Outdoor Spring Cleaning Guide

We are about to enter into our second spring as homeowners, and this year I'm determined to pay as much attention to the outside of our home as I do the inside. However, I know that just saying I want to do something doesn't necessarily mean I will get it done, so I've decided to create a guide to help me get started.

Here are three outdoor spring cleaning chores that are topping my to-do list.

Conquering the flower beds

We have four different flower beds surrounding our home, and I must admit they aren't in the best shape. My first task will be to remove all the old mulch, stone, and garden plastic from the beds. Then, I plan to trim, move, or remove some of the old, oddly shaped plants. Once that is complete, I plan to fill in the empty spaces with new a selection of perennials, put down new garden plastic, and top it off with new garden pebbles.

Clearing the way for spring showers

We don't have any trees in our yard, but our neighbor's trees are kind enough to fill our yard with leaves. Those leaves may make our yard look festive in the fall, but they can be a pain as spring approaches. To prevent any water issues my husband and I will clean out gutters, and replace the gutter shields we had to remove when we replaced our roof last year. We will also be unclogging all the ditch drains, so the rain waters do not flood our yard.

Removing winter's grit

I must admit until I became a homeowner I had no idea how dirty winter was. Our concrete driveways, sidewalks, and porches get quite messy from the ice salt we spread around to keep from slipping. The first step to cleaning the concrete will be to lightly dust the concrete with Arm & Hammer washing soda, which can be picked up at most big-box stores. Then, we will use a wet shop broom to scrub away the dirt and stains. Once we've gone over the entire surface, we will use a power washer to spray everything clean.

We will also have to clean the windows, but that's a pretty easy job since Windex sells a cleaner in a bottle that hooks to a standard water hose.

While outdoor spring cleaning may sound silly, these are things that must be done. I'm hopeful that this little guide will get me off to a great start.

How to Care for Permanent Garden Beds

Creating permanent garden beds provides us home gardeners with the basic principal of organic gardening - they allow us to improve garden soil quality each year without the use of chemicals. With a little care, vegetables and herbs can be grown in the same soil (crop rotation required) indefinitely and produce a high yield. It all starts with the soil.

Prevent Soil Compaction 

Create permanent garden beds that are wide enough to accommodate growing vegetation, but not so wide that you can't reach the center of the bed from either side. Most beds, either raised or ground-level, are about four feet wide. The width allows you to work the beds without having to step on the soil. For times when stepping onto the soil is unavoidable, like when building a trellis, place a long board across the soil to evenly distribute body weight and limit soil compaction. And never walk on the beds when the soil is wet.

Don't Over-Work 

After initially creating the garden beds, don't over-work them with a roto-tiller each year. Worms and other soil-benefiting organisms set up housekeeping in the soil and will be destroyed if the soil is worked too vigorously. Use a wide-tined pitchfork or broadfork to loosen soil each spring prior to planting. Dig deep with a roto-tiller (18-24 inches) when initially creating the beds, then after a few years of amending the soil with organic matter, like compost and leaf litter, the soil will be very easy to work by hand.

Feed the Soil 

Feed the soil and it will feed your plants, that's the whole idea behind organic gardening. Healthy soil also has less pest and disease problems and produces healthier plants. Add a yearly supply of compost or well-rotted cow manure to the soil just prior to planting time. Then continue to feed the soil by mulching the plants with organic matter and side dressing the growing vegetables with compost throughout the growing season.

Sideboards and Walkways 

Permanent garden beds can have sideboards or not, that choice is up to you. Raised bed structures are easier on the back and knees of gardeners, but produce no more than in-ground permanent beds. Permanent walkways between each bed are essential, however. Spaces where grass grows and is mowed can provide organic grass clippings to help improve garden soil. Walkways can also be graveled or covered with some other type of inorganic material to make the walking space maintenance-free.

Build Your Own Paving Stone Patio: A Step by Step Guide

You can build your own paving stone patio following this step by step guide. Paving stones are amazingly cheap and nearly every home improvement store sells them. This is how I did mine, and I hope it can help you if you decide to build one.

Advantages

1. They are as durable as a concrete slab (they are made of concrete), but don't need wire or steel reinforcement
2. Anyone can lay paving stones into a nice pattern and no special skills are needed.
3. You probably already have all the tools you need to make a paving stone patio.
4. It makes a nice family weekend project and even the smallest toddler can help out.

Disadvantages

1. It is labor-intensive and requires some heavy lifting.
2. The finished patio will be "solid" enough for use, but not "settled" for a year or longer.
3. Paving stone patios require more upkeep because you will have to pull weeds and grass out of the cracks. Weed-blocking fabric under the stones will help, but airborne seeds will sprout in the sand-filled cracks. Every spring you should pull the weeds the spray a long-lasting weed prevention substance on the patio.
4. During the first year you'll probably have to add sand at least a couple of times.

