Page 126

Famous Women in History and the Flowers They Loved

In honor of Women’s History Month, here is some insight into 12 famous women and their love of flowers.

Throughout history, many amazing women have become famous for their contributions and the impact they had on society. The following 12 are well known for many reasons: humanitarian work, advocacy of women’s rights, artistry, and public reform. Along with their celebrated character, they were known to love flowers, too.

Lady Bird Johnson

Lady Bird Johnson, the wife of former President Lyndon B. Johnson, was an astute businesswoman and environmentalist who was passionate about flowers. She believed flowers and their simple beauty could help improve mental health. In 1965, this passion led to the Highway Beautification Act, which she spearheaded during her time as first lady, and the establishment of the National Wildflower Research Center in Texas.

Her favorite flower was the lavender bluebell, a beautiful wildflower with petals that curve to create a bell shape. The bluebell symbolizes humility, gratitude, and devotion.

Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama is known for her grace and style and her work as a role model for healthy living. The former first lady prefers pink roses and hydrangeas over any other flower type. The pink rose denotes refinement, femininity, and sweetness; hydrangeas represent understanding, empathy, and heartfelt emotions. Both flowers perfectly embody this amazing woman, lawyer, and author.

Audrey Hepburn

Known for her delicate, graceful beauty, Audrey Hepburn’s favorite flower is the lily of the valley. This lovely, fragrant flower represents humility, happiness, sweetness, and purity, a perfect match for the stunning fashion icon and talented actor. Audrey Hepburn is also known for her humanitarian work; she worked fervently for UNICEF, helping impoverished people, especially children, in other nations.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

The second female justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, worked to improve gender equality, workers’ rights, and the separation of church and state. Her favorite flowers were white freesia and hydrangeas. White freesias represent purity and trust, and hydrangeas symbolize empathy, understanding, and heartfelt emotions. These symbols are fitting symbols of her revered service to the American nation.

Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo is an undeniable icon of Mexican culture, known as one of the most influential and recognized painters of the 20th century. The most iconic images of her, whether self-portraits or photographs, always feature her in a traditional Mexican embroidered dress with bold, beautiful flowers in her hair. Her favorite flowers were bougainvillea, gardenia, and dahlia — all of which she usually picked from the garden at her childhood home La Casa Azul.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Known by many as Jackie O., former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was an author, American socialite, book editor, and photographer. This style icon worked hard during her time in office to restore the White House to its original elegance and served as a symbol of strength for the nation after the assassination of her husband, Present John F. Kennedy. Her favorite flowers were white peonies and blue cornflowers, representing, among many things, honor, compassion, and hope for the future.

Rosalynn Carter

The wife of Jimmy Carter, former First Lady Rosalynn Carter loved simple flower displays and spending her free time working on floral arrangements. Her favorite blooms included narcissus and camellias. A leading activist for many issues, she worked for more than three decades to improve the quality of people worldwide. One of her projects centered on conserving the monarch butterflies, which ultimately led to the creation of the Rosalynn Carter Butterfly Trail.

Laura Bush

As an advocate for education, literacy, and women’s rights, Laura Bush helped reform public education after the No Child Left Behind Act, including introducing initiatives to improve early childhood education. Some of her favorite flowers were roses, tulips, and magnolias. She even has her own rose, the Laura Bush Rose. It is an orangy-pink rose with a fruit fragrance and softly ruffled blossoms.

Eleanor Roosevelt

Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was incredibly popular for her advocacy of women’s and minority rights and her work with the impoverished. Through her husband’s four terms in office, she traveled extensively around the country to relief projects, reporting her observations to Franklin D. Roosevelt. She loved “autumnal flowers” in rich yellows and reds, her favorite being the yellow rose of Texas. There is an Asiatic lily named “Eleanor Roosevelt” and a hybrid tea rose, “Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt.” honoring her.

Ellen Wilson

First Lady Ellen Wilson was the first woman in the White House to pay attention to what is now known as the First Lady’s Garden. With help from landscaper Beatrix Farrand, they developed a design for the east plot of land that included boxwoods, conifers, annuals, and perennials surrounding a reflecting pool. Mrs. Wilson loved all flowers and had difficulty choosing one as her favorite, but she had a particular fondness for roses.

Princess Diana

Born into an aristocratic family, Diana, Princess of Wales, was a member of Britain’s royal family for 15 years. Known as “the people’s princess,” before her tragic death, she was famous for her work with numerous charities focusing on AIDS, children, the elderly, and the homeless. Princess Diana was also a staunch advocate against the use of landmines. Her favorite flowers were white roses, symbolic of innocence, love, and loyalty.

Nancy Reagan

Nancy Reagan is known for the influential “Just Say No” anti-drug campaign. An advocate against drug use, she was instrumental in lowering drug use rates in school kids, especially high school teenagers. When diagnosed with breast cancer, she advocated for early detection screenings, openly talking about mammograms and mastectomies. She loved white peonies, regularly decorating the White House with them, and had to be reminded often they were only available in the spring.

How to Grow Your Own Juice Garden

Homemade juice is a great way to get in your daily nutrients. Boost the benefits by growing the ingredients yourself in a juice garden. Here’s how to choose what to grow.

There’s no better feeling than growing some of your own food. If you’re in the habit of drinking homemade juice (or want to start soon), then growing produce for juicing will save you money while giving you access to the freshest food available.

Homegrown fruits and vegetables have a flavor that’s unmatched by supermarket varieties. Even if you only have a small growing space, the time and energy put toward a juice garden is well worth it. Follow this guide to help you get started.

Why Start Juicing?

Transforming fresh vegetables into juice is becoming a trendy way to ensure you get your daily nutrient requirements. Pair bitter greens with sweet-tasting apples and pears, and you’ll be amazed how many servings of vegetables you get in at once.

Homemade juice has a lot of appeal over store-bought. You can control precisely what goes into it, which makes it possible to avoid added sugars and other filler ingredients. Likewise, making your own allows you to control the flavors and add only the fruits and vegetables you love.

Growing your own produce makes homemade juice even better. Doing so ensures that you can enjoy each ingredient at peak freshness and saves you money compared to buying everything at the store. This gives you more control over how the produce was raised and lets you follow organic gardening practices.

Best of all, homegrown vegetables tend to have more nutrients and complex flavors than produce that spent days languishing on store shelves.

