Gardening And More

Fall Color Annuals Before we know it the arrival of fall will be on the horizon and with this in mind I would like to mention planting fall color annuals. When we as gardeners think about the season of fall, images come to us such as cooler temperatures, Halloween, fall vegetables, and fall color annuals. Picture on the right: Pink Dianthus. The beauty of fall color is that you will have color all season long; the plants can withstand freezing temperatures after being established in the garden, and require very little care or maintenance. Fall color can be used even if you only have a patio or porch. The annuals do beautifully in containers to give you a bit of color in your outdoor living spaces. For the annuals to be effective I prefer to plant masses of solid colors, and there is nothing more spectacular than complimentary colors massed together. For example: a mass of bright yellow pansies, and then a mass of dark purp...

An Introduction to Butterfly Gardening In recent years, the natural habitat of the butterfly has gradually diminished due to the rapid growth of modern cities and suburbs. In an effort to increase the butterfly population within suburbia, utilization of butterfly gardens by homeowners introduces a small haven for the butterfly within today’s cities. In addition, the garden provides the homeowner with endless entertainment; and the sights, sounds and fragrances of the garden offer the owner peace and contentment as well as a feast for the senses. Attracting butterflies to your garden is an art. Nutrition for the butterflies, how to attract butterflies year-round, deterrents and preferences all must be taken into consideration. An abundance of nectar rich flowers, plenty of food source plants, rocks for sunning and a water source all need to be provided. The more nectar and food source plants that you plant, the more butter...