Materials List for a 12 ft. x 16 ft. Patio

1. 960 - 4"(W)x 8"(L) x 3"(H) paving stones.
2. 2 ½ - 3 tons of sand.
3. 2 - 2x6x16 and 2 - 2x6x12 pressure-treated boards.
4. 1 - bundle (usually 16-18) steel stakes (cut re-bar).
5. A roll of weed-blocking porous fabric of the kind used under new flowerbeds. (Don't use plastic; rainwater has to drain through the cracks in your patio).

Let's Get Started

Your new patio must be laid out and squared before you ever pick up your shovel. To begin, drive a stake into the ground and tie a string near the bottom. Measure 12 feet and drive another stake. Pull the string tight and loop in around the second stake several times. Measure 16 feet to the next corner and drive a third stake. Pull it tight and tie it off near the bottom of the third stake. Now, you have created a corner at the second stake. The question is: Is it a square corner? Probably not, even though it may look square to you.

How To Square Your Corners

The geometry formula is called Pythagorean's theorem. To find the hypotenuse of a right triangle, with legs named A and B and the unknown hypotenuse name C: A squared + B squared = C squared. Most carpenters use what they call the 3,4,5 rule. Measure from the corner stake (the second one you drove) 3 feet on the string back toward the first stake and mark the string with a pen. Then, measure 4 feet from the second stake along the string toward the third stake and make another mark. Then measure from your first mark to your second mark across the interior of the corner. If your corner is square, the distance between the 2 marks will be 5 feet. This is why: 3 squared (9) + 4 squared (16) = 5 squared (25). 9+16=25. You have made a perfect right triangle and the corner is square.

If the corner is not square, you must pull up the third stake and move it until the distance between the points is 5 feet. After you get one corner square, you must drive in the fourth stake and square the corner in the same way at the third stake. Again, you may have to pull up the fourth stake and move it to get a measurement of 5 feet. After you get 2 corners square, the other 2 corners at stakes 1 and 4 will already be square and you can tie the string between stakes 1 and 4. You should now be looking at a perfect string rectangle that measures 12 ft. x 16 ft. The string represents the interior "wall" of your boards. Now you can get to work.

The next step is to remove the sod beginning about 2 inches outside the string, under the string and inside the string. You should try to remove at least 3 ½ inches of sod and soil from the entire area. Low spots can be filled, but high spots will show on the finished patio. Take your time and do this right. When you're finished, you should have a rectangle, slightly larger than the string-marked area that is a fairly uniform 3 ½ inches deep.

Setting the Boards

Set the boards in place around the edges you have dug out and screw the corners together. The string line should be touching the interior walls of the boards. A four ft. level is handy to make sure that your boards are level. The top of the boards represents the top of your patio. Now, remove the string and stakes and begin driving the rebar stakes into the ground against the exterior of the boards to hold them in place. Drive the stakes at least ½ inch below the top of the boards, since they will be permanent and must not be sticking up above the top of the boards to trip people. Be careful not to skew the boards inward as you drive the stakes. 4 or 5 stakes along each board should be sufficient to hold them in place.

Now the Fabric

Roll out the weed-blocking fabric to completely cover the area of the patio. Stuff the edges under the form boards, so that weeds can't sprout anywhere in the enclosed area. If you do this right, you'll have much less upkeep on your finished patio.

Next Comes the Sand

You'll want your paving stones to come to the top of the form boards. A paving stone that is 3 inches thick. If you've followed these directions, you'll need a 2 inch sand bed under your stones. Since sand will compact and settle, make the sand bed about 3 inches deep and level it by dragging a scrap board along the top of the sand, checking the level as you go. I like to duct-tape a level to the top edge of a straight 2 x 4 and use it as a drag board.

Setting the Paving Stones

Beginning on one side, begin setting the stones in place as you level the sand. A rubber mallet is handy to pound the stones flat into the sand and compress the base. Use any pattern you want, but follow the pattern and leave ½ inch between the stones (1/2 inch is about a finger's width.). Be sure to "set" each stone with the mallet and be sure the first run is tight and level against the form board. The exterior stones should not have a sand gap between them and the form. If they do, your patio could have some loose stones at the edges when the sand settles or washes out.

Continue to lay and set the stones from one edge to the other, leveling everything as you go. When you get to the far edge, it may be necessary to cut some stones for a tight fit or you may have to leave a sand gap. That's okay. The form board will hold it all together and you can keep an eye on the gap if it needs sand added later.

Finishing

To finish your patio, scatter some sand across the top of the stones and take a broom and sweep it into the cracks. A push broom is the best thing for this, but if you don't have one, any broom will do. Keep adding sand until all the cracks are filled to the level of the stones. Now your stones are set, level and immovable. It's time for a cookout.

