Tag Archives: plants

Even More Simple and Affordable Ways To Spruce Up Your Garden

In a previous blog I mentioned the Christmas card I received in the mail from one of my best friends, which features a photo of her three older children and her baby—her utterly gorgeous garden. Sure, she lives in Hawaii where she the climate allows her to toil in her soil year round, still it’s not just anyone who can write to Martha Stewart about a gardening dilemma and actually get a personal response from the domestic diva based on the pictures she sent and the information provided in her letter. Yes, my friend has quite the green thumb. It’s … Continue reading →

More Simple and Affordable Ways To Spruce Up Your Garden

We’ve established that despite the bitterly cold temperatures wreaking havoc on most of the nation, there are still some lucky gardeners (the world over) who are busy cultivating their prized petunias. Most gardeners here in the United States are anxiously waiting a good spring thaw—-but let’s get through Christmas first. Until then, consider tucking away these simple and affordable tips for your garden. Make Your Own Compost This is my neighbor’s second job (I say that with a smile). She is a die-hard when it comes to turning household organic waste (vegetable peelings, grass cuttings, fallen leaves) into compost and … Continue reading →

Plants As Gifts

Have you been invited to attend Thanksgiving dinner at a friend’s home? Or, will you be dining at a family member’s house? Either way, by the very nature of it’s name “Thanksgiving,” one would almost seemed obligated to bring a hostess gift as a token of appreciation for the meal. If your Thanksgiving feast is not a potluck, then you may consider bringing a plant or nice flower arrangement as a gift. If you do give a plant as a holiday gift, you want to try to match the plant with the environment of the recipient’s home. For example, if … Continue reading →

Houseplants That You Positively Cannot Kill

If you are one of those people with a black, brown or other wise green thumb, it’s hard not to develop a complex of some sort when all of your plants wither and die before your very own helpless eyes. Some plants, like people are easier to maintain than others. The following six houseplants get along well with people who don’t understand them and all can be nurtured in indirect lighting and like the same indoor temperature as most people (55-75 degrees F). 1.Cast Iron Plant (aspidistra elatior) Can you guess how this green thing got its name? Think of … Continue reading →

Preparing Your Yard For Fall—Part 2: Pruning and Planting

If you thought prepping your home’s interior for the change of seasons took a lot of planning and work, you must not have started tackling your yard. Readying your yard for autumn can be just as challenging and labor intensive. However, if you start early and create a checklist you will likely have everything done in time for Christmas (I’m kidding). In all seriousness, creating a master plan will go a long way in helping you accomplish the following tasks: Fall Pruning Fall’s cool weather provides the ideal climate to get outside and prune those woody plants. However, don’t get … Continue reading →

Houseplants Are More Than Just Green Things

The key to growing healthy plants is to remember that they have feelings, just like you and me. Sometimes they feel sunny, shady, lusty, misty, crummy, unwanted and even unloved. Treat them like favored pets and they will love you back. Name your plants. This bonds them to you and “drink, Maxine, drink”, goes a lot further than just pouring water down a pot. Don’t buy or sell your plants on their birthdays, as this will cause severe separation anxiety. Avoid mentioning above a whisper the names of holidays and celebrations that contain green words or ideas (St. Patrick’s Day, … Continue reading →

Five Houseplants That Are Hard To Kill

Green thumb, brown thumb, black thumb–which do you have? I have always stuck myself in the brown thumb category. Definitely not a master gardener, yet I manage to keep most hearty plants alive both indoors and out. However, this hasn’t always been the case. In fact, the shade of my thumb was much darker in college. Back then I was dating a guy whose thumb was a lot greener than my own (sure, he worked in a flower shop, but did so for the money, not because he had any interest in horticulture). His apartment was filled with houseplants, many … Continue reading →

Houseplants: Green Friends Worth Keeping

The key to growing healthy plants is to remember that they have feelings, just like you and me. Sometimes they feel sunny, shady, lusty, misty, crummy, unwanted and even unloved. Treat them like favored pets and they will love you back (without a visit to a vet or the litterbox!). Name your plants. T his bonds them to you and “drink, Maxine, drink”, goes a lot further than just pouring water down a pot. Don’t buy or sell your plants on their birthdays as this will cause severe separation anxiety. Avoid mentioning above a whisper the names of holidays and … Continue reading →

Summer And Your Plants

Much has been written about the maintenance of plants during spring. It makes sense–many people are tired of being cooped up indoors and are itching to get outside and resurrect their frozen gardens. However, once summer hits I have found garden tips for seasonal harvests are not as plentiful. Perhaps, it’s because experts assume summer conditions often yield blooms and bountiful crops without much effort. Or, perhaps, it’s the other way around. Gardeners (like me) put so much time and energy into spring gardens that by summer they just want to sit back and enjoy the fruits of their labor. … Continue reading →

Top 10 Trees Birds Love

Nothing makes my 2-year-old daughter happier than waking up and seeing a family of birds enjoying breakfast at our “Birdie Café.” Our neighbors have two birdfeeders hanging in their tree and each morning my daughter would ask why the birds flocked to their tree and not ours. A short time later I broke down and bought a very simple birdfeeder. I remember thinking that I would buy the birdfeeder, stick it in a tree and presto—instant bird magnet and subsequent happy toddler. It wasn’t that easy. It actually took a while before the bird’s “graced” us with their presence. Later … Continue reading →