My Garden info

Hardy geraniums provide us with months of flowers One reason hardy geraniums are so popular is that they have many uses. There are varieties for sun or shade, for wet soil and dry soil, for rich soil and poor soil. There are dwarf and small varieties for the front of the border, large and shrubby varieties for the middle ground, and ground covers that have long-lasting attractive color and suppress weed growth. 1. G. 'Anne Folgard' AGM The young leaves are a vibrant golden-green, later turning green, and the magenta flowers have beautiful black veins with a thick black eye. Spreads widely from the crown, but then dies back in winter. Will spread to nearby shrubs. G. Hybrid of the xylostemon variety. Good for: Full sun. Hardiness: RHS H7. Height: 1 ft 10 in (50 cm). Also try 'Anne Thompson' (similar, but less vigorous). 2. G. Sanguinium 'Max Free' Low and bushy, with finely fingered leaves, turning red in autumn, covering the spreading roots. Light m...

Lilac bush bloom "I was given a small lilac bush from a friend's garden several years ago. I'm so disappointed that it doesn't bloom every spring. How can I get it to bloom?" Gardening expert Melinda Myers: Shade and improper pruning can prevent lilacs from blooming. Make sure your plant gets at least six hours of sunlight. If not, consider moving it to a sunny spot. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizer, as this can prevent blooming. If you want blooms next spring, prune lilacs only after their normal blooming period in early summer. Pruning at other times will remove flower buds and your spring blooms. Why we love lilacs: They are long-lived enough to survive a long time in a home, and a lilac bush needs little more than regular watering for its first year. Do lilacs need full sun? "When and where should I plant lilac bushes? Do they need full sun?" asks reader Elizabeth Williams of Portland, Oregon. Melinda: Lilacs bloom best in full sun, with at least six h...

Paperwhite Plants Indoors I’ve been interested in growing fall bulbs in my new home. I’ve written articles on how to grow alliums, how to grow hyacinths, and how to plant tulips. I’m looking forward to seeing them bloom in the spring — but for now, I have indoor bulbs to cheer me up. While it’s possible to force many bulbs to bloom indoors, it can be tricky. However, growing paperwhite plants indoors is actually quite easy. In fact, you don’t even need soil. You can do it in just water and rocks (similar to the LECA propagation process I use for houseplant propagation). In this article, I’ll show you the process for both methods. Paperwhites 101 “Paperwhite” is the common name given to the flowering perennial bulbous plant Narcissus papyrus. They are closely related to daffodils and are native to the Mediterranean region and parts of North Africa. It has naturalized in various places around the world, including some U.S. states. Paperwhite plants grow from bulbs, sprouting...

Easily Growd Almost Anywhere Got a challenging spot in your garden? You’re not alone. I’ve never encountered a landscape that didn’t have at least one area that was difficult to grow plants. Mine is a highly visible spot on the corner of my house, which experiences a wide range of extremes during the growing season. When it rains, water from hardscape and gutters pools in this area, temporarily becoming incredibly wet. This is where the basement sump pump outlet is located. Western sunlight hits nearby walls and paths, and the resulting reflected heat keeps this area warmer than the surrounding garden even into the night. The soil is compacted from previous construction projects, and there are inches of rocks and gravel from a former deck pad. In addition, this area has received decades of road-salt contamination. 1. Bluestar is a visual delight, resplendent with blue spring flowers and yellow fall color Amsonia tabernemontana var. Illustris Shining Bluestar is sure to be ...

7 houseplant trends for 2025 No matter your plant style and home aesthetic, I guarantee there’s an indoor plant trend for you this year. Whether you’re new to houseplants or don’t know how to make a leafy impact in your home, one of these trends will get you started on the right track 1. Wild Houseplants Long-time favorites, trailing plants will add a touch of elegance to homes this year. However, the emphasis is on leaving them as they are (at least partially) and putting your essential pruning tools aside. ‘Houseplants are, after all, plants, so letting them follow their instincts and grow wild is a great option,’ says plant nursery expert Tommy Suns. ‘You can achieve this perfectly by allowing trailing plants like vines to freely layer and avoiding over-pruning. If you want your space to feel natural and lush, this is a great option for you,' she explains. Sure, indoor hanging plants are great for small spaces because you can keep them at your desired length by trim...

