How to Plant a Flower Garden

Expand the description and view the text of the steps for this how-to video. Check out Howcast for other do-it-yourself videos from carlo_scialla and more videos in the General Flower Gardening category. You can contribute too! Create your own DIY guide at www.howcast.com or produce your own Howcast spots with the Howcast Filmmakers Program at www.howcast.com You don’t have to be a master landscaper to create a garden full of beautiful blooms; you just need these easy-to-follow instructions. To complete this How-To you will need: A soil test A landscaping plan Bulbs, small plants, or seeds Gardening tools Fertilizer A garden party Mulch A soil test A landscaping plan Bulbs, small plants, or seeds Gardening tools Fertilizer A garden party Mulch Step 1: Test your soil Test your soil to find out what nutrients it needs. Garden centers often sell do-it-yourself kits, or you can arrange a test through the Cooperative Extension System, a national agricultural network. Find a nearby Extension office on the USDA web site. Step 2: Pick flowers Choose your flowers based on which varieties will do well in your climate, and whether you want annuals, which live for a year, perennials, which bloom for several years, or a combination. Also, consider whether you can handle high-maintenance flowers, like roses, or prefer less labor-intensive ones. Tip: Alliums, bearded irises, daffodils, daylilies, impatiens, marigolds, nasturtiums, poppies, and zinnias are among the easiest flowers to …

An Introduction To Flower Gardens

Becoming familiar with the general planting and maintenance requirements perennials and annuals is essential to the long term success of your flower garden. The Following are a few guidelines which will help your flowers bloom and remain healthy for years.

Begin with the garden’s basic necessities. Your flower garden must have an adequate supply of water and nutrient rich soil. The proper amount of sunlight light or shade is also critical. Any lack of these basic necessities will negatively affect the health of your plants.

Add compost and peat moss to sandy soils to increase the soil’s ability to hold moisture. Clay soils require the addition of sand and compost to provide adequate drainage. Compost is important in any garden since it provides your plants with nutrients. Be sure to water the flower garden more frequently during dry spells.

When planting your flowers be sure their planted at the existing grade of the garden. Flowers planted too high or too deep will often perform poorly. Also, make sure that you don’t pile soil or mulch around the plant’s stem. If you do, water will drain away for the plant rather than sinking in.

Plant perennials and annuals together in the same garden. Perennials are those flowers which bloom and grow larger year after year. After growing during the spring and summer, they die back to the ground each winter only to reemerge the following spring. Annuals grow and bloom for only one season. Perennials generally are classified as early, mid or late season bloomers. Iris, for example, blooms in the spring. Once its finished blooming it provides lush green foliage. Annuals bloom all season long; from spring until the first frost. Planting a variety of perennials and annuals ensures a colorful garden all season.

An occasional application of liquid fertilizer over the course of the season will help your flower bloom longer.

In the summer the main task in the flower garden is deadheading. Deadheading is the process of clipping off spent blooms. This won’t encourage many new blooms in perennials but will keep the garden looking fresh all season. With annuals, however, deadheading will encourage continuous blooms all season. Don’t discard the spent blooms in the garden as mildew and other plant diseases may spread throughout the garden.

Cultivating is another important garden task. Cultivating the garden soil is a job which serves two purposes. It keeps weeds from taking hold in the garden and allows water and nutrients to reach the plant’s deepest roots.

Know the difference between the good insects and the harmful ones. Many incest are beneficial to the garden. Butterflies, beetles and bees are important since they pollinate the garden flowers. They fertilize plants through unintentional transfer of pollen from one plant to another. Most flowers rely on insects for survival. Beetles, bacteria and other microorganisms assist the garden by turning dead plant material into compost. This enriches the soil and creates the nutrients which plants require. Other insects like lacewings, ladybugs and dragonflies are natural predators of more harmful insects such as aphids.

Proper garden planning and maintenance are essential to a healthy flower garden. Flower gardens, though easy to care for, require some maintenance. The work put into a garden is worth the effort, however, as they provide years of colorful blooms.

