Summer is leaving us and with its passing, many flowers are dying.  One of the things I really liked about our new house is the mature plants and landscaping but I’m already starting to miss the Black Eyed Susans and other flowers that are becoming dormant. 
After some research, I found some fall blooming flowers that will help to keep your yard looking great.  I didn’t have to look far for help.  Better Homes & Gardens always has great tips for your home.  It’s interesting that many of these flowers are not the traditional fall colors. 

You might want to try these fall …read more

I missed out on growing a summer garden.  We were just so busy.  I don’t remember all of the chain of events, but it seemed like it was one thing  after another.  Now we’re under contract to buy a house and I’m giving thought to planting a fall garden.

If you plant in late summer, you can grow things such as broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, brussel sprouts, collards, cucumbers, lettuce, kale, onions, spinach, radishes, and carrots.  Even if you’ve missed the spring and summer gardening times, there are plenty of vegetables that grow well during colder months.
NC State University has a list …read more

Last summer we did a lot of landscaping to our yard.  During the lawn improvement project, we tore out an old gas lamp which left a bare spot.  Something really needed to go in that area.  My husband went to our local home improvement store and came home with a butterfly bush.  It was inexpensive and according to the picture, would product pretty purple blooms and would attract butterflies.  What we didn’t anticipate was how huge this bush would get.
By the end of summer last year, the bush was already a pretty good size.  It was constantly being visited by …read more

Last weekend, we went back to our old house to pack up the rest of our things before it was sold.  While I was walking around the yard, I was reminded of all the volunteer plants that could be put to good use.  There were volunteer azalea bushes, ivy, trees, and many other kinds of plants and bushes. 

Several years ago, my parents gave me some volunteer bushes they had growing in their yard.  I planted the small bushes in my yard and within a year or so, the bushes were tall and well developed.  The bushes didn’t cost me any …read more

Guest post by Bekah.
Everyone knows it’s good to be as green as possible, but the high price of many organic products can have people reaching for conventional chemical-based pesticides and fertilizers. Well, there are plenty of ways to be frugal – and eco-friendly – with gardening and yard maintenance.

Weed Control
There are many ways to deal with weeds. You could use stand-bys like Round-Up, which is readily available. But did you know that there are eco-friendly options that are safer for pets and kids – and cheaper? One option is to get a weed puller. There are many options out there, …read more

Lilies are a wonderful addition to a garden. They have their own unique beauty and grace. I started small in my own garden and planted dwarf lilies. I’d like to “graduate” to the bigger varieties, and have been eyeing some of the plants that are available locally. I think they are really beautiful grown in a medium-sized group in the garden.
Jos Van Hage, for Opinion 250, describes the six major groups of lilies… ‘Oriental Lilies’, ‘Asiatic Lilies’, ‘Tiger Lily’, ‘Trumpet Lily’, ‘Pot Lily’, and ‘Double Lily’. They vary in size from 46 inches tall to smaller 26-inch plants. But their …read more

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals presents its list of the 10 most poisonous plants for pets. Surprise — poinsettia is not on the list. If you are planting any of these varieties, put them in a fenced area inaccessible to your pet or supervise him when he is playing in that area.
Number 1 on the list is marijuana.
No kidding.
I trust, though, that you’re not planning on growing marijuana this year (or ever).
The rest of the list would be helpful to keep in mind, in order to make your garden safe for your pets:
* …read more