Indoor plants bring a touch of the outdoors into your home. A splash of bright yellow Daffodils (Narcissus) turns a dreary room warm and sunny in an instant. Baskets of trailing English Ivy (Hedera) transform a quiet bedroom into a lush, relaxing oasis. Adding a pot of old-fashioned Primrose to a quiet corner gives a room a cozy feel. There is something about living plants that makes us feel good. ...read more

To create pleasing container arrangements, floral designers use what is called the thriller-filler-spiller technique. In selecting plants to be combined in a container or hanging basket, florists look for plants that will fill each role: ...read more

When Kate Middleton walked down the aisle to marry Prince William, Britain’s future queen carried a delicate bouquet that may have seemed small by royal standards but held tremendous meaning for the bride. In keeping with royal tradition, Kate carried an all-white bouquet but eschewed royal ostentation for a simple bouquet of Sweet William, in tribute to her prince, mixed with fragrant hyacinths, charming lily-of-the-valley and myrtle. The same flowers were used in the bridesmaids’ bouquets. The young flower girls wore wreaths fashioned of English Ivy (Hedera) and lily-of-the-valley, a gracious nod to the wedding bouquet Kate’s mother carried when she wed Kate’s father. ...read more

Combination plantings are the hot new trend in indoor container design. Mixing several different plants in a single container allows indoor gardeners to create stunning displays with impact. The diversity of plant colors, heights, shapes and growing behaviors allows for an infinite number of interesting combinations when planting indoor containers. To ensure that all of the plants will thrive when combining plants it’s essential to select plants with similar light, water and temperature requirements.  ...read more

Table or floor space can be hard to come by in smaller living spaces like apartments and condominiums. Even in more spacious homes, active children, furniture arrangements, pets and the “stuff” we all accumulate can make it difficult to find table space for a cheerful pot of Reiger Begonias or floor space for a container of Kimberly Queen Ferns (Nephrolepis). The solution is to move your garden upward. Hanging baskets filled with lush green plants create a space-saving garden that will chase away the winter blues and bring year-round pleasure.  ...read more

After the lush green beauty of summer, color slowly fades from the garden. Bit by bit, the world turns brown and dreary and cold, a perfect reflection of your drooping spirits. Fortunately, you can chase away winter’s chill with beautiful green plants from your local garden center. Filling your home with green and flowering plants during the winter will lift your spirits and make spring seem just a little closer.  ...read more

In American, we consider our pets to be part of our family. Most of us include a package for Fido or Muffy when we place family presents under the Christmas tree. To keep pets safe during the holidays, owners should watch for potential hazards, including some popular holiday plants. Veterinarians say few holiday plants are toxic enough to cause serious illness, but it’s wise to keep certain holiday plants out of your pets’ reach. Here’s a helpful guide to the toxicity of common holiday plants:  ...read more

Attractive and easy to grow, English Ivy (Hedera) is a common feature in many gardens. A prolific grower with beautiful, star-shaped evergreen foliage, English Ivy is particularly attractive when allowed to encircle the base of a tree. Thriving equally well in full shade or bright sun, it is often used to stabilize garden slopes against erosion or fill in large shady areas where other plants fail. ...read more

As fall comes closer, migrating birds will start winging their way south to warmer climates. The first Vs of Canada geese have already split Midwestern skies. Quite a few birds, however, spend their winters in Midwestern and northern states. As unlikely as it seems, among our native winter dwellers will be some birds that have traveled south from their chilly summer habitats in the northern wilds of Canada to spend their winters in the relative warmth of the snowy Midwest. ...read more

As summer draws to a close, fall garden chores loom. Mulching the garden ranks high on the list of many gardeners. Mulching garden beds with wood mulch every fall helps protect plants from harsh winter weather. Covering garden beds with a layer of wood mulch 2 to 3 inches deep protects the delicate roots of flowers, trees and shrubs by helping the ground retain moisture. Mulch also provides plant roots with a warm blanket of protection against fall frost and winter’s freezing temperatures.  ...read more