After a few rains, you'll notice that the sand in the cracks has settled. Simply get out your broom and sweep more sand into the cracks. You may have to do this several times in the first few months, but eventually everything will settle.

Conclusion

If you've followed this guide, your patio looks as good as a professionally installed one would look. My patio is 16 x 20 and I haven't had to add sand for several years. Although I still get a few weeds, most of my cracks have now filled in with green moss and it looks very nice. I hope you'll enjoy your new patio.

Plant Ideas for House Foundation Planting

Originally created to hide a house's foundation (and hence the name), the ring of flowers and shrubs planted around the base of your home should do more than merely hide the foundation. As a Master Gardener, I always recommend that foundation plants should draw the eye in, enhance the home's external features and increase curb appeal. Since they're often the largest, or perhaps the only, flower beds on the property, foundation plants should also offer visual appeal year-round and be easy to maintain. Use these plant ideas to create your own unique foundation planting.

Skip Old School Shape 

Old school shape dictated that most homes had cookie-cutter foundation planting with two conical things on either side of the front steps, two tall things at each corner of the house and a lot of low-growing things in-between all lined up in a straight line. 

New school style says go with an asymmetrical height and curved borders. Select plants that you like that are the right proportion for your home's foundation. Place the tallest plants in the back and work your way towards the flower bed front with shorter plants.

Year-Round Interest 

To keep the beds interesting year-round, 50% of the foundation planting should be evergreen, 25% should be deciduous and 25% should be perennial flowers. Annuals can be tucked in here and there as desired and an easy way of doing that is to plant annuals in flower pots so they can be tucked and moved as needed among the permanent plantings.

Evergreen Shrub Ideas

Start with selecting the tallest plants first, which are typically evergreen shrubs, and build your plantings around them. If the evergreens will be planted under, select slow growing or dwarf varieties. 

* Rhododendrons will provide you with showy spring flowers and glossy evergreen leaves. 

* Japanese yew (Taxus cuspidata) Slow growing evergreen with dark needles and red berries in winter. 

* Japanese pieris (Pieris japonica) is a dense evergreen with downward growing limbs and white bell-shaped spring flowers. 

* Inkberry (Iilexglabra) is a slow-grow with dark green leaves and natural round shrub shape. 

* Littleleaf boxwood (Buxus microphylla) is a naturally mounding, compact evergreen that can be pruned to any shape.

Deciduous Shrub Ideas 

To the spring-blooming evergreens, add plants that will provide color all summer with some deciduous shrubs like these: 

* Smooth hydrangea (H. Arborescens) Showy and reliable bloomers that vary in bloom times. 

* Japanese spirea (Spirea japanica) form upright mounds and produce long-lasting pink or red blooms. 

* Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica) produces long spikes of fragrant white flowers in the summer and the dark green leaves put on colorful show in fall. 

* Knockout rose (Rosa radrazz) has become most gardener's favorite shrub for its easy-care growing habits and profusion of summer blooms.

Flowering Perennials 

To keep a profusion of color going all summer, plant some of these perennial flowers: 

* Shasta daisy(Leucanthemum x superbum) produce 4 inch white blooms with a yellow center that attracts a variety of flying wildlife. 

* Salvia (S. nemorosa) Produces varied colored blooms from early summer to fall. 

* Tickweed (Coreopsis) produces easy-care daisy-like flowers and dark green foliage. 

* Geraniums have long been foundation planting favorites because of their long-lasting blooms and long blooming season.

Moles Are Good for Your Yard and the Environment

When most people think of moles, they think of a small rodent pest that eats gardens and destroys landscapes. But that couldn't be further from the truth. Moles are insectivores, not rodents. They eat very little vegetation, and their daily activities are actually good for your yard and the environment.

Mole Basics

Moles spend more than 90 percent of their time underground. Their front feet are huge and slightly webbed to help them excavate soil efficiently. Because they live underground, they are able to remain active during winter months. Thus, moles do not hibernate.

Moles are insectivores whose diet is largely made up of insect larvae (grubs), snails, slugs and worms. They are gluttons when it comes to eating, and consume more than 50 percent of their body weight in food each day.

Tunneling and Burrows

Moles make two kinds of tunnels. The tunnels that we see as ridges in our yards or landscape are temporary tunnels that are made as moles search for food. Once those tunnels are made, they are never used (by moles) again.

The second types of tunnels are the mole's living and nesting quarters. They are deeper underground and are more permanent.

Why Moles Are Good for Your Yard

If you have a mole who has taken up residence in your yard, chances are it's because there is a lot of food there for him to eat. That food is probably grubs, snails or slugs. All of these can wreak havoc on a lawn or garden by killing grass or destroying plants. Getting rid of them is difficult, and generally requires the use of poisonous insecticides that are very harmful to the environment. Moles eat all these pests, and do so at an impressively fast rate.