What to Grow in a Juice Garden

There’s no limit to what you can grow in a juice garden. However, some varieties are more popular for juicing than others due to their flavor and water content. Either way, it’s best to grow produce you know you love to ensure that it won’t go to waste.

Even if you can’t grow everything for your juice at home, committing to a small juice garden will make a big difference in the total cost and convenience. Here are some of the most popular options to grow at home.

Basil: This fragrant herb is pricey in stores but easy to grow at home. A few handfuls add plenty of flavor to your favorite juice blend. Basil is high in vitamin K and has natural anti-inflammatory properties. Make sure you prune each plant above a bud to encourage bushy growth all season long.

Kale (and other greens): It’s hard to have homegrown juice without kale! Dark, leafy greens are full of nutrients and make a stellar addition to any juice blend. They contain plenty of fiber, and their naturally bitter taste balances out the sweetness from other ingredients. Best of all, kale is one of the easiest plants to grow, and it provides a consistent harvest throughout the growing season.

Beets: Often overlooked as a garden crop, beets are naturally sweet and perfect for juicing. They thrive in full sun and need well-tilled soil so the roots can grow deep. Provide the right conditions, and you’ll harvest big beets filled with vitamins C and A, as well as potassium and manganese.

Carrots: For those with a small space who want big results, growing carrots is one way to maximize your juicing harvests. These root vegetables have lots of flavor and nutrients, especially when grown at home. It’s even possible to think beyond orange to grow carrots in colors ranging from purple to yellow to white.

Cucumbers: As they are almost entirely water, cucumbers add a light yet refreshing flavor to any juice. They are filled with vitamins K and B, and are also good sources of potassium and copper. Grow your cucumbers on trellises to minimize pest and disease damage and to maximize the growing space in your garden.

Parsley: While parsley can be slow to establish, its sharp flavor is a welcome addition to most juices. You’ll get an impressive dose of vitamin K, vitamin C, iron, folate, and vitamin A per serving. Those who prefer a milder flavor can grow cilantro for juicing — but be warned, some people are genetically inclined to think it tastes like soap!

Tomatoes: This classic garden crop is a staple for a reason. Tomatoes are easy to grow and have a high water content, making them the perfect base for juicing recipes. Start some in your garden, and you’ll have an abundance of produce that’s rich in lycopene as well as vitamins C, A, and K.

Spinach: Start growing your own garden spinach, and it’s almost impossible to go back to store-bought varieties. Richly flavored and filled with moisture, spinach adds complexity to homemade juice with ample nutrients beside. Hint: Plant spinach in two-week spacing to maintain a consistent harvest.

Wheatgrass and Other Microgreens: It’s still possible to grow juicing ingredients, even if you don’t have much space. Wheatgrass, alfalfa sprouts, tatsoi, and more need little more than a sunny windowsill to grow, and can be harvested weekly for a consistent supply of fresh ingredients. Just know you’ll need to grow large amounts at a time if you want a lot of juice.

Berries: Looking for a sweetness boost for your juice? Consider adding fresh berries. Blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are easy to grow at home and contain many antioxidants. Just make sure you balance out the fruit with less-sweet produce to keep the drink from being too sweet.

Swiss Chard: Don’t overlook this colorful green. Swiss chard is easy to grow and stuffed with nutrients. You can grow it for juicing, or give it a quick sauté for a nutrient-rich side dish.

How to Use the Pulp from Your Juicer

While juicers extract all the moisture from your garden produce, you’ll be left with lots of pulp at the end of each batch. Here’s the good news: This pulp will be ground to a fine consistency, making it the perfect addition to a compost pile or worm bin. The pulp will break down quickly, ensuring that next year’s soil gets nourished in the process.

10 Essential Tasks of Spring Lawn Care

As your lawn comes out of dormancy in the spring and starts actively growing for the season, the following spring lawn-care tasks will make sure your grass gets off to a great start.

Springtime brings about new growth and rejuvenation, including your lawn, which has been dormant during the colder winter months. The weather starts warming, and snippets of green grass start showing up here and there amid the brown that has covered your yard for months. Spring lawn care is essential to give it everything it needs for a successful, healthy growing season.

The following tasks will take a few days to accomplish — and you can always enlist the help of other household members — but they’re worth the time and effort.

Eliminate Snow Mold

Snow mold is often seen as the snow melts from the grass, appearing as pink or gray spots with a cobweb-like matter matting the grass into patches. These spots are caused by cold-weather fungi when significant snowfall happens before the ground freezes; this snow layer creates the perfect environment for fungal spore growth.

The problem, though, is snow mold isn’t treatable by fungicides. If left untreated, pink snow mold kills the roots and crown, and gray snow mold affects the grass blades.

If your lawn has snow mold, use a lawn rake to break up the matted patches, improving the air circulation at the base of the blades and through the bottom of the turf.

Dethatch or Power Rake

You can accomplish this first task in a couple of ways: traditional raking, power raking, or mechanical dethatching. All three achieve the same goals but to different extents. They all work to reduce the thatch layer to improve the movement of fertilizer, water, and oxygen into the soil.

Thatch is a debris layer that builds up on the soil surface underneath where the grass is actively growing. It occurs when conditions slow the breakdown of dead and living stems, shoots, and roots accumulated on the mineral soil. Thatch can be beneficial to the soil when found in a thin layer. When the thatch layer becomes too thick, it affects permeability and harbors insects and disease-causing organisms.

Dethatching and power raking remove part of the thatch layer to improve permeability to different degrees. Dethatching removes small amounts and is less aggressive; power raking is a more aggressive process that uses blades to remove thatch.

Aerate

Many people think dethatching and aerating accomplish the same thing, but they are pretty different. Aerating removes small cores of soil, thatch, and grass to relieve soil compaction and improve the movement of water and nutrients down into the soil. As discussed above, dethatching only removes part of the thatch layer.

You can hire a landscape professional to perform aeration on your lawn, or rent an aerator to do it yourself.

Overseed Warm-Season Grasses

If you grow warm-season grasses in your turf, it’s best to overseed bare patches in the spring. These types of grasses put on the most growth in July and August, when it’s the hottest. Spring seeding allows the root systems to establish before it gets too hot, and the grass has plenty of time to grow before it goes dormant in the fall.