Flower Gardening Ideas – Let Your Dreams Blossom

Flower gardeners everywhere are on the constant lookout for fresh and modern ideas to beautify their gardens even more. Some of the common examples of flower gardening ideas that find a mention in the talks among the gardening enthusiasts are like new methods of flower arrangements to add aesthetic value to the homeâ??s décor, the newest flower container that has hit the market or the new kind of organic fertilizer that can be prepared at home to achieve optimum results.

Many popular gardening ideas are often a result of unintentional experimentation by either an over-enthusiastic amateur gardener or an over-confident gardening veteran. Ideas like beneficial pairing of different flower types, a breathtaking colorful display of a specific combination of perennials and annuals, a modified flower container, a particular potting mix etc. are all a result of an accidental stumble upon them. However, a basic research and analysis effort is usually there before the stumbling happens.

It is often said that the more one shares, the more one learns. To give practical applicability to that notion, several forums have cropped up on the cyberspace for the ever-interested flower gardening enthusiasts. Here, they can indulge in constructive discussions on their own unique flower gardening ideas (though there are quite a few of them who keep their ideas to themselves) and gain from every ones expertise.

One of the most common searches regarding flower gardening ideas on the internet is about tips to take care of special types of flowers and how to fulfill their natural needs while not compromising on the environmental concerns. It is often noted that several people dig up information about other gardeners experiences in relation to how the flower was planted, where was it planted, what all minerals and nutrients were employed, how much water and sunlight was made available, whether or not the flower was complemented with another variety to enhance its growth and several other pertinent issues to learn more and more flower gardening ideas.

Another frequently discussed topic on many gardening forums is the best conditions and time of the year to plant specific flowers or consider moving them. Flower gardening experts and amateurs alike are both very particular about the climatic requirements before they plant a flower, however, it often happens that even after they followed every instruction to the letter, what turns up in their garden eventually is not what they were expecting. This can get very frustrating and hence such forums provide a great platform to learn from others experiences, both bad and good. After all why should one invent a wheel all over again!

Flower Garden: 4 Fundamental Tips on Starting a Flower Garden

Are you thinking to start gardening as a hobby? Or maybe you’re planning to create your very own flower garden? That’s fantastic! There is much to be said about how gardening can be spiritually satisfying. And you’ll have so much fun experimenting with flowers and the beauty and splendor they can give to your lawn or to your backyard. Here are 4 fundamental tips on how you can create a wonderfully ideal flower garden.

1. Flowers are all about colors. These colors and their hues are all about harmony and coordination. And just like your wardrobe, a careless combination of colors could turn out to be quite unattractive. Truly unsightly. You really must coordinate the colors of your flowers. In such cases then, whatever you decide to grow and cultivate will require some planning and organization. One of the first decisions you’ll need to make is about the color scheme that you’d like to have for your garden or backyard. After that, select your flowering plants according to this plan.

2. Flowers can be used to brighten and liven up the shady areas and the dim locations of your garden or backyard. Have you got a spot or an area that isn’t being touched by sunlight? It just can’t be reached by the sun? You can readily enhance theses locations using better lighting to produce an explosion of colors. If flowering plants are to be used for this purpose, it’s best to select bright and vibrant colored blooms. It would be good to stay away from dark and gloomy colored flowers. They do nothing to help shady or dim areas.

3. Flower gardens often have a focal point. It may be a statue or a sculpture, a fountain or a water garden, or any type of monument or memorial. Still, if your flower garden doesn’t have such a focal point, you can make use of the plants themselves as the centerpiece. Aim to decide on a specific color, and choose flowering plants that provide blooms of such a shade. Then arrange your flower garden to direct attention and interest towards a cluster of these flowers.

4. Select carefully and intelligently between annuals and perennials for your flower garden.

Annuals come into flowers and bloom only once during their lifetime-which normally lasts for a year or less. Even with this, their flowers are far more colorful| and vibrant, far more fragrant and sweet-smelling, and far more grand than other varieties of flowers.

