Trash to Treasure

What an awesome idea for yard sale treasures! My grandmother used one of these to make her  tasty mashed potatoes.  It brings back lots of  great memories :)   I'd love to make one of these for the carport jungle! Click here for a tutorial on how  to make...

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Driftwood Plant Container

Container gardening is one of my favorite methods of gardening.   One of the things I love most is being creative with containers.   I love this container featuring driftwood! Click here for a tutorial of how to make it . . . awesome idea! ...

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Grassless Wishes

I already dislike grass in the landscape . . . then the lawn mower decided to quit working with flowering weeds looming in the midst of a sparse lawn.  That was it for me . . . no more grass . . . it is history! The more landscape design research I do, the more I am loving large winding paths,...

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Landscaped borders

The older I get, the more I like landscaped borders with large paved living areas as opposed to huge planted areas.  This idea works great for large yards with way too much maintenance.  It also accommodates those gardeners like me who are not fond of grass or spending way too much...

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Floors for outdoors

Love these pavers! Stephen Orr’s Tomorrow’s Garden (Rodale, $25) showcases the  latest trends in sustainable gardens from Brooklyn to Los Angeles.  Click here for his ecofriendly picks for outdoor flooring. ...

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Plants for Butterfly Gardening

My red pentas were the main attraction for butterflies in my old garden . . . and my favorite butterfly gardening plant.   They profusely flower and look gorgeous in a mass planting.  Pentas will once again play a huge part in our future garden landscape. Here is some...

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April Gardening Notes

     ~ What to do in April ~ a suggested list of notes for Florida gardeners Remove winter damaged plant portions. Look for shoots from near the ground line of severely damaged plants. Leaves are a source of free mulch or compost for the gardens. Give all poinsettias...

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More seed starting ideas

Recycle those old ice trays you aren't using anymore!  Click here for an awesome article with tips and tutorial. I love using the method of newspaper pots, another seed starting method using recycled items.  Lindy at Cottage Hill gives directions for a very easy method of making...

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Finishing Touches

You would be surprised at what a little paint will do to brighten up an area.  Just like in your indoor areas, painting an object can make the difference in bringing life to an otherwise dull area.  The photo is from Fine Gardening . . . I would have painted the terracotta containers to...

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Using color contrast in the garden

One of the things I love doing in my garden is using high color contrast in mass plantings to make a big impact.  Black eyed susans, as shown in the above photo, is the one plant that provides that contrast I love and so easy to grow for my area.  I love plants that tend to become invasive...

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