Warm-season grasses include Bahiagrass, Bermuda grass, Buffalo grass, carpetgrass, centipedegrass, St. Augustine grass, and Zoysia grass.

Overseed cool-season grasses in the fall.

Test the Soil

Before the season gets off and running, it’s a good idea to do a quick check of the soil pH, especially if you live in an area prone to acidic or alkaline soil levels. Most plants, grass included, like the soil pH between 6.0 and 7.5, which is right about neutral or slightly acidic. When the soil pH level moves too far from neutral, it impacts the availability of soil nutrients, causing deficiencies or toxicities.

To test the soil pH, you can purchase inexpensive strips of litmus paper or a more expensive handheld pH testing meter, or you can have a sample professionally analyzed for a fee.

Fertilize

Feeding your lawn in the spring helps prepare it for the heat of summer. When grasses come out of dormancy in the spring, the root systems grow and store carbohydrate reserves. Once summer rolls around, grass growth and carbohydrate production slow, so the grass depends upon the stored reserves as energy sources.

The best time to fertilize in the spring is when the soil temperature, not the air temperature, reaches at least 55°F. Look for a granular product that contains nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium for the best results.

Apply a Pre-Emergent Herbicide

The best way to control ways is to start early in the season before they even germinate. Apply a pre-emergent herbicide to your lawn in early spring before soil temperatures start warming up (but after you’ve overseeded with grass seed). A pre-emergent doesn’t kill the seeds but interrupts processes that prevent the seed from making it through germination.

Prep Your Lawnmower

Before you fire up your lawnmower for the season, spend a little time getting it ready so that it’s running in peak condition. Make sure to check the spark plug and replace it if needed, change the oil, clean or replace the air filter, sharpen the blade(s), clean built-up grass clippings from the mower deck, and finish by oiling all axles and control levers.

When you start mowing, always start at a little higher mowing height than the recommended level for your grass and never remove more than one-third of the grass blade when cutting. Over time gradually drop the height down to where it is recommended, but continue to remove only a third at a time.

Remove Weeds

Even though you did put a pre-emergent herbicide down, chances are some weeds still sprouted in your lawn. To keep a few weeds from becoming a bigger problem, pull them by hand or apply a selective, post-emergent herbicide.

Manually pulling weeds is time-consuming, although very effective when done correctly. Use a flathead screwdriver or a specially designed weed popper tool to remove the entire plant, roots, and all. This keeps the weed from regrowing.

Selective herbicides target non-grassy or broadleaf weeds, so they are generally safe for lawn applications (always check the label before applying) and won’t kill the grass. They kill down to the root so that the weed won’t resprout.

Turn on Sprinkler System

If your lawn has an automatic sprinkler system, this is the time to give it a once-over. Turn the system on, making sure all valves are correctly positioned. Then check all pipes, lines, heads, and nozzles for leaks or cracks and replace any broken parts. Also, adjust the spray patterns and alignment for maximum efficiency.

A Visitor’s Guide to the Boston Flower and Garden Show

The Boston Flower and Garden Show attracts amateur gardening enthusiasts and professionals from around the world. Over five days in March, the annual event features over 25 unique display gardens, educational demonstrations, and hundreds of vendors from all over.

If you love all things horticulture, you’ve probably heard of the Boston Flower and Garden Show, the largest of its kind in New England. The show has happened every March since 2010 (with the exception of 2021 due to COVID-19). Over the course of five days, visitors can enjoy the amazing garden displays, listen to informative presentations, and, of course, shop the many vendors.

About the Boston Flower and Garden Show

The first Boston Flower and Garden Show happened in March 2010. Launched by Paragon Group, the idea was to retain the main elements of the 137-year-old New England Flower Show (now defunct) while also modernizing certain aspects to make it appeal more to the HGTV crowd. Luckily, the launch was a success, and, for the past decade, the show has grown in size both in terms of attendees and horticulture professionals. While the 2020 show was cut short, it still brought in 10,000+ attendees and hundreds of vendors.

The Boston Flower and Garden Show takes place in the Seaport World Trade Center located at 200 Seaport Boulevard in Boston’s Seaport District. It has direct access to the Massachusetts Turnpike, I-93, and Logan Airport. There’s plenty of parking available for those who drive, or you can take the metro, bus, or water taxi if you want to avoid paying for parking. If you plan to attend multiple days of the show, there are plenty of hotels in the area, including a Westin and Marriott and, for budget travelers, a Yotel and similar options.

Garden Displays

Since its inception, the event has featured over 25 garden displays created by top local nurseries and design firms. Each year brings a new theme that designers must evoke in their gardens whether the theme focuses on more abstract ideas such as balance or romance or gardening trends such as container gardens. As you would expect, each display garden must include certain elements from the theme. In the case of the container garden theme, all gardens must feature at least one significant container of some kind. More abstract themes allow the designers a bit more freedom, though of course there might be some caveats that require them to be creative in their display. The 2020 theme was Celebrating Friends & Family, so many talented designers featured outdoor living furniture and family-friendly spaces in their displays.

The garden displays are meant for more than just visual appeal. It’s also to attract potential customers. There’s truly something for everyone, and, if you’re interested in a particular feature or display, the designers and gardeners will be on hand to answer your questions. In recent years, homesteading has become increasingly popular, and there is now a homesteading pavilion at the show where you can view displays featuring chicken coops, beehives, and more. Even if you don’t have the acreage for homesteading, there are still garden displays that you might find useful, especially those in the Space Savers section that features window boxes planted with both edible and ornamental plants.

The Boston Flower and Garden Show garden display will be judged before the show opens to the public. However, attendees can put in a vote for their favorite garden during a Preview Party event. The garden with the most votes wins the People’s Choice Award! The Preview Party is an additional cost, but it’s a great opportunity to see the displays when the exhibit halls are less crowded.

While the garden displays might be the main attraction for most people, there are also two floral design competitions: one produced by the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts and the other by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. There is also an Amateur Horticulture section that features an Ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement) and displays by other plant societies and garden clubs. While you might not be able to vote for these displays, you can get inspiration from the various arrangements.

Workshops and Lectures

You can learn something new at the Boston Flower and Garden Show whether you’re a beginner or experienced gardener. The event offers over 48 hours of presentations, workshops, and demonstrations. There are even gardening activities for children! Regardless of the theme, the presentations will cover a wide variety of topics including gardening trends, basic care of plants, homesteading, and more. While most of the workshops and presentations are free, some require an additional fee to cover the cost of supplies.