Perennials, on the other hand, bloom many times during their lifespan. This usually takes many years. Their flowers may not be as splendid as those of an annuals’ blooms, but perennials are definitely easier and more convenient to grow and cultivate. This makes them a much more practical choice.

There are many more tips and guidelines to help you in starting a flower garden. Take your time. This is something that you shouldn’t rush. You’ll enjoy the process so much more.

Flower Gardening–8 Important Tips Concerning Flower Gardening!

“A thing of beauty is a joy forever!” This proverb must have been invented, keeping flower gardens in mind! True, flower gardening is tough work; yet, it is a well-loved activity that has been in existence for ages!

Think of all the benefits flower gardening can provide! Your yard is a riot of colors, and the intoxicating fragrances from your flowers waft into your entire living space! Not only can you “see” beauty, but you can also “smell” it! You have therefore created a wonderful getaway to escape all your worries–the result is a peaceful state of mind!

The physical activity provides you with plenty of fresh air and exercise, resulting in good health. Also, the value of your property increases because of the magnificent landscape!

There are some considerations to be kept in mind regarding flower gardening–

(1) You could follow the example set by others before you–plan your garden on paper first. This has been attempted by novice and expert alike, and has proved successful. Many have even gone so far as to maintain a gardening notebook, where they have kept track of the flowering plants in their alloted spaces in their gardens, and how they reacted to different conditions and seasons.

(2) Which area have you allocated for flower gardening, if it is outdoors? Outdoor could mean the front yard or back yard. Are you going in for container gardening? Then plan out where they are to be placed–both outdoors and indoors.

(3) Regarding the flowers themselves, you will have to do some investigation first, that is, can they survive and thrive in the environmental setting that you create for them. Wherever they grow, every plant needs a healthy medium. It is your responsibility to promise that to all of your plants!

(4) You have to consider how much of space you can afford to allot to your flowers. Just like humans, some plants do not mind crowds, while others prefer their own private space!

What you need to keep in mind before beginning flower gardening is that there is going to be heavy competition among the plants for resources and nutrition. Keep the flowers at a distance of three to five feet from the boundary or fence. And do not plant them anywhere near, or at the bases of bushes or trees, since the bigger plants will grab all the nutrients and leave little for the smaller ones!

(5) The next thing to consider is, soil. The quality of the soil should be such that it can support the presence of essential nutrients, and allow healthy growth of plants. The plants should be able to get adequate amount of nutrition from the soil. A soil test should reveal its quality.

Should the soil quality not be up to standard, you will need to add things that will improve the quality of the plant medium. These additions are called “amendments”. Fertilizers are also an option. Peat moss aids in retention of water as well as drainage of excess water. But again, you cannot go on modifying and modifying the soil–everything has a limit!

(6) Plants cannot prepare food without adequate light. So check out if the area allocated for your garden will get sufficient sunlight. Even here, you will need to differentiate–while some plants relish direct sunlight, there are others that flourish in the shade. Some plants neither require too much of light nor too much of shade.

On an average, there should be enough sunlight for six hours in the day (some places manage to even receive 12 hours). Plants suitable for all light conditions and shade, are available for flower gardening.

(7) Flowering plants grow everywhere and manage to survive in all kinds of habitats. Over a period of time, they get adapted to their respective dwelling places and the surrounding ecosystem. The same conditions have to be created in your garden if you plan to grow them for yourself. Those plants that are tolerant of harsh conditions find warmth intolerable. Tropical plants, on the other hand, cannot survive in the cold northern climate; they have to be brought indoors whenever conditions become unfavorable.

(8) Now that you have researched all conditions and backgrounds, see what plants are suitable for your garden. The flowers should adjust to the conditions you can provide them, and not the other way round!

There are plenty of plants to choose from for your flower gardening. So do not hunger for those exotic ones that cannot grow in your garden! Since you are a first-timer, go in for simple stuff like violets, petunias, marigolds, etc.

