Who doesn’t love perennials? They grace your garden with beautiful blooms and foliage and year after year they pop back up adding color, structure and flowers to your garden. We took a poll of our perennial experts and put together a list of their favorite perennials. Check out what they had to say…Stephanie Phillips, McDonald Garden Center in Virginia BeachIt’s hard to narrow it down to just one, so I’m giving you my top three!
Have you ever thought about growing a pizza? You may not be able to grow a plant with pizzas ready to pluck from the vine, but you can grow a garden with pizza ingredients. A pizza garden can be any size or shape, and can easily be grown in containers on a sunny patio or deck, and it’s a fun project for the whole family. It’s also a great way to get children outdoors and motivated to plant and eat veggies.Here are a few staples to include in your pizza garden but remember, the possibilities are endless so be creative and plant your favorite toppings.
Growing your own tomatoes pays huge dividends and it's pretty easy. You can enjoy a homegrown harvest right from your own yard and tomatoes are an easy way to be a backyard farmer. And, best of all homegrown tomatoes taste better than store bought varieties.To get started, simply choose a few of your favorite tomato varieties or identify how you might want to use the tomatoes. We offer more than 30 different types, so there is surely a palette-pleasing tomato for you. Here's our favorite tomatoes:
Whether you're dreaming up a brand new outdoor living space or you're thinking about revamping an existing one, planning ahead is essential to creating a patio that's both beautiful and functional.Here are some things to consider when planning a patio:Function - Decide whether your patio will be a gathering place or a getaway space. Are you going to throw a lot of parties outside, use it as a family space, or would you prefer a small, quiet, private patio just big enough for a couple of chairs and a table?
Vertical gardens are all the rage and we are seeing them everywhere made from recycled pallets. From Pinterest to HGTV to all the decorating magazines including Better Homes and Gardens and Southern Living, pallet gardens are everywhere!
Homegrown berries can be yours for the tasting, and growing them is easier than you think. When it comes to growing berries, strawberries are most likely the first fruit that comes to mind. While these scrumptious fruits are a popular addition to any edible landscape, there are other berry-producing plants that not only yield an abundance of fruit, but are visually pleasing in the landscape and work well in containers.
What travels up walls, drapes over trellises, climbs fences, can take the heat and offers non-stop blooms all summer long? Well it’s not Superman but it is super Mandevilla! Mandevilla, also known as Dipladenia, is a flowering, woody vine that is most popular with gardeners in warmer climates. Here in Hampton Roads, Mandevilla blooms late spring all summer long with an abundance of large, trumpet-shaped flowers against a backdrop of beautiful glossy green foliage.
Tomatoes and Basil. A perfect pair for every garden and every palette! There's no two edibles that go together better than these two garden favorites. Many people will grow a tomato or two, but miss out on the delicious rewards of growing basil. Basil is very easy to grow and can be squeezed in near your tomato plants. Some say that, planting basil within 18-inches of a tomato plant can actually improve the flavor of the fruit and repel many insect pests.
Looking for a way to get your kids to eat their fruits & veggies? Well, there’s bribery and there’s trickery... not to mention all out war! Statistics show kids aren't getting nearly enough fruits and veggies. Only 22% of children ages 2 to 5 meet government recommendations for vegetables consumption, according to a recent study by researchers at Ohio State University. It only gets worse as children get older. Only 16% of children ages 6 to 11 meet the government's guidelines and just 11% of those ages 12 to 18.
PRIMEVERE PEONYThe traditional floral symbol of China, the state flower of Indiana, and the 12th wedding anniversary flower, peonies are known as the flower of riches and honor. With their lavish, full, rounded bloom, peonies symbolize romance and prosperity and are regarded as a symbol of good fortune and even a happy marriage.
