I’ve been having a ton of fun with my weekly flower share this summer. It’s great putting together the bouquets each week, but the best part is seeing the smiles when people come to pick them up. Seeing those smiles is incredibly gratifying. I want to give others that same gratification. It’s been a bumper… Continue reading Growing flowers. But delivering smiles
1. Seasonal Splendors Greenhouse/Winterland Nursery (map) Seasonal Splendors has the best customer service. There is always someone with a smile who will help you out. They offer a wide assortment of healthy annuals and perennials. I learned about my favorite elephant ear–King of the Nile, West Indian Kale–there last year and bought fishnet-stocking coleus as… Continue reading Top 10 garden stores in Madison, Wisconsin
Anyone who knows me well knows I am “a worrier,” an “over-protective mom” of three, so it was important to me to be educated and keep my kids and dog safe when I garden. This was my main motivation for creating a green and organic yard and garden, as I learned that most kids absorb… Continue reading Poison….Beware….Caution….
Let’s have a show of hands: When you go to the grocery store, do you grab that beautiful bouquet, or wish you could? Then plant a Cutting Garden. I love having fresh flowers to bring inside the house and to give to friends and neighbors all summer long. It is simple to grow beautiful flowers… Continue reading Create a Cutting Garden
Have a spot you need to fill in your perennial bed? Not sure where to start? Autumn Joy looks great everywhere I put it, and after 6 years it is everywhere in my garden. I have managed to divide this gem of a plant into almost every area of my yard, front and back. It… Continue reading Tip of the Day – Use Autumn Joy to fill gaps
When did you start gardening? The summer of 1959, our first summer in Patricia Park (in Des Moines). That was the 1st time we lived in a home long enough and with a big enough yard to really garden. I was so into gardening then that when my youngest son, who was in kindergarten, was asked… Continue reading Interview with one of my favorite gardeners, my grandma!
Top 10 Reasons You Should Add a Hydrangea Limelight to Your Garden 1. A shrub that could pass for a beautiful perennial, it really adds to any perennial border. 2. They are extremely low-maintenance. 3. They have a super-long blooming period, from the 2nd week of July until the first frost. 4. They make a… Continue reading Top 10 Reasons You Should Add a Hydrangea Limelight to Your Garden
The Annabelle Hydrangea variety is my favorite because it produces beautiful cut flowers. It is also great in the garden as the whiteness of the flowers will light up your garden at night. It is super easy to grow and not fussy at all. It is the best of the hydrangeas for shade, but does… Continue reading The Annabelle Hydrangea
This is an exciting time of the year. After thinking back on the highlights and low lights of last year, I can now turn my attention to the new planting season! We’ve definitely turned the corner with our weather here in Wisconsin, and I see gardening opportunities everywhere I look! Here are some of my… Continue reading My garden plans for 2010
Mel's Green Garden 