Planning And Planting A Flower Garden

A bouquet of flowers can brighten up your home. Likewise, a well stocked flower garden can add brightness and color to your lawn or garden. A well stocked flower garden can provide you with a colorful bouqet for your table or shelf, or a gift to brighten someone else’s day.

First of all, you’ll want a good location for your flower garden. Most flowers usually need 6-8 hours of direct sunlight every day, although there are some flowers that grow in more shady areas. You’ll need to match the flowers to the amount of sunlight that the flower garden will receive. Your flower garden should also be easily accessible for watering, weeding, and cutting the flowers.

Annuals vs. Perennials

You’ll need to decide whether you want to plant annuals or perennials in your garden, or a mix of both. Annuals, such as snapdragons, zinnias, and other flowers grow, bloom, and die off in one growing season. Perennials on the other hand can grow and bloom, year after year.

Fall Bulbs

Fall bulbs are those that are planted in the fall, such as daffodils, tulips, and crocuses. These bulbs are planted in the fall, and then grow and bloom early in the spring when the weather starts to warm up. The giant flowering onion is another good fall bulb, which is planted in the fall, and produces large purple flowers from early spring to mid-summer.

Spring Bulbs

Spring bulbs are planted in the early spring. Some of them are planted just before the last frost, while others are planted after the last frost. Bulbs such as Gladiolus are spring bulbs, meant to be planted as early as two weeks prior to the last frost. These bulbs can be planted every two weeks to provide flowers all summer. Spring bulbs produce flowers from the early summer until the first frost in autumn.

Seeds

Flower seeds are readily available at your local garden center, or even occasionally in your grocery store. Seeds can be a cheap way of sowing a flower garden. Some seeds require that you start them in containers indoors before moving them outside, and some you can just start planting right in your flower garden. Just follow the instructions on the seed package.

Plants

Your local garden center will have a wide range of flowering plants that will do well in your area. If you want some instant color for your flower garden, buy plants that are blooming, or just about to bloom. Then every 2-4 weeks, you can go back to the garden center, and select a few more flowers that are blooming. This way, you’ll have flowers blooming in your garden for the entire growing season.

Once you’ve chosen your location for your garden, and the plants that you want, you’ll need to organize your garden. As you’re planting, keep in mind how big the plants will be when they’re full sized. You’ll want the shorter plants in front, and the taller plants in back. You’ll also want to keep in mind the colors of the flowers. You may want to group flowers of similar colors together, or you may want to plant contrasting plants near each other.

Growing cut flowers in your flower garden isn’t difficult, but it does take some thinking and planning, and of course a bit of work. But the end result will be worth it. You’ll have a healthy, colorful flowerbed, and cut flowers for bouquets all summer long.

Flower Gardening Supplies- 14 “Essentials” Of Flower Gardening Supplies!

Flowers signify a joy of life, and people just cannnot get enough of them! They are not concerned whether the space for a flower garden is small or big, whether they stay in an apartment in a tall building or in a house with a large yard–they just want to fit in the flowers somehow, for they enhance the beauty of a place and give out a wonderful fragrance! And of course, flower gardening supplies will also follow since the plants need some help to grow properly!

You can plan and design a garden all by yourself, but it cannot be grown all by yourself! It makes no difference that you have been gifted with a green thumb or have great knowledge about botany–without flower gardening supplies, the flower garden of your dreams cannot be created!

What should a gardener know about flower gardening supplies?

(1) A seasoned veteran will have no problems listing out what he/she actually needs, but a novice may not find it so easy. Some amount of research work is called for. The World Web can give entire botanical lessons–it has so much of information! What flowers will grow well, what they need, gardening supplies, etc., can all be found on the Net.

(2) Any number of magazines and books containing useful tips and hints, attractive pictures and gardening supplies (general and specific) are also available. Supplies for the flower garden can also be ordered through them.

(3) There are gardening supply stores everywhere, at least one in each town and city. The staff are ready to provide the customer with valuable advice as well as all the materials needed to create a flower garden, ranging from seed and fertilizers to hoes and containers.