There are over 60 time slots across all five days, so you’ll probably be able to catch all of the presentations you want over the course of the show. During peak hours the lecture halls will likely be at capacity, so make sure to get your seat early as all presentations and workshops are on a first-come, first-served basis. While the topics change each year, you can rest assured knowing that you will be getting advice from top garden experts and professors. There’s always time for Q&A after the lecture, so if you have any burning questions that weren’t answered, make sure to raise your hand!

If you don’t have time for lectures, you can still learn a lot simply by checking out the various informational booths on the show floor. Some previous booths include:

Vendors

The Boston Flower and Garden Show features over 200 local and national vendors. Naturally, the vast majority of vendors sell a variety of specialty plants, cut flowers, mushroom kits, sustainable gardening items, and other gardening-related items for sale. If you’re a gardening enthusiast, this is the perfect place to buy some plants or tools as you can often find rare items cheaper than you might find online or at the stores normally.

If you get tired of shopping for plants, you can always peruse the other vendors who sell clothes, food, home decor items, candles, and much more. It’s a great place to potentially pick up gifts for someone’s birthday or perhaps Mother’s Day. There’s even a bookstore that features garden design and care books so you can continue your education on gardening. If you get peckish, you can head to Aura Restaurant for an English Garden Tea menu where you can enjoy a selection of teas, sandwiches, tarts, scones, and Devonshire Cream. You’ll need to reserve your spot separately and pay an additional fee, but it’s well worth the cost of admission.

Enjoy the Boston Flower and Garden Show

If you’re a gardening enthusiast, the Boston Flower and Garden Show is the perfect opportunity to increase your knowledge and admire the work of professional gardeners and designers. There’s no shortage of things to do as people are able to shop, attend lectures, and talk to garden experts all in one place. Of course, it’s also a great place for horticulture professionals as you can network with other professionals and potentially meet new customers and clients. So regardless of whether you’re there for business or pleasure, the Boston Flower and Garden Show is a great opportunity to expand your horizons.

How to Adapt Your Indoor Plants to the Outdoors

Moving indoor plants to an outdoor environment takes care and attention; otherwise, you risk causing them stress. Here are strategies to make the transition process smooth, successful, and beneficial.

When springtime comes, and the weather starts to warm, you’re itching to get outside — and your indoor plants feel the same way!

Almost all varieties will benefit from some sunlight and outdoor air exposure, but starting the transition process too early or going too quickly will cause more harm in the long run. Rushing the process will put plants in shock and may even kill them.

Here’s how to successfully transition indoor plants to the great outdoors this year.

Why Move Indoor Plants Outside?

Much as your houseplants may like the conditions in your home, most will benefit from some time in the elements. The ample sunlight, fresh air, and natural rainwater can perk them up and trigger the end of winter dormancy for better long-term growth.

Plant care also tends to be cheaper when you don’t have to run humidifiers or keep grow lights on in your home.

Can All Plants Go Outside?

Not all indoor plants can handle outdoor exposure — at least not in full sun. For example, many tropical plants evolved to grow in heavy shade conditions, and too much light exposure will burn the leaves and stunt their growth.

Others are extremely sensitive to changes in their environment and will find the transition stressful. After all, the growing conditions remain the same for houseplants day in and day out. Dealing with fluctuations is an adjustment.

Houseplants that tend to do best outdoors typically have the following characteristics:

When to Move Houseplants Outdoors

It’s a tricky decision to determine when to bring indoor plants to your backyard. Make the transition too soon, and chilly temperatures will stun them. But, wait too long, and the sun may be too intense for their sensitive leaves to handle.

The precise time of year it’s best to bring plants outdoors depends on your location and unique growing zone.

Across much of the northern hemisphere, the right season is roughly early July through late August. Those in more temperate climates can get away with bringing their plants outdoors in March and April.

Generally, it’s best to go by outdoor temperature. Wait until nighttime temperatures remain consistently above 55 degrees F (13 degrees C) for an easier transition.

How to Transition Houseplants Outdoors

Adapting houseplants to your yard isn’t as simple as putting them outside once the weather warms. Instead, you’ll need to go through a slower transition process to give them the best chance of success. Here are the six steps to follow:

1. Start with Limited Outdoor Exposure

Plants do best when exposed outdoors slowly. Start by bringing them outside for a few hours a day, gradually expanding the time over two weeks until you eventually leave them outdoors overnight.

2. Stay in the Shade (at First)

Outdoor light is extreme, even for plants used to sunny windowsills. Ease the transition to natural light by protecting them from the full force of the sun. For example, put potted plants in a sunny spot in the morning and move them into the shade by midafternoon. After a few weeks, they should be able to handle full sunlight again.

You can also leave pots under leafy trees for some dappled light exposure that will change in intensity over the day.

3. Protect from the Wind

One of the fastest ways to damage indoor plants is by exposing them to sudden gusts of wind. Those that have been coddled their whole lives won’t have the natural resistance to withstand it, and they may experience snapped stems. It’s best to shield plants from strong winds for the first few weeks to give them time to harden.

4. Keep Out of Heavy Rain

While light rain is one of the best things a potted plant can experience, too much too fast can saturate pots, cause the soil to flood out, and rot the roots. Likewise, the pelting of large drops can damage fragile leaves and stems.

Ensure pots have proper drainage before being placed outdoors, and move them to a protected area when extreme weather is in the forecast—at least for the first few weeks.

5. Consider Watering and Fertilizing More Often

Heat, wind, and other changes in their growing conditions put strain on potted plants, which can make them become heavier feeders than when raised indoors. Likewise, weather extremes can dry out soil before roots have a chance to draw in moisture.

That’s why it’s best to plan on increasing your watering and fertilizing frequency over the summer months spent outside. Make sure you touch the soil often to check whether it’s dry so you better know when to rehydrate.

6. Watch Out for Insect Damage

Insects love to seize the opportunity to munch on plants that were previously protected indoors. Check your potted plants regularly for aphids, flea beetles, and other signs of infestation that are getting out of control.

