacting, the underground roots are probably suffering from poor drainage and lack of air space. To remedy this, spike the top 6", with a special fork, which has hollow tines. This will create open tunnels, to let the air in. If you have a large lawn, it's well worth hiring aerator. Brush a generous dressing of clean, sharp sand into the holes, so that water and air can flow easily. On well drained soils, mix some fine compost with the sand.

As grass grows best in slightly alkaline soils, a dressing of garden lime or finely ground limestone
should be added to acid and neutral soils. But for the ultimate tonic, use seaweed, either as a meal or liquid. A slow release fertilizer, such as pelleted chicken manure, should be appliwd throughout the spring and summer.

On any bare patches, rake up a tilth, sprinkle with seed and roll, making sure that the seed has firm contact with the soil. During dry spells, you will need to water in. Mow when the new grass is at least 4" tall and keep the mower blades set high for a while.

Of course if you want instant results, turf is always an option. Make sure all the perennial weeds are removed before laying it. Add sharp grit or sand to the soil if needed, or dress with compost on poor soil. Roll and water in well and never let it dry out.

Remember that beautiful lawns are hard work, be gentle with the lawnmower and you will be rewarded. Your perennial flower garden will look fantastic, all year round.

For more tips on gardening and plant care, take a look at Perennial Flower Garden Ideas

Tips For Landscaping Your Garden

Landscaping is normally a very big task, using lots of both time and energy. But instead of hiring a professional landscaper, here are a few tips which will save you both time and money.

1. Thank about exactly how you want the finished garden to look like. You need to take account of the style as well as the function of your garden . Do you want to include an area for entertaining?, so perhaps a barbeque? Do you need to include a patio or covered area? Should there be an area for children to play in, a fishpond or a swimming pool? What sort of plants want , such as perennials or trees and shrubs will also help. Initially, focusing on the area where you will spend most of your time is a sensible place to start.

2. An independent designer might cost you hundreds of dollars, so think twice before hiring a professional landscaper. You may be able to access free plans on the internet or at a nursery, which will give you some ideas. But if you have an awkward or difficult site, such as very steep ground, or an extremely boggy area, a professional should have the expertise you need, to save some expensive mistakes.

3. The style of your home should also be taken into account. If you have a rural cottage, formal gardens surrounding it will probably look quite out of place. Think too about your lifestyle. Do you really want to spend hours caring for lots of beds of annuals or pruning dozens of roses? Or would you prefer to spend your free time at the beach,? If so, then you should choose an easy to manage garden and landscape.

4. There are various landscape styles which you can choose for your garden, these are as follows:

a. Formal. This style has lots of straight lines and perfect geometrical shapes, with orderly arrangements of plants rather than random positioning. Many landscaped gardens featuring these formal arrangements need lots of planting and pruning, as well as watering and mowing.

b. Informal. This kind of landscaping works really well with cosy cottages and small rural houses. Beds have curved edges instead of straight lines and random planting of plants, suggesting a cottage garden. Flowers are left to self seed and rather than formal lawns, wildflower meadows can be planted. This style is ideal if you want to leave your garden to its own devices, for a good deal of the time.

c. English Garden. The English garden epitomises style, as many of the world's most famous gardeners were English. It is a style which emphasizes the harmony between the architecture of the house and the garden and goes back to ancient Roman times. Large beds of plants, complement the stately homes with gravelled paths and box hedges. This is definitely not for the faint hearted.

d. Formal/Informal Garden. This style often comes with a brick walkway which suggests formality and leads to the rear with a circle of plants. The arrangement of the plants resembles the English garden style but it has no formal borders. It is ideal for those who which yo maintain some control over their garden, but don't want to be a slave to it.

e. Oriental. These are the kind of gardens often found in small backyards. They use rocks, gravel, which is carefully raked, with evergreens and water. Although a variety of plants can create several interesting concepts with this style, the real idea is simplicity. It is meant to be an area of tranquillity and peace, so you just spend time snipping a little off the plants occasionally and racking the gravel into interesting patterns. Ideal for the followers of Zen, or those who need perfection in their lives.

f. Woodland. This landscaping suits a house that has a wooded backyard and sloping ground. It can be as unkempt and overgrown as you want. It is terrific for wildlife, both flora and fauna and everyone who desires the outdoor life, without having to travel too far. Unless you are going to convert a formal garden into a forest, a professional landscaper is only needed, if you need heavy machinery.

The Two Types of Perennials.

There are two types of perennial plants, herbaceous and woody . The majority of flowering perennials are in the herbaceous category. Shrubs and rose bushes make up the woody type of Perennials .

Perennials can be propagated from cuttings or by dividing and are easily grown from seed. Some types of perennials do not bloom during their first year of growth and most will not attain their full size for at least two years or even for three or four years.

Many types of perennials are prized by gardeners for their vibrant, coloured blossoms, as well as the fact that they will return, with little or no attention year after year. Another good source of information for growing seasons for different areas would be the independent farmers association accessed through your chamber of commerce or local library.