(4) If stores are a problem, there is the Internet. Web sites are ever ready to suppy information about flower gardening supplies (even odd ones). These supplies can be purchased online too. Just to give a few examples, there are electronically-controlled flower containers that can be programmed beforehand to release water at regular intervals (these are very handy for forgetful people), and upmarket flower baskets.

But any gardener actually needs to purchase the basic supplies before going in for anything else, extravagant or otherwise.

(5) The soil has to be dug before anything can be planted; so, shovels and spades are the first things that come to mind. The size of the tools should match the size of the person! They should feel comfortable enough to handle, or else gardening will turn out to be a very painful activity!

While the spade with a narrow and long blade is useful for flower beds, larger jobs can be handled comfortably with a rounded shovel.

(6) Soil can be tough. A garden fork can break up soil clods easily. Even plants that are near retirement stage can be removed with the fork!

(7) Another useful tool is the stiff soil rake. When a new flower bed is being prepared, it aids in leveling the soil as well as getting rid of small stones.

(8) Every plant requires water, only the quantity may differ from species to species. A water hose of good quality is a must for all gardens. A hose that is recommended is the one with brass fittings measuring 4- to 6-ply in thickness.

(9) Another useful tool among flower gardening supplies is the watering wand, which works very well on the plants themselves, plus seedlings and container gardens. It produces a gentle spray of water instead of a pressure-filled stream.

(10) Weeds are the best friends of any garden! But they cannot be allowed to stay, and have to be removed with a weeding knife. The knife helps to make the soil around the roots loose enough for the whole plant to be uprooted easily.

(11) Pruning shears are also a part of flower gardening supplies. They are meant for light work such as removing dead flowers, cutting back perennial plants and pruning shrubs. Heavier work like cutting off thick branches is handled by lopping pruners, which have longer handles with bigger blades.

(12) Trees shed their leaves during the fall–big rakes which resemble fans are helpful in removing these leaves. The leaves can be added to the compost pile for manure.

(13) If necessary, a garden cart or wheelbarrow can also be purchased.

(14) Apart from the above, flower gardening supplies which come in handy are–a watering can, a pair of cotton gloves, a hand trowel, a hand-held hoe, shears meant for clipping grass, a lawn mower, tape measure (can measure 100 feet), sturdy scissors for gardening purposes only and a hat.

Flower Gardening Pictures- 9 Important Points For The Shutterbug

If you should ever observe a range of photographs, you would notice that the most frequently photographed object is the simple “flower”! The reasons for capturing flowers on camera and presenting them as flower gardening pictures for public viewing, are varied.

It is hard for anyone to fathom how nature has managed to come up with such a myriad variety of colors! Fortunately, flowers are able to survive in all sorts of habitats, so beauty is to be seen everywhere! Not to forget the intoxicating perfumes that waft into the surrounding atmosphere because of their presence! Thus, flower gardening pictures have become a favorite topic for photographers all over the world.

Some aspects of flower gardening pictures are presented here–

(1) Every photographer realizes that the “flower” is a prized work of art produced by nature that is appreciated the world over, especially by avid gardeners. So these flower gardening pictures find their way into web sites dedicated to gardening, books on gardening, gardening magazines, guides and encyclopedias dedicated to gardening.

(2) There is no need to go in for highly advanced technological gadgets to snap photographs of flower gardens! Whatever camera is used, simple or expensive, good focusing will ensure a good picture. Experts believe that the photograph with its background is already present; only the “clicking” of the camera is required. So there is competition among the professionals to trap these “blooming beauties” forever in the form of pictures!

(3) The major aim is to inspire a viewer to go in for flower gardening! If the right interest can be created via these photographs, more and more people will realize the potential in creating a garden full of flowers.

(4) It is not necessary for the photographer to concentrate on a single flower. The idea is to impress the viewer with the beauty presented in the picture. So, the camera’s focus can be directed towards individual flowers; flowers in the foreground or background along with solid structures, or vice versa; small areas; or large expanses–depending on the purpose for which the photograph is being snapped.

