Let me save you the $$$ I’ve wasted making this mistake. Yes, I figured I was the invincible gardener, thinking “outside the box” and “creatively” planting Annabelle hydrangeas in the hottest of full-sun areas and dinner-plate dahlias in the shadiest of spots. My years of gardening have taught me to be more realistic and… Continue reading Right Plant, Right Place . . . yada yada . . .
Thrilled to be announcing that I will be offering for the first time a Winter Flower Share. A few of my Summer Flower Share members requested flowers in winter, saying they wanted flowers around just as much if not more in the winter than in the summer. Flowers can be picked up or delivered at… Continue reading December is no excuse. Treat yourself to more flowers.
Hate to say good-bye to summer? Me too! Today I will be bringing summer indoors for the winter by taking cuttings of my favorite annuals. Specifically, I must get cuttings of Persian shield and fishnet-stockings coleus and King Kong coleus. Once I get those covered, I might take cuttings of all the varieties of coleus,… Continue reading Tip of the Day
I strive to be humble, but I’m just going to come out and say it: Birds love me. But I didn’t realize until 10 years into gardening that the feeling is mutual. Here are 4 tips to make your garden and yard more attractive to birds: 1. Grow A LOT of plants and flowers. This is how… Continue reading Birdscaping
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
If you want healthy trees and shrubs, this is the best time of year to prune. Just be careful not to take off blossoms. For example, I will be leaving my lilacs alone; and since most hydrangeas blossom on old wood, I will leave them alone too. Mind you, if they needed it (if they… Continue reading Mel’s Green Garden – Tip of the Day
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….
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
In my little urban garden, I make the most of my smaller-size growing space by growing up. I grow vertically in a number of ways. Here are some successes I have had. 1. William Baffin Climbing Rose This is an easy rose to grow. It is maintenance-free except for pruning, as it gets very big… Continue reading Grow Up!
Mel's Green Garden 