Signs an Indoor Plant is Stressed Outside

You’ll know right away if your houseplant isn’t acclimating well to living outside. Here are common signs of stress:

How to Move Plants Back Indoors

As the weather starts to cool again, you’ll need to transition your houseplants back indoors. Follow the same steps, but in reverse. Start by placing the plants in the shade for part of the day and then bringing them inside for a few hours at a time, working to gradually increase the time over a week or two. This helps the plants readjust to living with less intense lighting.

Note: Make sure you start the process several weeks before nighttime temperatures are predicted to drop below 55 degrees F (13 degrees C), so you don’t accidentally cause damage.

Bring Feng Shui to Your Garden by Adding Water and Fire Elements

Adding water and fire elements to your garden is one of the best ways to change its energy for the positive. Here are tips for incorporating them with an eye toward feng shui principles.

Everyone wants to make their garden stand out. One way to do so is by incorporating water and fire elements into the growing space. These features will do more than add some personalization; they can also help you incorporate feng shui principles into your garden for greater peace and balance.

But, set them up incorrectly, and you may find your garden feels “off” in ways that are hard to define.

Here’s how to maximize your space by adding water and fire elements the right way.

What is Feng Shui?

Developed in ancient China, feng shui is the art of balancing the flow of “energy” within your space. It incorporates five primary elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water) to create calming, peaceful places to spend time.

To follow feng shui properly, each element needs to be incorporated in your space in specific ways and orientations to harness the benefits — even when outdoors.

Water

Adding water features to your garden is a proven way to make the space feel peaceful. According to feng shui principles, water brings wealth and prosperity within the direction it flows.

Feng shui principles dictate that water features are best when oriented to the north or northwest direction of your yard, ideally with the water flowing toward the house.

Popular garden water features include the following:

Fountains. Enjoy the sound of flowing water at home with a fountain. These can be as small as a plug-in feature on a patio or a large rock wall where water flows into a pond or swimming pool. Try to orientate the pond close to where people sit to appreciate the ambient sounds better.

Koi ponds. Enjoy the beauty of water and nature together with a small koi pond filled with fish and aquatic life. They tend to captivate those who walk by, making them take a break in their day to peer down into the water. Just note that koi ponds require regular maintenance to stay fresh.

Container water plants. Make a statement table centerpiece with water plants growing in containers. Dwarf cannas, miniature iris, lotus, yellow dwarf water lily, and dozens of other varieties do well in these small-scale environments. You can leave them outdoors or bring your container in near a south-facing window.

Birdbaths. Draw nature into your garden with a birdbath. Easy to set up and maintain, they offer a welcome respite for feathered friends on hot days and are sure to delight all those who watch them. Most require occasional refilling and cleaning, but rain should do most of the work for you.

You can also incorporate the benefits of a water feature without any water through the use of blue, violet and black plants that channel a water element. Popular examples include heuchera, sweet potato vine, snake’s beard, iris, lotus, and lily.

Fire

Bright, bold, and full of life, fire makes the perfect complement to water in your garden space. People love spending time near fire because it inspires emotions and brings up feelings of nostalgia. Whether you build an outdoor fireplace or merely decorate the yard with tiki torches, adding fire elements brings in a warmth and radiance that’s hard to capture otherwise.

According to feng shui principles, fire is best oriented to the south or southwest side of your yard. In this location, it brings passion, inspiration, and expression to the space. You should also consider whether you want it to be a dominant feature or part of a more intimate setting.

Whether you burn wood or utilize natural gas or other heating elements will depend both on personal preference and the fire laws in your jurisdiction.

Consider incorporating fire elements into your garden in the following ways:

Firepit. The classic backyard fire option, fire pits give you a gathering space for a group and can even serve double duty for making dinner or roasting marshmallows. They can range from permanent pits for burning wood to portable fire bowls hooked up to natural gas.

Fireplace. Decidedly more stately than a fire pit, outdoor fireplaces tend to be the focal point of patios. They are expensive to install but add plenty of resale value to your home.

Tiki torches. Add a cozy ambiance to your space with tiki torches. Traditional ones you light by hand work well, or it’s possible to opt for solar-powered lights that merely mimic the look of real flames. Just make sure you keep them unlit on windy days and away from children and pets that may knock them over.

Chimineas. Long considered novelty items, chimineas have gained popularity in recent years as an artful space for a backyard fire. These freestanding structures are usually made from clay or metal and provide space for a small fire inside.

BBQ Grill. Fire elements in the garden don’t need to be fancy. Even an outdoor grill can qualify by creating a gathering space and opportunity to spend time outdoors.

Fire Table. A fire table offers the perfect blend of warmth and community without the hassle of tending to a real fire. Just flip a switch to turn on the propane tank below, and you’ve got an instant cozy fire in the middle of your group.

You can also channel the warm glow of a fire through garden plants. Consider planting varieties with red bark or foliage, as well as those with triangular leaves to represent individual flames. Popular options include Japanese maples, Japanese red cedars, boxwood shrubs, holly, geraniums, and red camellia.

Incorporate Water and Fire Elements Outdoors Today!

There are limitless options for combining water and fire elements in your garden. Take the time to determine which elements match your personal style, and you’ll make an outdoor space that’s appealing and pleasant to spend time in.

Note: Feng shui principles are merely guidelines. Feel free to set up your backyard in whichever way makes you happiest, even if it goes against this philosophy’s orientation principles.

How to Use Stones in Your Landscape

No landscaping material is more versatile or durable than rock. From structures to walkways, natural stone materials can elevate a landscape design from “excellent” to “extraordinary.” But knowing how to use rocks in your landscaping can be tricky. Read on for a range of ideas.

Whether you have a large or small space to landscape, incorporating natural stone materials can make it more aesthetically pleasing — if done correctly. Here are 11 tips for adding rocks, stones, gravel, and more to your landscape.

1. Incorporate rock retaining walls

There are few uses of rocks in landscaping more sensible than retaining walls. Wooden retaining walls can’t compete with the resilience of rock, and concrete retaining walls lack the natural look and feel of stone. From dry-stacked natural limestone to precision-cut bluestone, the aesthetic of rock can be made to suit almost any garden. For a modern style, loose stones enclosed in constructed metal cages — known as gabions — offer a chic twist on traditional rock retaining walls.