(5) The time of the day is also related to the purpose behind the picture. It could be daytime or evening time. The focus could be on sunny areas in the garden or the shady parts.

(6) Additionally, it is entirely up to the photographer whether he/she wishes to present the entire picture, or just a bit of it and leave the viewer to fill in the gaps. Creativity can always find an outlet in different ways! What is important to realize is that flower gardening pictures represent reality in all its significence, they are not just mere copies!

(7) Since these photographs are meant for public viewing, novice gardeners as well as expert gardeners can use them as references. There are pictures of all types of healthy flowers, container gardening arrangements, various designs related to gardens, complete gardens, and so on.

(8) The idea is to get the viewer’s creative juices flowing! It can lead to more people deciding to take up the hobby of gardening. It can inspire gardeners to try out similar ideas as presented in the photographs, or even improve upon them. They can indicate what a garden will ultimately look like after it is finished.

(9) One need not be a professional photographer to capture flowers on camera! A dedicated gardener can create his/her own flower gardening pictures too. It would help to maintain a journal of photographs, indicating “what it was like before” and “what it is like now”. Photographs have to be taken regularly–the actual plot meant for the garden, growing seasons, final display. Written notes below each picture will serve as records for the future. Thus, the next garden is sure to be an improved, and much better version of the earlier one!

Flower Gardening- 18 Steps To See A Great Bloom

The activity of gardening is gaining in popularity since it is being viewed as an extremely rewarding pastime that provides plenty of fresh air, exercise, and “beautiful” results. But most people are not content with just a garden full of ordinary plants, but wish to create a landscape of extraordinary flowers! And so the entry of “flower gardening”!

But wait a minute! There should be no mistaken belief that creating a garden full of flowers is an easy task. It involves tough physical labor and demands dedication. Only then will you be able to produce a “work of art”.

Any outdoor activity should be acceptable to the surrounding ecosystem; so also flower gardening. The suggestions listed below should help you to grow healthy plants–

(1) It is important to know the “hardiness zone” of the area you are located in. The USA and lower Canada have been divided into various hardiness zones by the USDA, according to a 10-degree Fahrenheit difference in the average minimum temperature. This division will allow you to note which plants can survive in which zones (seed packets or flower guides carry this information), and you can purchase the appropriate flowers for your garden.

(2) You have a vast range of flowering plants to choose from, including butterfly bush, butterfly weed, foxtail lily, African lily or the lily of the Nile, lantana and delphiniums. Nice insects like butterflies and bees will feel like visiting your garden!

(3) If you are unsure about the type of plants you need to pick for your flower gardening, take the help of garden guides and catalogs. They can provide you with all the information you want, including useful tips.

(4) Some of the tips given concern having a mix-and-match garden that displays flowers and plenty of colors all year round! There are early bloomers, late bloomers and mid-season bloomers to choose from. The “early” ones and “late” ones can grow in side-by-side rows, to exhibit alternate blooming times. So also perennials and bulbs. Many more combinations can be tried out, depending on your creativity!

(5) Though most plants have green leaves, there are some with silvery-colored leaves. Some exhibit burgundy-colored leaves. These can become “space fillers”, to make up for those flowers which have not yet blossomed/finished blooming.

(6) Before actually starting on your flower gardening project, keep aside a book as a gardening journal. This is what seasoned veterans do, and recording their earlier mistakes have helped them to do better the next time round.

Start off by preparing a sketch or plan of your new garden. Fill in all the details like–the location of your garden, its proposed shape, the flowering plants that you wish to have, a rough arrangement of the plants, and so on. Place pictures too, as you go along. Record your successes and failures. Over a period of time, this journal becomes a “chronicle” of your flower gardening efforts!

(7) Are you planning to have a container garden or a purely outdoor garden? If it is containers that are going to hold your plants, then ensure that the soil conditions are just right inside them. Also, you have to get only those plants that can tolerate temperature changes and exposure to sunlight, because all plants cannot face environmental changes. Again, all plants cannot be grown inside containers.