Will these be on your shopping list this year? I’ve been on a lot of my travels this past year and had a wonderful time at the Royal FloraHolland trade show in the Netherlands, where there really was something for everyone. So in this issue, I’m looking forward to the New Year with some bright new houseplants, shrubs and even a beautiful new cut flower. All of these items should be arriving in garden centres sometime in 2025, so why not clip and save the pictures you like so you can find them soon. 1. Lilium ‘Tropical Dragon’ (Parrot Lily) When I’m hunting for plants, sometimes I can get really distracted when I come across a gem. This absolute beauty was hiding in the corner of a lily display and I was very lucky to find it. This variety is called Tropical Dragon, but I like to call it Parrot Lily because the curly petals have a parrot tulip-like appearance and rainbow colors. Absolutely stunning, I think it will hit the cut flower market first, but if we shout loudly, th...

An exciting alternative to bamboo, these evergreen, grass-like plants • Restios grow well in bright, warm Mediterranean climates, and will thrive in full sun if moved. A sunny location with a neutral to acidic pH is ideal. You can improve heavy soils by adding organic matter and ensure drainage by planting on a slope; this is an important consideration as these plants will struggle and die in waterlogged soil. • Grow young plants in pots for their first few years, during which time they will exhibit a characteristic, fluffy and loose young morphology. In their third year, they will transition to their mature form, usually sending out distinct and elegant stems. Once they are well established, they can be potted or planted in their final positions. • Restios can be planted at any time of the year, by removing the pot and burying the root ball 2-5 cm below the soil surface. A thick layer of mulch will help retain moisture and establish the plant, and it protects the rhizome ...

 Beautiful Dreamers Mygardeninfo highlights some of the most attractive specimens that are currently in the market for their products. 1. FUCHSIA Enrich with Nature has launched the Fuchsia Exotic Series, which includes nearly 50 varieties of fuchsia. They come in an incredible range of flower types, sizes, colors, and shapes. The two that caught my eye were 'Lambert Henkelman' (below), which has large, two-toned purple and white double flowers, and 'Rohees New Millennium' (below), which has rich, ebony-black and red small flowers on a small plant. 2. ROSA 'LEONARDO DA VINCI' This is a unique rose. My neighbor Emily has eight of these varieties planted in one bed, and they sing with bright pink, lightly scented, double flowers. They have been in full bloom since Labor Day weekend. "Being a floribunda, 'Leonardo da Vinci' will continue to flower until May. It will be happy in all sorts of conditions, including rain and heat. 3. HYDRANGEA...

Seasonal blues flowers With midwinter and the New Year celebrations behind us, it’s easy to feel the winter gloom, so I thought it was the perfect time to get excited about some of the best true blue flowers to grow in the coming year. . 1. Scilla luciliae Glory of the Snow, also known as Chionotaxa luciliae, grows from a small bulb to 15cm (6in) tall. They are lovely flowers individually, but plant them in groups or in drifts for the best display. They like rich, well-drained soil, making them ideal for rockeries or pots. They flower between February and April and require direct sun or partial sun Create a great flower display. As with all bulbs, allow the foliage to die back naturally. Scilla luciliae will naturalize and create a spreading display year after year. 2. Meconopsis betonicifola As a young gardener I tried to grow this blue Himalayan poppy several times. If you can provide the soil, it should be slightly acidic and moist, but well drained and have an east or ...

Have you ever experienced that sinking feeling? Dig into the vegetable bin only to find a cabbage full of holes? Or perhaps you’ve been enjoying the scent of your favorite rose, only to be spoiled by the sight of a hundred hungry aphids? Insects can make the culprits of oblivion immediately opt for a chemical blitz, but who wants any of that kind of chemical near home-grown food – and what untold harm could you be doing to all the beneficial bugs and other wildlife in the process? For the environmentally-minded gardener, the obvious solution to the problem is to embrace a variety of traditional organic methods to deal with these pests, including biological controls, best practice techniques and mechanical techniques. Whether it’s carefully placing netting to deter a cabbage white butterfly, or encouraging beneficial predators to catch these unwanted insects, you can take eco-friendly steps to manage pest populations. Biological control Basically, biological control involv...

Stunning Winter Containers Wal Bourne creates stunning winter potted displays with carefully selected perennials. One of the best things you can do to cheer yourself up in the winter is to create your own container display and place it by the front door or balcony or well. - Used path or gate. I'm not talking about winter pansies and polyanthus, because they only last a few months. It's much better to use a collection of hardy perennials and shrubs. These can stay in your winter container for two or three years before being added to your garden borders, so they provide value for money. Find your star plant and its supporting cast Take yourself to a good local garden center and go in with an open mind, because you're looking for a star plant at the height of perfection. Get a trolley and select your main plant, which will be a beautiful evergreen. Once you've chosen your star star, browse the other plants, add them to your trolley, and arrange them as you go...