Aloe Vera has been used for centuries to heal wounds and soothe minor skin irritations such as burns, minor cuts, and bug bites. Aloe is a good plant to have around if you ever forget your sunscreen. Cut a leaf from your plant and put it in the fridge for a few minutes. When you scrape the gel from inside the leaf and apply it to your skin, it is a cool, refreshing way to soothe a sunburn. Aloe vera is not only useful but easy to grow. Here are some tips for growing Aloe Vera at home:
Set your landscape ablaze with this spectacular flaming-red heuchera variety, Fire Alarm. A real show stopper in any season, this heuchera features big, glossy foliage that is bright red in spring, taking on brown tones for summer and then turns back to bright red come fall. White spikes of pink, bell-shaped flowers rise above the foliage in summer. Heuchera Fire Alarm offers bold texture and color contrast in mixed containers, mass plantings, borders and groundcovers and is evergreen in mild winter climates.
At McDonald Garden Center, we’ve been carrying the rare pilea peperomioides for a while. Their adorable, pancake-shaped leaves and easy-to-grow nature already made them a superstar in our eyes. But when we started to receive numerous phone calls inquiring if we carried them, we took notice.
Who doesn't love an evergreen shrub that offers layers of gorgeous, cascading flowers, striking foliage and provides year-round interest. Pieris, also known as Lily of the Valley, is a charming and versatile shrub that flowers from late winter to early spring. Bloom color ranges from shades of white, pink and rosy-red. But the show's not over when the flowers fade. New foliage emerges in colors ranging from bronzy-pink to fiery-red. Leaf colors last for 2-3 weeks and then turn green as they mature.
Looking to add a brilliant splash of color to your winter landscape? Look no further than witch hazel. This shrub features spellbinding winter color in shades of gold, orange, and red. Better yet, it blooms when other plants are done. Its spicy fragrance and spidery flowers in yellow, orange and reds make it a must for the winter landscape. In spring it erupts with a new robe of greenery, while in summer its thick, scalloped-shaped leaves form a dense screen of dark green. Witch Hazel is a rugged, early spring bloomer that provides much needed food for the pollinators.