(8) If it is going to be an outdoor garden, the soil has to be tested first with the help of a soil testing kit. Many local gardening supply stores stock it; in case they are not able to supply one, they can always refer you to a place where the kit is available.

Even without a kit, you should be able to judge the quality of the soil in your yard with the help of your hands. Take some soil in your hand, and rub it back and forth. If the soil comes apart, it indicates the presence of too much of sand. So it cannot store nutrients. Sticking together, indicates that there is too much of clay in the soil. This type of soil does not drain well, and does not allow roots to penetrate easily.

Loam soil (equal amounts of clay and sand) is the best for flower gardening.

(9) Now that you chosen the spot for your garden, start digging. When you have gone about 8 inches to 1 foot in depth, extract the rocks and other unwanted debris that you can find there. Use a rake to split up clods of earth and level the area.

(10) The next step is tilling. About one inch or more of manure or compost is to be added to the dug-up soil. Add even more if it is of poor quality. Grass cuttings or peat moss help to increase water retention capacity if the soil has too much of sand in it. For acidic type of soil, add lime.

When you mix the soil and all the organic components that you have added to it, turning the whole thing over and over a few times, you have “tilled” the soil.

(11) Use the rake again to level the new bed. Some more ammendments have to be added to the soil. Compost goes into the top soil (about 6 inches), along with a general-purpose fertilizer (10-20-10).
(12) Do not start planting your flowers as soon as you have finished adding ammendments. Give them time to enter the soil and spread all across the plot designated for your garden. A few weeks of waiting is necessary. Meanwhile, you can browse the books again so that you are thoroughly prepared when it is actual planting time, with the plants as well as all their requirements.

(13) Now that the time has finally arrived, start sowing the seeds, or planting the seedlings. Smaller ones should take the front seats, while the bigger ones should be placed at the back. Ensure a distance of 3 feet between the plants and any buildings/fences. Also, there should be at least 20 feet of space between your flowers and large trees. Large bushes should maintain a distance of 5 feet from your plants. Other trouble spots to look out for are–steep slopes, places where water tends to stagnate and shallow and rocky soil.

(14) Now that you have come this far in your flower gardening project, it is time to put down a layer of mulch (indicates compost that has not completely decayed) over the garden. A word of caution–ensure that it does not come in contact with the stems of the plants. A layer of 2 to 3 inches of mulch should remain around the plants all the time, especially during the growing seasons.

Weeds can prove detrimental to your garden. As an added precaution, keep layers of wet/damp newspapers under the mulch.

Why mulch? The benefits it provides to the soil include–stabilization of temperature, increase in water retention capacity, addition of nutrients and prevention of excessive growth of weeds.
(15) Do not go in for synthetic substances or chemical pesticides, despite advice from some professional gardeners. You have been “organic” so far; no point in going back to “inorganic”! All that you need to do to make a success of your flower gardening project is to keep the soil quality in top condition. Try to combine plants so that one acts like a “pesticide” for the other. For example, plants like rose and garlic are beneficial to their companions in the garden.

(16) If you are in a hurry to start growing your flowers, there is another option available. Get some jiffy pots that are made from compressed peat moss. Put in potting soil or starting mix. Sow the seeds. Place the pots inside the house in an area where they can can get sufficient sunlight.

Once the plants have attained a height of 4 inches, place the jiffy pots outside in a pre-designated location. The pots rot away and the plants get “attached” to the natural soil by their roots.

In addition, you can look for tips and information about seeds on the backs of seed packages, such as–when and how to sow the seeds, distance to be maintained between plants, etc. Seedlings of course, should be planted as soon as possible.

(17) Like many others, you may not really have an idea about compost or how it is prepared. So, here is some information about this “organic manure”.

How is organic matter different from inorganic materials? When there is decaying of the dead remains of animals and plants (remains of any living things, in fact), the decomposed material returns to the soil. The soil therefore gets enriched with vitamins and other nutrients. Its fertility is enhanced, enabling plants to grow healthy.