As excavators, moles also play an important role in the aeration and fertilization of soil. Aerated soil is important for growing both gardens and lawns. It allows for better drainage and provides a more productive growing environment. Moles provide this service in exchange for a free meal - the insect pests we want eradicated from our yards anyway. And because moles eat a minimum of 50 percent of their body weight each day, they also produce a lot of excrement, which is great fertilizer for yards and gardens.

What to Do if You Have a Mole in Your Yard

If you have a mole in your yard, the best thing to do is … nothing. Once he has depleted the food supply by eating all the insect pests, he will move on. If you want, you can stamp down the visible tunnels without doing any harm, since they are only temporary anyway and will never be reused.

Landscaping Design Guide to Container Gardening

Container gardening as a landscaping design idea can be every bit as impressive as traditional garden landscaping. During my days of actually working with a gardening and landscaping company in Atlanta before I started writing about my experience, I got to see up close and personal a lot of different landscaping design ideas. Some of them worked. Some of them didn't. But one thing that rarely changed was the potential for container gardening to be effectively applied to everything from from the constricted space of apartment patio gardens to the most expansive landscaping designs in backyards from Lawrenceville to Jonesboro. One other thing I learned is that it behooves you more to learn about the types of containers available for this gardening landscaping design idea than anything else you need to learn.

Metal Garden Planters

Metal garden planters ensure durability above everything else as an element in your container gardening plans. A downside to using metal garden containers is rust and oxidation transforming their shiny appearance over time, but even a rusty metal garden planter can still be effectively used to grow plants. The real benefit of metal gardening containers is the way it lends your landscaping a healthy amount of industrial chic. You just cannot get that industrial chic element from gardening containers made of stone or terra-cotta. One factor to keep in mind when settling on container gardening as your landscaping design idea of choice is that that metal planters specifically made of aluminum are among the most affordable and lightweight flower pots available today. On the other hand, metal garden planters made of heavier cast iron or beautifully aesthetic copper are much more expensive. Of course, they will also last longer in your garden landscape than aluminum.

Terra-Cotta Pots

Terra-cotta pots are among the most popular materials for use in container gardening landscaping design. Terra-cotta pots provide an earthy ambiance to your garden and can even endow it with a pre-Columbian feel which is about as far from industrial chic as you can get. One of the advantages to using terra-cotta pots is that you can add to your container gardening landscaping idea over time with new pots because terra-cotta planters that are virtually indistinguishable from each other are easy to find. On the other hand, you can break up that potentially boring consistency found in container gardening featuring an abundance of these planters by investing in terra-cotta feet to place beneath some of your pots. This feature can effectively supply more charm to a container garden overrun with too many terra-cotta pots that all look alike. Keep in mind that terra-cotta planters can break very easily so if you've got younger kids around your container garden, you may want to think twice. Those living in very cold regions will have to get used to bringing their terra-cotta containers indoors during very cold weather to keep the pots from cracking. The cost factor is an advantage because terra-cotta pots are very inexpensive. Glazed terra-cotta will cost more and the bigger the pot, the higher the cost.

Fiberglass and Plastic Containers

Fiberglass and plastic garden containers are built with one aspect very much at the fore: durability. These containers are lightweight and come in a vast array of colors and styles. Fiberglass and plastic containers are highly resistant to temperature fluctuations and although there is the potential for cracking if dropped, they will withstand a fall much better than a terra-cotta pot. If you are looking for a way to dazzle with your container gardening landscaping while sticking to a tight budget, fiberglass and plastic is the way to go.

Concrete Containers

Container gardening landscaping design ideas can range from classical to ultra-modern using concrete pots and planters. Concrete containers can also be painted to blend in with the surrounding decor. High quality concrete containers are quite durable and extremely resistant to the vagaries of high heat and intense cold. The exact opposite is true of cheaper quality concrete containers. Concrete containers tend to be less expensive than stone containers, but more expensive than terra-cotta or plastic.

Ceramic Containers

Ceramic gardening containers are desirable because they are available in a wide range of very vibrant colors. These containers are ideally suited for garden landscaping around your patio, deck or even a tabletop. Ceramic containers break easily, however, so keep them away from rowdy children who, let's face it, shouldn't be anywhere near a serious garden anyway.

Wooden Garden Containers

Wooden garden containers are generally constructed from weather-resistant species like cedar. If your landscaping design plans are built around creating a rustic effect, then wooden containers are exactly and probably only what you should use. To extend the life of wooden gardening containers, it is recommended that you treat them with a preservative. When shopping for gardening containers made of any species of wood, the important thing is to inspect the joint construction. Keep an eye out especially for tight joints. The tight joints will further ensure that wooden gardening containers are going to be able to withstand the shrinking and expanding that occurs as a result of moisture accumulation. Wooden containers should ideally be placed on concrete or wood surfaces instead of directly on the ground to reduce the potential for rotting.

