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Gardening Tips
Like produce, buy the freshest flower bulbs available
When you choose fruit and salad greens at the market, you look for the freshest you can find. Why, then, buy old, dried up flower bulbs? Some garden shops have fall flower bulbs for sale in beginning September, displayed for weeks in 100 degree heat. Walk right past those poor roasted little things - they are destined for a sad future and you don't want to share it. Buy flower bulbs that are freshly harvested and have been stored for short periods in cool, humidity controlled rooms. You'll get more flowers, bigger blooms and healthier plants. That's the goal, right?
Plant promptly.
Getting your flower bulbs and plants tucked into rich, moist garden or container soil allows them to settle in and start growing. The sooner this occurs, the happier your plants will be.
Plant in groups, not rows
As a general rule, roughly round, oval or triangular groupings are softer and more pleasing than narrow stripes. For a welcoming look, refrain from planting bulbs in lines like little soldiers. If a straight row is needed to complete your design, plant a wide one that provides a generous feel.
Choose a few favorites
In garden beds, broad sweeps or masses of just a few hues provide the most impact. Try to resist the urge to plant one or two of everything. Instead, concentrate on a few of your most loved colors or varieties. Or if deciding is just too difficult, consider planting several gardens, each focusing on different colors and different groups of plants.
Remember containers
For gardeners with busy schedules or little garden space, containers are the perfect solution. Pots, tubs, windowboxes and urns provide limitless ways to add color and drama to stairs, porches, decks, patios and entryways. Containers require little, if any, weeding. Just plant, water occasionally and smile every time you look at them.
Tap into local experts
Your local extension office is staffed by trained specialists who know all there is to know about gardening and landscaping in your part of this huge country. Here's a list of state extension websites to help you identify and deal with that weird yellow beetle that's munching your dahlias.
Keep a good thing going
Plant your bulbs so they bloom in succession. With a bit of planning, you can have an attractive yard with months of color, plus non-stop fragrance for your home.
Grow enough for indoor use
Look through you favorite magazine and you'll see a florist's arrangement in almost every beautiful room shot. Placing even a small bouquet on a side table or desk can delight the senses and add a feeling of luxury. Don't you deserve a little indulgence?
Consider height
Remember your grade school class photos where the tall kids stood in the back and the short ones up front? This approach works well in gardens, too. Tall plants like watsonia, bearded iris, glads and tall lilies are terrific for the back of the border. Shorter varieties like oxalis, miniature daffodils and sparaxis work well towards the front.
Whatever works for you
Your garden is a personal thing and it should please you. Don't worry about “right” and “wrong” as you create, just follow your heart. (And feel free to ignore the above tips if you choose.) A few hours one spring or autumn afternoon can yield months of future beauty and fragrance. Let your imagination go and have fun. Enjoy!
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