Thus, when soil is of poor quality, it can be “ammended” with the addition of natural manure or compost. Being totally organic in nature, it causes no harm to your garden or the surrounding environment.

Since compost is easy to make on your own, you save on costs as you do not have to pay for readymade manure purchased from the local gardening supply store. You save on time too. The environment will be thankful to you as you are taking care of the large amount of material collecting in landfills!

If your garden soil contains too much of sand, compost will help to retain water. If there is too much of clay, the compost enhances the soil’s capacity to drain well. And of course, plenty of nutrients get into the soil with the help of this organic manure.

(18) Finally, how do you prepare your own compost for your flower gardening project?
Dig a pit. Fill it with whatever organic wastes that you can get–lettuce leaves, tea leaves, coffee grounds, banana peels, grass clippings, shredded branches, hay, chopped leaves, garden plants that are free of disease and have finished their season, straw, weeds, shredded papers and newspaper. No bones or meat are to be put in. Whatever is put in, should be small in size–so use a lawn mower or a shredder to reduce the size of some materials.

Once the pile has attained 6 inches in height, use finished compost or soil or manure to cover it. The covering layer should be about 3 to 6 inches thick. Repeat the process of alternate layers of organic materials and finished compost/soil/manure. The final height of the entire pile should be 3 feet.

The compost pile should be started in a shady location. Whenever it seems to go dry, sprinkle water on it; enough to keep it damp, not to make it soggy. There is heat generated that helps to sterilize the forming compost. Keep turning the pile to ensure circulation of oxygen.

When there is no more heat being produced, the pile is ready for use. This compost has to be mixed with soil before planting flowers. It can actually be used in any way possible–as mulch, soil ammendment or potting soil. But use it as quickly as possible since the nutrients in it tend to get dissipated.

Thus, your flower gardening project has been entirely “organic” in nature!

The Wild-Flower Garden Tips

The very attractive garden is the wild flower garden. But someone say they have a bad luck with the gardening. You should know that it is not the good luck or bad luck, but it is the understanding and the attention. Each wild flower has the individual personality and characteristic. The plants always desire the environment that they have been accustomed to in the nature. If you take the plants out of their condition, they will sick and die. This is the reason why we should set up the suitable condition for them. You should notice the soil, the place, the condition, the surrounding, the neighbors and the other environments before you choose the wild flower from the nature.

These are the examples:

- If you find the A flower and the B flower are living together, you should put them together in your garden.
- If you find the A flower is living in the open situation, you should growing them in the same place. So if your flowers feel like they are living in their home, they will show the beautiful flower for you.

After the blossoming time is over is the best time for transplant the flowers. Just go to the forest and seek the favorite flowers. You should get the flower plants with the root and soil. They will be package in the closed bag or basket.

You will prepare the bed before you get the plants. It is not the good idea if your plants wait have wait to planting for a long time. The mixture of the soil in the bed is the wood’s soil and the leaf mold. The drainage system should be set up carefully. The plants do not like the closed water system. Some of the wood plants like the soil with the saturated water but not at all. You should put the stone in the bottom of your garden for the good water system. On the top soil of your garden, you should put some leaf mold and wood’s soil for the moisture system.

The early spring to late fall is the good time for you to create your wild flower garden. About March to April is the good time.

The spring beauty, saxifrage and hepatica should be start off in March. Everyone loves the hepatica. Before the spring, this plant will start to show the flower. The ray of warm sunshine is the best thing which the flowers are waiting for. The fuzzy covering protects the flower’s embryo. The hepatica plants will getting the leaf in the spring. It like the open place, rich and loose soil.

The spring beauty is the competition of the hepatica. The characteristic of the spring beauty is white flower with the little pink, thin and wiry stem, narrow and grass-like leaf. It grows in the great patches. You should plant the roots of them in the place where the sun light is not too much. Remember that the spring beauty loves the sun.

The saxifrage is growing in the dry and rocky places. We can find it in the chinks of rock. It is the rock garden plant. It loves the sandy place especially the big rock’s border. It has the white flower and the hairy stem.

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