Gardening Secrets

Having a garden can give you a very rewarding feeling when everything is growing and healthy. I also find gardening very relaxing; it allows me to escape from the rest of the world. However, maintaining a garden can become expensive so I have made a list of great gardening secrets that you can use in your own garden. Not only are these secrets cost efficient but they will also help you maintain a healthy garden.

• If you're staring your plants from seeds, you can sprinkle ground cinnamon powder on the soil to prevent fungus from growing.
• Adding aspirin to the water you use to root a plant will assist with root growth and water absorption.
• If you have a lot of crabgrass, dandelions, or plantain weeds then your soil is acidic. However, if you have peppergrass, ironweed, or pennygrass weeds your soil is alkaline.
• You can add lint from your laundry dryer to your compost pile or even till it into your soil and it will help retain the moisture.
• If you have a pet that sheds you can use their hair in your compost pile to raise the nitrogen level. Left over hair from a haircut will work just as well too.
• If you find that your compost pile won't heat up fast enough, you can add comfrey leaves to speed up the process.
• Seaweed is very good for a compost pile. Just make sure you rinse off all of the salt water first. The salt isn't good for your garden.
• If you have recently cleaned a fish for eating, you can bury the scraps around your vegetable plants.
• Crab shells and egg shells can be sprinkled around your tomato plants to boost the calcium level of the soil.
• After you have boiled eggs, allow the water to cool down. Then, pour it around the plants in your garden. This will help add calcium to the soil.
• Plating basil plants next to your tomato plants will actually help deter pests from attacking your tomato plants.
• Planting hot pepper plants next to your squash plants will help deter pests from attacking your squash plants.
• Spraying spoiled milk on the leaves of your rose and tomato plants will actually help prevent virus and fungus problems.
• To enhance the color of your roses you can sprinkle 1/2 cup Epsom salt around each mature bush.
• Dental floss can be used to tie climbing roses.
• Equal parts of water and antiseptic mouthwash can be used to help get rid of aphids.
• If you have an ant problem, you can mix 4 teaspoons of boric acid and 1 cup of sugar into 3 cups of hot water. Soak this mixture into cotton balls and the ants will get poisoned from the mixture.
• Bury a small container to the rim in the soil. Pour beer into the container and slugs will be attracted to it and drown. Do this every night to help control a slug problem.
• Sprinkling coffee grounds around the base of your plants will kill snails and slugs.
• Pouring boiling water onto weeds that grow in the cracks of cement will kill them and the seeds that may be hiding.
• Soak garlic cloves in water in a sealed jar. Water your plants with the water and it will help to repel pests.
• The rinds from citrus fruits like lemons and oranges will help keep cats away from your garden because they don't like the smell.
• Parsley and tansy plants will help attract ladybugs which can help control certain pests.
• Lavender plants will keep ticks away from your garden.
• If you're planning on using a terracotta pot, soak it in water first that way it won't take water away from your plant.
• Lining the bottom of a flower pot with a coffee filter will prevent soil from spilling out of the drainage holes.
• Coating your gardening tools with petroleum jelly can prevent them from getting rusted during the winter.
• Spraying your lawn mower's blades with cooking oil can keep the grass from sticking to them.
• When you prune your plants, make sure you cut at an angle to help prevent from diseases.
• If the bottom leaves of your tomato plants are turning yellow between the veins, you should add iron to the soil.
• You can scrape your fingernails over a bar of soap before you start gardening. This will keep dirt from accumulating under your nails.
• If your hose gets lots of kinks when you coil it, leave the water on next time. This will prevent the kinking problem.
• You can use old mini blinds for garden markers. Just cut them to the desired length and write on them using a permanent marker. Then, stick them in the soil near your plants.

Ideas to Help You Get an Early Start on Your Spring Garden

It may seem odd to start talking about a Spring Garden at the beginning of winter, but why not? When you are stuck inside, and starting to get a bit of cabin fever now would be the perfect time to think about how you can really make your garden stand out from the rest. If you start planning now you will save time on thinking about what you want to do later. Below you will find a few ideas, and suggestions to get you started.

1. Garden pathway

Start by making a beautiful, and welcoming pathway for your garden. You can have it start at the beginning of your yard, and wind all the way through to the back. This makes the yard look inviting and welcoming as you come in. Some plants that will nicely line any pathway include the 'Tardiva', and the "Annabelle', both a type of Hydrangea plant. You can do a bit of research to see which plants will really stand out.