Like most other types of perennial plants, Day Lilies, Iris, and Tulips have root systems with bulbs, rhizomes and tubers . Perennials and annuals that are grown from seed, differ in that their bulbs and rhizomes require at least two full months of temperatures below 40 degrees F before they will bloom.

Because they need this cooler temperature, these types of perennials should usually be planted in the fall. Perennials may slumber all winter, but will thrive and blossom come next Spring, giving you months of colour and wonderful scent in your garden.

Gardening - Caring For Roses.

Perennial FlowerS

New Plants For Perennial Flower Gardens

All over the world, at this time of year, gardeners are finding new plants, bred by the experts. Of course, every new perennial is hailed as the best thing since sliced bread, but obviously some are much better than others. Whatever your choice, they will all be available from suppliers this year.

Here are a few of the best plants for perennial flower gardens this year:

Echinacea purpurea "Green Envy" - This newcomer from New York State is unique. The petals of this beautiful Coneflower are reddish-pink at the base and green at the tips. They make fantastic cut flowers too.

Heuchera "Rave On" - Bred by Dan Heims of Terra Nova Nurseries in Portland, Oregon, this is probably one of the best he's produced. It has sparkling silvered foliage and colourful flowers.

Euphorbia " Helena's Blush" - A new variety from Germany, this variegated evergreen plant, is great for containers and sunny borders. It has leaves edged in creamy yellow and red flower stalks, which are topped with clusters of chartreuse green flowers in spring. The foliage becomes pink-tinted in the cold weather.

Cortaderia selloana "Evita" - The much maligned Pampas grass is back! This super dwarf variety from Germany, only reaches 4ft in height, but is still beautifully elegant. Ideal for making an impact, planted in containers, it flowers well and will remain looking great throughout the winter.

Cenolophium denudatum - A Chinese species, which looks like a large flowered bishop's weed, this plant has deep-cut foliage and cow-parsley type, white flowers. It flowers throughout the summer and is excellent as a cut flower.

10 Flower Garden Ideas For a Butterfly Garden

Flower Garden Ideas to attract butterflies, can bring pleaseure to both you and the butterflies. You will enjoy the colour and perfume these flower garden bring and the butterflies will feast on all the sweet nectar they produce. Here are ten of the very best flower garden ideas :

• Butterfly Bush-This aptly named bush really should be in number one position, it's pink or violet flowers will be covered in butterflies all summer. It will of course need plenty of room, in a sunny position as it can grow up to 8ft tall.
  

• Common Lilac-Another fantastic shrub for attracting butterflies, with purple and white varieties available. Its heady perfume is as welcome as it's glorious flowers in springtime. Loved by butterflies and gardeners both, although there are now mimiature varieties available, this specimen, will grow to around 15ft.

• Queen Anne's Lace-This plant, needs full sun and blooms in the summer. It grows up to 3ft tall and has flat, lacy white flowers.

• Rockcress- Another sun lover, this spring flowering plant has pink or white flowers and grows to around 10 inches tall.

• New York Ironweed-With its deep purple flowers, this is another full sun lover. Flowering in the autumn, it can reach up to 5 ft tall.

• African Marigold- Flowering all summer long, in all garden types and regions, this is a great favourite everywhere. It has bright yellow flowers and is a hardy annual, reaching up to 3 ft tall.

• Wax Begonias- Another long flowering annual, blooming from late spring to early autumn, this plant has red, white or pink flowers. It is only 8 - 12 inches tall and will grow almost anywhere.

• Verbena- With its white, red or pink flowers, this 12 inch tall plant will flower from early summer to early winter. It's perfectly happy growing almost anywhere.

• Golden Rod- Another autumn flowering plant which thrives in full sun. It has yellow flowers and grows up to 5 ft tall.

• Butterfly Weed- This is a great plant for butterflies to lay their eggs and caterpillars to feed. Growing up to about 3 ft tall, it does best in full sun and has small clusters of bright red flowers.
  

Penstemons, The Very Best Perennial Flowers

Penstemons really are the very best perennial flowers. They were used by the Native Americans to relieve toothache and the first scientific description of these beautiful perennial flowers, was in 1748, by John Mitchell.

Because of their unbelievably long flowering season and their extremely easy going nature, they are still very popular today. This is born out by the existence of an international penstemon society. Its members enjoy the wonderful name of Penstemaniacs.

Below are some of the reasons Penstemons are so loved by perennial flower growers.

• Flowering for over six months of the year from early summer to late autumn.
• Extremely easy to grow.
• Resistant to slugs and other garden pests.
• Easy and simple to propagate in autumn.
• Thrive in part shade or sun in virtually any well drained soil.
• Superbly easy to care for.
• Thrive in pots, containers and borders.
• Attract insects for pollinating your garden.

Once established, Penstemons are one of the easiest perennial flowers to care for. They just need dead heading regularly, by removing the whole flower spike. When all risk of frost has passed in the spring, cut back their foliage, down to the new green shoots.

For a wonderful collection of Penstemons, please do have a look at the Hayloft Plants site. Their collection is outstanding and the 'photos superb.

The Perfumed Garden.

