You can plant peonies both in fall and spring. The plants relish sunlit planting locations that offer well draining soil. If the soil is poor, it’s best to add good amount of compost or rotted manure. Make a note not to incorporate fresh manure for it can aid pathogens in addition to burning the young plants. Most herbaceous peonies need to be planted such that the top of the crown is a couple of inches below the ground surface. Pack the soil firmly around the base and water well. Provide your plants with a 2-3 inch layer of organic mulch. Make sure to layer around the base of your plants and keep from covering the crown.

I stake peonies quite early, as soon as the first red shoots become visible. It’s a simple task. Push 3-4 wooden stakes in the ground, forming a circle around the plant and use a piece of string or chicken wire to tie the top of the stem to the stakes. When you’re growing peonies, you’ll seldom need to spend on fertilizers. The plants generally have a good growth rate and, given fertile soil, can thrive in absence of regular feeding.

Long term companionship is something everybody wishes for. It’s also something that everybody can achieve… simply by growing peonies!

Gardening with carnations is pretty exciting. You can grow carnations along the borders, add them to the perennial flower bed or use them to lend appeal to the edges… the choice is all yours! A sunlit spot with rich, well draining soil is perfect for planting carnations. Make sure to clear out the weeds before planting. Pack the soil firmly around the base of the plants and water well. Carnations are a bit claustrophobic. It’s therefore important to allow ample separation (at least 8-12 inches) between adjoining plants.

A big reason why I’m so fond of growing carnations is their carefree culture. They have a good growth rate, need little maintenance and make for stunning visuals when they bloom! Carnations can easily survive and thrive on weekly irrigation. In regions subject to long dry seasons, you might have to water the plants a little more frequently. I usually fertilize carnations every 5-6 weeks, from spring to fall, using a general purpose fertilizer. Considering the delightful results I’ve been getting, I’m pretty sure I’ve got it right! Carnations bloom from spring to late summer. Pinching off the blooms just as they start to fade is an effective way of improving the bloom count and extending the period of bloom.

Growing carnations is one blissful experience you must indulge in! Start now.

Decking your halls with prunings makes good ecological sense. Given the price of bought greens, real or fake, you might call it pruning for dollars. If you’ve got a garden with well-established evergreens, you’ve probably get candidates for timely trimming.

There are many ways of decorating with greens; as swags or sprays, massed on a mantel, arranged in vases. You can also use them outdoors, both in wreaths and other outdoor décor, but also in pots. While gathering, look for a variety of forms and colors to keep your arrangements interesting.

Remember the following design elements:

Substance: Conifers (needled evergreens) like spruce, some kinds of pine, yew, and junipers provide mass. They anchor your composition.

Structure and height: Conifers with interesting angular branches, such as creeping juniper or scrub pine, add interest, height and texture.

Color: Cedars and their relatives, such as cypress, lighten the arrangement with their feathery foliage. “Golden” or chartreuse make good accents, as does Colorado blue spruce; select the most silvery sprigs.

Pizzazz: If you’re fortunate enough to have an evergreen (Southern) magnolia, a single rosette of its leathery, glossy leaves makes a spectacular center in a basket or large vase.

Don’t limit yourself to evergreens. Check your garden for shrubs with colored bark, like dogwood or blueberries, to add height as well as color.

Remember, when putting together arrangements, you’ll want to have more material than you’ll actually use, so you can pick and choose individual specimens.

Check out the video “How to Create Fall Color” below, and make sure to check out Debbie’s other new videos by going to http://www.youtube.com/user/SpringHillNursery!

First, choose an area with good drainage and sunlight. An area where grass can be left unmown until the foliage has matured is ideal. Hillsides are excellent spots. The edges of woods are also good, if you are planting an early-blooming variety which will have a chance to mature before the trees come into full leaf. For best impact, plant drifts of like kinds and colours. Many gardeners “arrange” their drifts simply by taking handfuls of bulbs and throwing them about for a natural-feeling distribution — just dig where the bulbs land!

When naturalizing daffodils, you will get the best results and many years of blooms by taking the time to plant properly. For most naturalizing projects, you will be working in uncultivated soil with thick sod, so it is necessary to give each bulb a small custom-cultivated hole. Usually, this means lifting out soil with a spade. One clever way to make precise bulb holes is to use a battery-powered drill – a half-inch drill with a 3” bit usually does the job. Work up the soil from the hole with some peat moss, sand and about a tablespoon of low nitrogen fertilizer. Refill the hole to just below the planting depth with this mix. Next, add one handful of sand and then the bulb (you do not want the bulb in direct contact with the fertilizer). Then fill the hole the rest of the way with sand and replace some of the sod. With a sub-layer of rich, fertilized soil to send roots into, your daffodils will grow even stronger and bloom for years!

For more information about planting bulbs, check out this video – How to Plant Bulbs!