2. Old Brick Wall

A nice aged brick wall lining the yard can really add a personable touch. This adds an aged look around the yard, but a comfortable look at the same time. The brick wall does not have to be anything too big, and fancy. You can also use old bricks that may be from another project so you don't have to spend a lot of money on something brand new. Check to see if there are any building jobs in the area. They may be willing to let you have some of the bricks since they usually pay someone to get rid of them.

3. Fruit and vegetable garden

Have you ever considered growing your own vegetable garden, or adding some blueberry bushes to your yard? Not only do they look nice, but you can eat them as well. This will give you a nice-looking yard, but you will save money on food as well. You can line your entire yard with fruit and vegetables. Just make sure you look into some pest control ideas first. With a large amount of food in the yard you are bound to attract some critters. Trust me I have seen this happen.

4. Pick low maintenance

It's always a good idea to choose low maintenance plants that will not need a lot of care, and hard work. It's always good to keep things as easy as possible. This information is simple to find out just by doing an online search. Remember the less work that is needed in caring for these items the more you will be able to just sit and enjoy your outdoor space.

5. Painted rock garden

Adding a painted rock garden to your yard can be a nice special touch. If you have kids, you can have them paint the rocks and place them in different spots throughout the yard. Try taking your kids on a rock hunt. Trust me when I say they will love this idea. Have them try to find all different types of rocks, that can be placed in the rock garden. Not only is it fun to hunt for rocks, but it makes a nice family memory as well.

So the bottom line is to avoid waiting until the last minute, to plan what you want to do for spring. Start looking at your yard now, and decide how you want it to look. This will help you to transform your yard in just a matter of weeks. 

Seven Plants That Like Dry Soil

Trying to get plants to grow from a local big box retailer in dry soil can be a lesson in futility. It's not going to work so well when you're planting stuff that just won't grow in dry conditions. Try planting one or all of the following dry soil loving plants in your dry soil and you'll see for yourself just how easy these plants take to dry conditions.

Sunflower

This is my favorite plant for sure. And after it's finished its beautiful yellow golden blooms, you get seeds. And if you leave the seeds in the flower, you get a great bird show when all of your new found feathered friends come to eat them. And because sunflowers love well drained soils, they grow just about anywhere without the need for much water-especially as they get older and go to seed.

Black Eyed Susan

These pretty little bright "daisy like" orange flowers will bloom all year long in sandy dry soil. However, they may need a little water from time to time if they don't get too much rainwater. I personally find them to be a very hardy plant that grows very well in the sandy soils of my native central Florida. It's both a biennial and perennial plant that self-seeds after flowering and continues to grow until it gets too cold to live.

Butterfly Weed

Just as its name implies, it's a plant that attracts butterflies. From spring to summer, the butterfly weed produces lovely red, orange and yellow flowers that bring butterflies by the droves. It has a deep tap root so it's tolerant to drought conditions and actually prefers sandy, well-drained soil to moist and wet conditions. They also prefer full sun and grow to a height of about three feet.

False Sunflower

I've also heard the false sunflower called the oxeye; this yellow flower with an orange center is semi drought tolerant and grows fantastic in well-drained soils. It prefers semi shaded areas, so I plant them under the large pine trees in my yard each year. Once they start to droop, they get a little water and so do the trees.

Sage

This plant not only looks good, it smells good too. It's purple and blue leaves look great when used as a ground cover and they grow really well in sandy soils too. Sage is drought tolerant enough for most dry and arid locations and tends to grow as tall as it does wide (about two feet).

Coreopsis

I couldn't finish this article without giving a shout out to the Florida state wildflower, the coreopsis. This flower species is extremely hardy and blooms beautiful creamy yellow flowers that grow in clusters. Here in Florida, they plant them all over on the sides of the road instead of grass. Some species grow small and work perfectly for ground cover yet other species grow tall and bushy.

Yucca

If you're looking for a seriously drought tolerant plant, look no further than the yucca. Its leafy green foliage grows to a height of two feet before it finally goes into bloom. Blooms can grow as large as twelve feet tall (I've seen bigger) and come biennially. The yucca flowers are actually edible and have a dank artichoke flavor that some people (not me) find pleasing.

Plants for Heavy Shade - Landscape Challenges

Most plants come with the instructions to plant in a sunny location. Fair enough, as a Master Gardener and long-time home gardener, I understand that plants need sunlight for the photosynthesis process so they can live. But not every location in a home's landscape is the sunny, east-facing gentle slope that garden dreams are made of and I am frequently asked about plants that will grow in shade. Many of us have densely wooded areas where pops of living color at ground level would be nice or stairways and decks on the north side of the house that are cold and barren underneath. Will anything grow in these and similar heavy shade locations? Believe it or not, yes, there are several plants, even flower-producers, that will grow well in a heavy shade location.

