Photo: gardenblog.winterthur.org
Azaleas are getting ready to set gardens on fire. The fluorescent shades of this plant’s hallmark blooms tend to make a near-instant impact on the landscape. Though a signature of the South, azaleas—classified in the genus Rhododendron—thrive on both sides of the Mason-Dixon line.
The time to dream about your spring planting has passed. Now is the time to get going in the garden. So here are five flowering choices to consider for your landscape. Just remember that no matter what you’re planting, it’s important to water frequently as the growing season rapidly approaches.
1. HEATHER
Scottish Heather. Photo: oregonstate.edu
Heathers come in a variety of colors and as an added bonus, they are a big draw for pollinators. Choose your variety of this Scotland native according to the needs of your garden design. A lower, spreading-type variety is suitable as a ground cover while an upright heather would work wonderfully as a border.
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Photo: Ace Hardware
As the growing season picks up, so does the drive to fertilize. Surely, your lawn could use a little help as it gets going—that’s what you’d assume anyway, based on all of the fertilizer tips and products appearing in stores this time of year.
If you really want to give your lawn a boost, it helps to know a bit more about what fertilizer is really doing.
Grass requires small amounts of many nutrients (calcium, magnesium, and sulfur to name a few). Macronutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are needed in larger quantities.
Nitrogen—which promotes growth and gives grass its green color—is the nutrient your lawn needs the most of. But you shouldn’t indiscriminately lay down a nitrogen supplement.
Instead, follow these tips:
Photo: hoosiergardener.com
Ready for spring to arrive? So is your garden.
The ground may still be cold, but longer days have already begun to coax your plants out of their winter dormancy. It’s undoubtedly early—there’s not a lot of true gardening to do yet—but there are several valuable ways that you can prepare for the busy spring and summer seasons ahead.
Brazilian Rain Tree by Spudi Sulistyo. Photo: bonsaiempire.com
Bonsai—caring for and nourishing miniature shrubs and trees in pots—has long been a way for hobbyists to reduce stress and demonstrate their gardening skill.
Photo: dothegreenthing.com
Over the winter, when your outdoor garden has little to boast about, the greenery inside your home lifts spirits and keeps the air fresh. But believe it or not, even if a plant lives in a pot indoors, it remains aware of the seasons.
Houseplants deal with winter much the same as outdoor varieties. Although their colors stay bright, indoor plants essentially go to sleep. Here’s how to provide the best care for your ficus, ferns, and philodendrons until the weather warms:
Photo: Jackson & Perkins
The amaryllis is usually thought of as a one-off winter bulb that makes for a great holiday accent. But with very little care on your part, you can have the grand flower appear year after year.
The bulb, of the genus Hippeastrum, is native to South America and South Africa and grows either in savannas or high plateau regions. In keeping one alive for more than one bloom cycle, the goal is to mimic its natural habitat as closely as possible.
While your amaryllis is flowering, try to keep it cool, or place it near a cold windowpane that doesn’t get much sun. In its current state, with little foliage, the plant doesn’t need more than diffuse lighting. And it should stay moist, though not soaking wet.
Slideshow: 5 (Nearly) Kill-Proof House Plants
Topiaries at The Gardens of Versailles. Photo: concierge.com
The sculpture of plants, or topiary, has been a gardening practice for centuries. The precise designs achieved through shaping and pruning can be found all over the world, from the gardens of Versailles to the Ladew Topiary Gardens in Maryland.
If your outdoor landscape doesn’t require the addition of such a formal element, or the practice seems intimidating, why not try making a tabletop topiary for your interior?
Mistletoe Kissing Ball. Photo: webclipart.about.com
After decking the halls and decorating the tree, there’s only one thing left to do—hang mistletoe.
By doing so, you are participating in a ritual that holds more than just romantic significance. In fact, mistletoe was once arranged in homes to welcome the New Year and ward off evil. And it was also hung on a baby’s cradle to protect it from fairies.
As your home decor becomes festive inside, it’s nice to see a little of that color scheme reflected outside as well.
There’s nothing that can double as a herald of the holiday season while adding interest in your landscape throughout the year like holly bushes can. Not only does the holly family offer both deciduous and evergreen options, but there’s at least one species that will grow in your garden, no matter what state you live in.
Just be sure to plant both male and female plants in your garden if you want berries—most holly species are dioecious. Here’s a breakdown of a few of the families to help deck the hall:
American Hollies
Photo: landscapedesign.ws
Slow growing by season but capable of reaching heights of 30′ eventually, American hollies are evergreen and their foliage is the quintessential Christmas decoration—just watch out for the long spikes. This holly’s crimson berries don’t just brighten up your yard, they feed deer as well as many birds.
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