2. Use rocks instead of mulch

Mulch helps to retain the moisture in planting beds and keeps gardens looking manicured and tidy. However, wood mulch breaks down and must be replaced annually, plus it can be washed away in a heavy rain. Using gravel or river rock as a mulch is longer-lasting and gives a clean, modern look.

3. Construct a stone path

Stepping stones are a quintessential part of any cottage garden landscape, but there are many other ways to use rocks in a path. Flagstones can be used to make a beautiful, continuous walkway — they come in a wide variety of textures, colors, and sizes. Crushed stone or gravel are also commonly used as walking surfaces in landscapes.

4. Use rocks to make a border

One of the most traditional ways rocks are used in landscaping is to form planting-bed borders. Like any of the other applications for rocks in the garden, border rocks come in many different forms. Whether natural or geometric, large or small — different types of rock will create entirely different looks, working with styles from rustic to modern.

5. Add a boulder feature

Boulders are visually arresting natural elements that work well as focal points or features in your landscape. A well-placed boulder can be used to hide an unsightly irrigation system access point, or it can be a central part of a water feature. Boulders can be artfully arranged as a border/retaining wall in a planting bed to increase its visual impact in the landscape or to give it a naturalistic look and feel.

6. Use rocks to create mosaics or patterns

Ambitious, creative gardeners can lay underfoot mosaics using rocks of varying sizes and colors. River stones turned on their sides make wonderful textures, lending a unique effect in the landscape. Gravel or crushed rock in contrasting colors can be used to make stunning ground-level motifs for more whimsical or artistic landscapes.

7. Create naturalistic planting areas

Stacked boulders offer the benefit of looking as if they are naturally occuring. Savvy designers can use this characteristic to their advantage in relatively flat spaces, breaking the plane to create elevated planting areas that complement the existing landscape. The effect is especially well-suited for prairie and desert landscapes.

8. Craft outdoor furniture

Boulders are already nature’s perfect seating. Kids clamber all over them, and people walking through a garden are drawn to them when they wish to carve out a quiet moment in nature. Well-placed boulders in a designed landscape are no different. But rocks can also be used to create built furniture, from rustic benches to elegant tables. Never underestimate the power a slab of rock has to invite a picnic or an inspired bout of cloud-watching.

9. Sculpt a water feature

No water feature is complete without stone elements. In fact, most water features rely heavily on cut stone borders, stacked-rock waterfalls, or a river stone lining. Stone basins are a mainstay of Zen gardens. And why not? Rock is one of the only materials that stands up to the tests of time, is non-corrosive, and doesn’t leach out chemicals that can poison fish in a koi pond.

10. Engineer a rain garden

Most landscapes are carefully graded so that water moves away from living structures and garden beds. A rain garden does the opposite, working like a magnet to attract water from a heavy rain and hold it in the soil, allowing it to be absorbed slowly over time. Stone is critical to the success of a rain garden — from the gravel or river rock that encourages rainwater to flow into the garden to the rocks on the surface that prevent soil erosion during a downpour.

11. Design an outdoor shower

Ranging from out-of-this-world luxury to simple and utilitarian, one thing that most outdoor showers have in common is a rock element. Because stone holds up to water so well and channels drainage so effectively, it is an ideal material in outdoor shower construction.

12. Install a water diversion or swale

Properties at the bottom of a hill or located on a low point in a neighborhood often have trouble with flooding during heavy storms. French drains — sub-surface channels lined with rock — are a very common landscape drainage solution. But for a creative, naturalistic alternative, some designers instead choose to create swales. A swale is a rock-filled channel that is engineered to divert rainwater, but offers the outward appearance of a dry creek bed. Unlike other drainage solutions, a swale can become a beautiful part of a landscape.

As you can see, the number of ways that you can use rock in your landscape are limited only by your imagination. From high-end design elements to whimsical or rustic flourishes, stone is a beautiful, expressive landscape material that will outlast the best of us.

Why the EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival Is a Can’t-Miss Event

The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival is an annual event held at Epcot Park at Walt Disney World that is focused on plants, sustainability, and nature. Visitors can enjoy unique garden displays, international foods, and themed activities.

The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival is held at Epcot in Orlando, Florida, every spring. Epcot is one of the four amusement parks that make up the Walt Disney World Resort. In addition to the normal rides and attractions at this park, Epcot also holds several themed festivals throughout the year. The International Flower and Garden Festival is the longest-running of Epcot’s festivals, dating to 1994.

During this festival, visitors to the park can expect to find blooming-bed flower displays around every corner, including themed gardens in many of the global areas at Epcot. The festival is also educational, giving guests many ways to learn about sustainability and the natural world.

Among the must-see elements of the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival are the character topiary displays. Guests can see carefully crafted topiaries of famous Disney characters such as Elsa and Anna from Frozen, Buzz Lightyear, Snow White, and of course Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Each topiary scene is set against a backdrop of color-coordinated annual flowers. While the same topiaries return each year, there are usually a few new characters added for each festival.

Garden displays focus on the international aspect of Epcot as well as educating guests about nature. Global Gardens in past years have included a Bamboo Garden at the China Pavilion, Tropical Rainforest Garden and Extraordinary Orchids at the Mexico Pavilion, English Tea Garden at the United Kingdom Pavilion, and Alpine Miniature Garden at the Germany Pavilion. Other favorites are the floating gardens in Epcot’s Future World, where ponds and fountains are transformed with over 200 containers of miniature blooming gardens that appear to float on the surface of the water.

Flower quilts are displayed around Future World as well. These are colorful flower beds, planted with hundreds of blooms such as petunias, daisies, and geraniums, that create designs and pictures.

Both children and adults will enjoy a trip to the Goodness Garden Butterfly House. Located in Future World West, the Butterfly House is a huge temporary structure housing hundreds of butterflies and plenty of the plants that those butterflies like best. Aside from enjoying the sight of these colorful insects, visitors can also learn about butterfly habitats and life cycles. There is even the opportunity to watch a butterfly emerge from its chrysalis in one of their nurseries, if the timing is right.

What to Do at the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival

There are many things to do at the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival so it may be difficult to narrow it down. Here are some of the top recommendations.

Take photos: There is no shortage of landscaped areas that are ideal backdrops for social media posts, family photos, or holiday cards. In particular, look for the 10-foot tall “flower-towers” spread throughout the park.
Activities for kids and adults: Past festivals have included scavenger hunts, gardening workshops, and other events focused on horticultural topics such as sustainable gardening practices and composting methods.
See live music: The Garden Rocks Concert Series, held in the America Gardens Theatre in the American Adventure Pavilion, includes internationally-known music acts. In addition, live music of various genres is also performed throughout the park.