* Hostas (Hosta x. tardiana) enjoy a secluded shady spot and will grow into a 2 x 2 feet mound of broad green leaves. Hostas grown in heavy shade rarely bloom, but if the plant does receive a little sunlight it may send up a few spikes and produce some tiny purple bell-shaped blooms.

* Native ferns, like the Lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina) grows well in heavy shade where the soil remains moist. Lady ferns produce delicate-looking, deciduous fronds on plants that can grow up to three feet across. 

* Japanese spurge (Pachysandra terminalis), is an ornamental plant that typically is grown as a ground cover. Japanese spurge is an evergreen perennial that produces tiny white flowers in spring. 

* Wilson's ivy ( Hedera helix) is an evergreen climber with blue-green leaves. Hardy in most growing zones and sometimes used as a ground cover, portions of Wilson's ivy is poisonous if ingested. 

* Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a pretty plant that has several culinary uses and grows well in heavy shade. Ginger root is harvested and used to make tea, season foods and in the making of some home remedies. 

* Hellebores (Helleborus) are one of the few plants that will produce a bloom when grown in heavy shade. Evergreen perennial plant that is common called a Christmas rose or Lenten rose, but is no way related to the rose family. The plants are frost-resistant and produce pale green or greenish-purple blooms in the late winter and early spring when nothing else is blooming in the garden.

Ideas for a Miniature Indoor Garden for a Living Room Window

Many people find it hard to get through the long weeks of winter. By early February they start going stir crazy behind closed doors. Not only do they miss warm sunlight and outdoor activities, but they also long for lush green gardens, grass and accompanying decor. It is possible to enjoy the natural beauty of spring and summer with the addition of a miniature indoor garden. Consider making your living room window a place for growing and displaying a mini patch of foliage. Choose something with country cottage flair, and enjoy the beauty of a small interior plot during the coldest months of the year. 

Start with a Tabletop Greenhouse with a Wooden Frame

If you are longing for spring, bring the best of the season indoors with the addition of a tabletop greenhouse. It can be placed on a living room window ledge or on a table in front of the window. Search for a terrarium with cottage style. Something resembling a real greenhouse with a sturdy wooden frame is perfect for a miniature garden. If space allows, consider displaying two tabletop greenhouses. Two are better than one, especially when trying to replicate the innate beauty of the outdoors in a very small space.

Add Rich Organic Soil and Small Plants

After selecting a tabletop greenhouse for your living room window, fill the bottom with an adequate layer of rich organic soil. Next, cover portions of the soil with velvety green moss. Fill in the open spots around the moss with a variety of small plants such as baby's tears, ivy and a bonsai tree of your choice. To avoid overcrowding, regularly give all of the plants a trim. Remove the largest sections of growth to keep them healthy and just the right size for your mini conservatory.

Decorate the Indoor Garden with Miniatures

Since your indoor garden will be prominently displayed in front of a living room window, it should include carefully chosen decorative miniatures of the appropriate size. They can be natural or synthetic, and they should be placed as thoughtfully and as carefully as the plants. Consider adding pretty polished gemstones to create an enchanting garden path. Add tiny bird feeders, grapevine benches and other items that would be found in a beautiful park. It will look amazing, and it will help you to endure the long weeks of winter.

Source: Professional Home Decorating and Advanced Crafting Education and Experience

Backyard Landscaping Ideas for the Budget-Conscious

Backyard landscaping under ideal circumstances requires the precision of an architect with the eye of an Impressionist artist. Both of which would cost you an arm and leg to hire, by the way. The good news is that homeowners who want both a landscaped backyard and a little bit of money left in the bank can still manage to have it all. Backyard landscaping doesn't have to be ideal. It merely has to please your sensibilities, fit into your budget and utilize quality products. The years that I spent working with a local landscaping company in Atlanta provided me with enough experience that I can help with the first, provide some guidance on the second and guarantee the third by recommending that you always go with the best materials you can afford. Sound like a plan? Good, then let's get started with some basics of backyard landscaping for those without unlimited access to cash.

• Budget Walkway

The most affordable and easiest to construct walkway that guides you and any visitors to the centerpiece of your backyard landscaping design is a straight line. That one-way way path from your porch, patio or deck to a landscaping cornerstone like a garden, pool or outdoor kitchen could quite possibly produce enough savings over a more intricate walkway to allow for upgrade from gravel to bricks or from bricks to flagstone.

• Small Yard Landscaping

Just because the size of the backyard targeted for landscaping roughly parallels the amount of money you have to spend is no reason why it cannot ultimately be a work of exterior art. You could save enough money by carefully backing away from the most expensive plants, paving materials and lighting to splurge on something amazing like an outdoor fireplace. An outdoor fireplace artfully designed to make the most of limited property can become such an unexpected backyard landscaping idea that most of your visitors will never even notice that you cut corners on some of the less dramatic landscaping elements.