The Perfumed Garden, adds an important dimension to any home and shouldn't be overlooked. Many plants have fragrant foliage, others perfumed flowers and some of course have both. All are suitable for a perfumed garden.

Perfumed Gardens, as with any type of garden, need careful planning. It is important to know when each plant is in flower. Planting your perfumed garden with too many strongly scented plants, which flower at the same time, could be overwhelming, even in a perfumed garden.

Perfumed gardens should have a succession of plants, flowering all year round. Of course scented foliage tends to be more subtle than flowers, so it is a good idea to disperse foliage plants amongst the flowers in your scented garden. Subtly perfumed plants, both foliage and flowering, can of course be planted en masse , to really enjoy them in the perfumed garden.

Perfumed gardens also need careful plant positioning. Planting near doors, windows and sitting areas, ensures that the scent can be enjoyed. Foliage plants usually need crushing, to release their scent, so planting where they are brushed against or walked on in the perfumed garden is the best place.

Remember some flowers in the perfumed garden, are strongest at night so need to be positioned near windows and doors. Last but not least, keep in mind that not everyone enjoys the same scents, but if you keep the planting subtle, almost everyone will enjoy your perfumed garden.

Some Helpful Flower Garden Ideas For Beginners.

So, where do flower garden ideas come from? How do you come up with ideas? If you don't want, or can't afford to hire a professional, where can you get your ideas from? If you are a gardening beginner, this can be daunting and even if you are an experienced gardener, you sometimes need help for inspiration.

There are of course a great many ways of finding flower garden ideas, but here are just a few, which might get your creative juices flowing.

1. Take a few tours of gardens.
Actually seeing other gardens will not only give you ideas, but you will see things that you don't like as well. This will help you not to make costly mistakes in your own garden.

2. Look at magazines.
All sorts of publications, besides the usual gardening magazines, are full of flower garden ideas. How many "celebrities" have their homes and gardens featured every time you pick up a magazine? You may not like them, or their style, but you may find that their gardener has done something of interest.

3. Browse your local library and bookstore.
You'll find a large number of garden design books, full of fantastic gardens. Just bear in mind, that many of these pictures are actually enhanced by professional photographers, to make them look even more perfect and spectacular than they really are. Extra flowers and plants can easily be added for photographic effect.

4. Check out the internet
Although it's not easy to find pictures of gardens on the internet, it is getting better. Many sites only have 'photos of individual plants, but there are some good images out there. Lots of pictures are available at Perennial Flower Garden Ideas.

5.Keep an eye out, for more gardening tips and ideas at this and other blogs. Lots of people are sharing their experience and ideas with others.

Decorative Garden Canopies

Decorative Garden Canopies can be found at: Perennial Flower Garden Ideas

Outdoor Canopies Extend The Use Of Your Garden
By Jonathan Goodman

The best way to describe outdoor canopies would be an overhead hanging protection which provides shade in the open. It can be a tent or a canopy outdoor shed. Apart from giving you protection from the sun, canopies are used for a variety of reasons. There are people who use canopies or party tents for outdoor functions, there are people who use it as a storage utility and there are some who use it only for a drink or two in the afternoon. It is also used to provide shade to the garden, yard, parking lot, pool area etc. Depending on your primary usage and your budget, you can choose from a diverse range of canopies. The most commonly used ones are the tents made of canvas which can be retracted and folded with ease.

Buying a canopy

You can browse through hundreds of canopy designs at retail shops or online stores. The price starts from $150 and goes up to $1000. You need to keep an eye on the canopy fabric though. The fabric needs to be extremely durable and able to withstand the vagaries of nature. People who opt for cheap canopies need to bear in mind that the fabric might simply tear after prolonged usage. Apart from the canopies, the quality of the metal poles used is important. Look for rust proof and powder coated poles.

Types of canopies

There are several popular outdoor canopy designs and the 10' x 20' All-Purpose Canopy w/Extension leads the list. This multi utility canopy can be used as a cover for your car or boat and even be used as a party shed. The configuration of the canopy allows you to extend it beyond normal dimensions. The sidewall extension on the canopy allows you to extend it to an area of 480 square feet. The extensions and connections are extremely easy to install and dismantle as well. When you do not want to use the extension, you simply roll it up. The small 10' x 15' pop up canopy is also an extremely popular design. As the name suggests, these are ideal for outdoor events, a day on the beach etc. You simply install it, use it, dismantle it and carry it wherever you want to. Its that easy.
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A lot of people have now started to use tarps for canopies. Tarps are durable and reliable. But if you really want your canopy to last long, opt for canvas tarps. These have the flexibility of tarps and the durability of canvas.

About The Author: Jonathan Goodman is the owner of Market Merchants an online retailer specializing in home and garden products. My passion for bbq grilling and fireplaces is the core focus of Market Merchants. I am a member of the Hearth Patio Barbeque Association (HPBA), the National BBQ group (NBBQ), and the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS). We sell these products because we love them and are passionate about consumer living needs. So whether its furniture and decor, home improvement, kitchen and dining, or outdoor living Market Merchants brings a dedicated commitment to the customer and a passion for high quality products. Visit the Market Merchants website: http://marketmerchants.com

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