Shopping: Disney releases limited-edition themed merchandise for this festival, available at all retail shops in the park.
Eating and Drinking: The variety of food options is one of the main reasons people visit this festival and Epcot in general. See the section below for more details on what you can find to eat and drink at the International Flower and Garden Festival.

Food and Beverages at the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival

All around the World Showcase are Outdoor Kitchens offering menus of international food and drinks. Many of the menu items tie into the festival’s theme by using fresh vegetables and herbs. The menus are published by Disney ahead of the festival opening, so it’s a good idea to decide on what food and drinks you definitely want to try before you go.

For those with dietary restrictions, the Outdoor Kitchens also offer menu items that are vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-free. Plant-based options are featured throughout the festival. Most of the menu items are served as small plates, so visitors can sample many different dishes. Almost all of the Outdoor Kitchens serve several signature alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Menu choices roughly correspond to the eleven countries represented in the World Showcase. The Outdoor Kitchens offer the opportunity to try global foods all in one location, so approach it with an open mind and a sense of adventure. Nearby, guests will find raised beds and in-ground vegetable gardens showcasing some of the produce used in the recipes.

What to Know Before You Go

Entrance to the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival is included with the price of admission, but certain events may cost extra. You may also want to budget for food, drinks, and souvenirs.

While the festival dates vary slightly from year to year, this event usually begins in early March and runs through June or July. Note that some activities may not be held for the entirety of the festival, so check the schedule before planning your visit if there is something you particularly want to do.

Guests receive a Garden Passport upon entry. This passport is a valuable way to get info on what’s happening at the festival, and it also allows you to track all the amazing food you ate at the Outdoor Kitchens. Visitors who collect stamps in their Garden Passport for trying certain menu items can receive a free gift.

Certain festival merchandise is only available for purchase to Walt Disney World Annual Passholders, who also get 20% off most purchases. For guests on Disney Dining Plans, snack credits can be used to purchase some items from the festival’s Outdoor Kitchens.

Remember that you still are free to take advantage of all the other attractions in the park while you’re there. It’s a good idea to plan for at least one full day to explore Epcot.

The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is one of several festivals held at Epcot annually, and makes a trip to this park even more exciting. It will be most exciting for those who have an interest in gardening and nature, but has plenty that can appeal to any visitor.

Green Ideas for Gardening on St. Patrick’s Day

Observed every March 17, Saint Patrick’s Day is the perfect holiday to green up your home or garden. Show your Irish pride using cut flower arrangements, or grow your own plants from some of these suggestions.

When you think of St. Patrick’s Day, what pops into your mind? For a lot of people, St. Patrick’s Day is a day to hang out with friends and knock back some beers. Since its inception centuries ago, St. Patrick’s Day has evolved into a day to celebrate luck. However, that’s not what the holiday is about. So before getting into some great plant ideas for St. Patrick’s Day, let’s go over a bit of history first.

History of St. Patrick’s Day

As the name might suggest, St. Patrick’s Day is rooted in Christianity. Celebrated on March 17, the holiday commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland while also celebrating the heritage and culture of Ireland. In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day was being celebrated as early as the 9th and 10th centuries, but it didn’t officially become a public holiday in Ireland until 1903. The celebration reached America in the 1840s as more Irish people immigrated to the U.S. to escape the potato famine. Since then, Americans have embraced the holiday, although it has become less about the saint and more about celebrating Irish traditions, culture, and history.

One thing that hasn’t changed over the years is the use of the color green. While many think the green is a reference to Ireland’s rolling hills, it actually stems from the shamrock. According to legend, St. Patrick used three-leaf clovers to illustrate Christianity’s Holy Trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Initially, people wore shamrocks on their clothes which evolved to wearing green.

While St. Patrick’s Day might last one day, you can keep the spirit alive by decorating your house with traditionally Irish plants or your garden with lovely native Irish plants. Even if your home doesn’t have the same blend of moderate sunlight, rain, and rich soil that makes plants thrive in Ireland, most of the varieties listed below are hardy enough to grow wherever you plant them.

Shamrock or Clover

This should go without saying, but shamrocks are a must for St. Patrick’s Day. Not only is it the official plant of the holiday, it’s also closely associated with Ireland in general. If you’ve seen a shamrock, you might think that they are the same as clovers. While technically true, shamrocks are a more specific type of clover. Clovers refer to around 300 species of the Trifolium family of which shamrocks fall into. What is traditionally known as a shamrock is most likely either the white clover or suckling clover.

The most important aspect of the shamrock is that it must have three leaves. Anything more or less is not considered a shamrock. Of course, if you’re growing clovers, you might not be able to control exactly how many leaflets a plant has. Some mutations might lead to two leaves while others lead to four or more! (Speaking of four leaves, the original use of a four-leafed clover was as a good luck charm against evil spirits.)

Shamrocks are easy to grow and maintain, making them a perfect addition to your garden. If you don’t have a garden, you can always create paper shamrocks with some green construction paper. There are multiple tutorials online ranging from simple to more complex.

Green Carnation

Until the 1900s, green carnations were a popular choice for St. Patrick’s Day so why not bring the tradition back? Carnations have been cultivated for over 2,000 years because of their spicy fragrance and showy petals. While carnations traditionally symbolize love, there are many variations, depending on color. Green carnations during St. Patrick’s Day not only represent the shamrock, but also health, resilience, and good fortune.

While it might be hard to find a shamrock bouquet, you can easily make a lovely arrangement of green carnations for your home. There are natural green carnations, but you can also make your own green flowers by dyeing them. Pour some water in a vase and add a couple drops of green food coloring. Then take a white carnation, cut the bottom of the stem at an angle, and place it in the vase. It might take a few hours, but eventually the flower will absorb the water and dye the petals a light green.

Decorate your house with lovely green carnations during the holiday and send some vases or baskets to friends and family. It’s an elegant and subtle way to celebrate the holiday. Plus, the cut flowers will also brighten up the house for at least a week.