• Frugal Maintenance

When drawing up a budget for your backyard landscaping dream, keep in mind that sometimes a little more money spent upfront can actually be a way of saving money over the long term. The word "landscaping" probably brings up images of gardens, flowers beds, trees and grass. Not only do all those landscaping elements cost money to buy, they continue chewing away at your bank account over their life cycle. Gravel used as ground cover for a backyard with just a few precisely located plants makes much more sense for the frugal homeowner.

• Back (Yard) Court

Would you believe that one backyard landscaping idea for the budget-conscious could leave you with your very own private sports complex? Not to mention also being quite the frugal choice when it comes to backyard maintenance. Your backyard may be a little too expansive to completely overhaul with all the things that landscaping has to offer. So afford what you can and then cut your future costs even more by ridding yourself of the long-term expensive of maintaining that lush greenery by covering it with a hard playing surface. A wall on one end and a goal on the other would allow the family to play handball and basketball at the same time. Let that superstar athlete that lives within you decide on exactly how to plan this surprisingly budget-conscious landscaping scheme for a big backyard.

Summer Garden Chores for Prolific Flower Blooms

After a whirlwind of spring activity in the garden, summer is not the time to tip-toe through the tulips or stop and smell the roses. Not full-time anyway. Enjoy the blooms of your spring labor, but keep working in the garden during the summer to keep plants flourishing and flowers blooming.

Spring Bulb Foliage 

After the tulips, daffodils and other spring flowers have come and gone, they leave behind somewhat unsightly foliage that we want to mow down. Don't. Remove the flower stalks, but leave the foliage alone. These gangly leaves need full exposure to the sun for photosynthesis to occur and re-charge those underground bulbs for next spring's blooms. If the unsightly, yellowing foliage bothers you, plant perennials that bloom in late spring or early summer to camouflage the foliage.

Add 3-D Animation 

Bring your flower garden out of the 1 or 2 dimensional realm and into the 3-D realm by planting flowers that will attract butterflies, a.k.a flying flowers. Flowers that bare large flat blooms in bright colors are especially attractive to butterflies and will keep them fluttering around all summer. Zinnas, purple coneflowers, pentas, daisies, phlox and liatris are a few garden favorites that butterflies love to land on and provide 3-D animation to your garden.

Pinch the Plants 

To keep those plants you planted in the spring compact, well-shaped and blooming prolifically during the summer, give them a pinch. Pinch the tops out of flowers like chrysanthemums and marigolds to encourage side branches to develop and produce more blooms. Garden plants like tomatoes can be pinched back to keep them from out-growing their cages.

Pest Patrol 

Pests are in a full feeding frenzy during the summer and if you don't want them feasting on your flowers and vegetables conduct a daily pest patrol investigation. Half fill a cup with warm soapy water and do a walk-through of your garden, picking off pests and dropping them into the soapy water as you find them. Look for evidence of pest damage on leaves and treat any visible problems immediately with natural or chemical methods.

Add Mulch 

As soon as flowers are planted or seeds sprout, add a 3-4 inch layer of organic mulch around the plant to retain soil moisture and prevent weed growth. Replenish the mulch near summer's end if needed.

How to Make Money From Home With Your Garden

Many people who are looking to make money from home never think of making money from their backyard. Locally grown foods are still in demand, even more so, with the rise of the organic food movement. Gardeners can reap the profits from this hobby, by creating products and using their skills right from scratch.

1. Craft supplies. While you may be thinking of making products with the things in your garden, many hobbyists and craft enthusiasts may be, too. Lots of people love making their own things at home, like soaps, candles and other green household supplies. These people may be looking for things that you produce in your garden. Have a look online and see what people are interested in making and provide them with the supplies.

2. Essential oils. This is a big business for home gardeners. Many people use essential oils for aromatherapy, ailments, and even crafts. You can't usually find this in your local grocery store, so people flock to online retailers that sell them. The process requires a great deal of work for major companies to produce, so there aren't many sellers. This is a great market that any herbalist can get into.

3. Tea manufacturing. If you notice, many tea companies started very, very small and grew their way up. This is a great start up for the at-home herbalist. Many herbs that go into teas can be grown right from your back yard. You can find ways to sell them online, if your municipality allows or you can distribute them to companies. Many people are looking for organically grown foods and this demand can be easily met by the home based herbalist.

4. Farmer's markets. While this may not be entirely from home, many small growers have found much success growing produce and herbs from their backyard and selling them locally. Buyers love it, too. The demand for locally grown food has increased and it's quite a low-cost way to set up. Ask your city for information on farmer's markets and their costs to participate.

5. Instructions. Some say, those who can't do teach. So if you're not interested in just gardening, you may be able to sell your information. Many seasoned gardeners make money by writing books, making videos, and even holding classes at local schools. This can be a great way to use what you know to to make money.