Bells of Ireland

Commonly known as “shell flowers,” these are popular in bridal arrangements and St. Patrick’s day bouquets. These annual flowering plants have been in cultivation since the 1500s. The flowers are a symbol of good luck. Despite the name, these are native to western Asia, but their stunning green color, availability, and longevity have made them a favorite among florists worldwide.

While you can include these gorgeous flowers in your floral arrangement, they are also great to add to your garden. With that said, you won’t be seeing these flowers in bloom during St. Patrick’s Day. It takes around a month for the seeds to germinate and another two months for them to bloom. Still, Bells of Ireland are an excellent addition to your spring garden as they’re easy to grow, do well in containers, and can be used in the border or cutting bed. Maintenance requirements are low, and they are generally trouble-free plants as attacks by pests and disease are rare. While you might not need to prune the flowers, if you live in a particularly windy area, you might need to stake them.

Bells of Ireland work great for either fresh or dry flower arrangements. If you do dry them, be forewarned that they will take on a pale beige hue. To dry, pick the stems when the flowers are fully open, then hang them upside-down in small bunches in a dry, airy place. It should take a few weeks to fully dry.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day Planting!

Adding green to your St. Patrick’s Day celebration is more than just wearing green clothes. You can also include actual greenery to your garden and home! Of course, you don’t have to stick with the plants listed above. Any greenery is a great option, especially inside the house as the plants can help relieve stress and improve air quality. So whether you’re going for cut flowers in your house, potted plants inside and out, or an extra bit of green in your garden, you can make your place feel more festive this St. Patrick’s Day and beyond.

Don’t Wait ’Til Spring: Start These Gardening Tasks After Daylight Savings Time

This year, get an early start on the gardening season with these outdoor tasks that you can start as soon as daylight savings time arrives.

Once daylight savings arrives, it feels like spring is just around the corner. Longer days and more sunshine make it hard to resist getting in the garden. Thankfully, you don’t have to. It’s possible to start many gardening projects as soon as the days begin to get longer, giving you ample time to enjoy some color by springtime.

The original purpose of daylight savings time was to give farmers more time in their fields, so it’s only fitting that you utilize the extra time to work outdoors. Here are the projects you should prioritize after daylight savings time to give yourself the best garden going forward.

What to Plant

There are many planting projects you can begin as soon as the calendar turns toward spring. What’s possible for you will depend on your specific growing zone, so use these tips as guidance, and do your own research for your region.

Start Seeds Indoors

Early spring is the perfect time to start your seeds for the summer vegetable garden. Take advantage of the longer days by placing your seeds near a south-facing window to maximize sunlight exposure.

Focus on heat-tolerant, long-season producers like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons, and squash. If you have room, consider starting salad greens indoors as well.

Plant Cold-Tolerant Vegetables

There are plenty of cold-tolerant plants that do well outdoors in the early spring. The weeks after daylight savings might be the right time to get your arugula, asparagus, beans, beets, sweet peas, carrots, cucumbers, leeks, onions, radishes, and all matter of greens outdoors.

Since early spring weather is temperamental, you may need to cover them with plastic under low tunnels when the temperature drops to eliminate any shock on the coldest days.

Get Herbs Established

Early spring weather won’t stress most herbs, so this is a good time to get them in the ground. Pay close attention to the planting instructions so you know what varieties do better when started indoors. Generally, cilantro, parsley, thyme, and rosemary are cold hardy enough for early season planting.

Start Flowers

Nothing feels better than seeing the first flowers of spring. Get yours going early this year by planting seeds such as alyssum, cornflower, carnation, cosmos, marigold, petunias, hollyhock, impatiens, and dozens more. Some varieties, such as sweet pea, can be sown as early as Valentine’s Day.

Tend to Perennials

Spring makes a stellar time to plant perennials, as it allows them to get established before the stress of summer heat. If you want spring flowers the following year, plant some columbine, brachycome, armeria, true geraniums, and similar varieties.

Bulbing plants like irises, tulips, and daffodils tend to give the earliest blooms of the spring. These do best when planted in the fall, and the bulbs will split after every growing season to multiply the blooms in each flower bed.

Plant Trees and Shrubs

Early spring makes for the optimal time to get new trees and shrubs in the ground. Planting bareroot varieties is best, as they will suffer the least transplant shock once they get in the ground. Pay close attention to the planting instructions for each type to ensure you prepare the soil appropriately beforehand.

A Note on Soil Testing

Before planting a new space, it’s always wise to get a soil test. This will gauge your ground’s pH level and let you know what nutrients the growing space is deficient in. That way, you can amend the soil beforehand to give every plant the best chance of success.

It’s unnecessary to perform a soil test every year, but you’ll be well-served to do so at least once every three years.

Early Spring Gardening Tasks

There’s a lot you can do in the early spring to set up your garden for success. Here are the seasonally appropriate tasks that will make a big difference for your space if you do them right.

Clean Up the Growing Space

Depending on how crazy the fall growing season went, your garden might have been left in disarray. No matter! Spring gives you ample opportunity to perform a reset and get things back in shape. This is the time to remove old plant stalks, rake the mulch back into beds, re-form garden trails, and more.

This is also the time to look through your garden beds for signs of damage. Did any perennials get dug out by creatures or otherwise become damaged in the winter? Make an inventory of what needs to be replaced, so you can have a strategy for the spring.

Pay Attention to Water levels

Depending on where you live, late winter can be a wet time of year. Whether you’re dealing with melting snow or torrential rain showers, the odds are you’ll be dealing with soggy ground. Seeds planted too soon in the muck may rot before they germinate, so wait for dryer conditions before putting them in the ground.

You can also give your houseplants a boost by bringing them outdoors in the spring. They will love the opportunity to enjoy some fresh rainwater.

Spruce Up Your Patio Space

One of the easiest ways to perk up your garden space this spring is to pull out your outdoor furniture from storage. The odds are good you’ll be using it on the first sunny day, so it’s smart to have it set up and ready to use.

A little backyard décor can go a long way toward making your outdoor space feel like an extension of your home. Add an extra sense of spring to the space with planters filled with annuals to give you blooms earlier than you can grow them in your garden.

Get a Head Start on Gardening This Year

The wait is almost over — there’s plenty that you can do in your garden as soon as the days start to get longer. Take advantage of the longer days and balmier weather so you can begin enjoying homegrown flowers and vegetables in no time.