http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/Flower-gardening-blog.html Updates from Yvonne Cunnington's web site Flower-gardening-made-easy.com / en-us flower gardening Sun, 11 May 2008 22:03:23 GMT Sun, 11 May 2008 22:03:23 GMT flower-gardening-made-easy.com http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/ants-on-peonies.html Ants are often found on peonies, but there are persistent myths about their relationship to these flowers. Myth-busting, plus tips for getting the ants off peonies that you're cutting to take indoors. Sun, 11 May 2008 22:03:23 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/growing-rhododendrons.html Rhododendrons and azaleas are picky about soil type and texture, light and moisture levels. Find out how to grow these lovely flowering shrubs in your garden: Thu, 01 May 2008 01:36:00 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/peony-care.html Q: I'm worried that my peony buds won't open because because I don't see any ants. A: It's a myth that peonies need ants for their buds to open. If you have ants in the garden, they will be attracted to a sugary coating which is on the peony flower buds. I wouldn't worry too much about ants: they neither help nor harm your peonies. For more peony care information, click below: Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:23:35 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/Russian-sage.html Like many gardeners, I love blue flowers, and the flowers of Russian Sage really deliver. You get lots of bloom for a long time. Find out how to grow this drought-tolerant perennial. Thu, 24 Apr 2008 02:24:12 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/bearded-iris.html Q: I have heard that when planting white bearded iris with colored ones it will cause all of them to become white over time. Is this true? A: It's not possible for an iris to change colour, unless there was chemical interference, like Round-up, and then the change is only temporary. Probably the white iris was more aggressive and spread and the coloured iris died. In fact, irises spread by cloning themselves. The increases, that is, the new rhizomes produced by the previous years' rhizome, will have exactly the same attributes as the mother plant. This includes color. For more information on growing bearded iris, click link: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:43:59 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/garden-edging.html How to put in garden edging that's effective at keeping lawn grass from creeping into garden beds Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:25:44 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/2005-perennial-plant-of-the-year.html Reader question: I read that the Lenten Rose is poisonous. Is that correct and if so, is it harmful for cats, dogs or children? Answer: Yes, if eaten, the Lenten rose stems and leaves are poisonous, but I haven't ever had a concern about this being a problem for pets or wildlife. Animals just leave it alone. My dog chews grasses (I wish he knew the difference between ornamental and regular grass), but he's never shown any interest in our large patch of Hellebores. Nothing about the plant is likely to tempt a child to eat it. It has such tough leaves that no small child could even rip one off. By the way, its toxic foliage makes it one of the best deer-proof plants around. Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:00:39 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/Gardening-book.html Clueless in the Garden: A Guide for the Horticulturally Helpless has had a cover makeover and a name change to Basic Gardening, but the content is identical to the original. The book will be available at Chapters and Indigo bookstores in Canada. Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:59:53 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/lilies.html True lilies are among the most elegant of garden flowers. Here's what you need to know to grow them well. Thu, 03 Apr 2008 00:35:47 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/perennial-ground-covers.html While they are rarely given a starring role in the flower garden, perennial ground cover plants can be very useful. They're low-growing, spreading perennials or shrubs that can thrive in spots where it's hard to grow anything else. Sun, 30 Mar 2008 21:06:56 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/plant-bulbs-in-spring.html If you didn't get around to it in the fall, you can plant spring bulbs at this time of the year. The key is to buy bulb plants, and put them in the ground when they would normally be starting to bloom outside in your garden. Learn more: Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:33:49 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/snowdrops.html The best way to get more snowdrops is by digging clumps up just after they have flowered, and while their leaves are still green. If you have a strongly growing patch, or a friend or neighbor who willing to share, spring is a good time to divide and muliply these charming bulb plants. Mon, 10 Mar 2008 21:22:09 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/alpines-for-beginners.html Thinking about putting in a rock garden this spring? Some alpine garden plants can be challenging, but here are reliable gems that even novice rock gardeners can grow: Tue, 04 Mar 2008 18:41:42 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/boldperennials.html If you've got space in a sunny bed, here are some great bold architectural plants to try out this season. Mon, 03 Mar 2008 21:47:45 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/Panicum-virgatum.html Switch grass is growing in popularity and there are now many attractive selections available. These grasses look great with summer-flowering perennials. Read about some choice cultivars to add to your garden this spring. Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:16:49 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/Dogs-and-gardens.html Dogs and gardens - how to keep your dog happy and have an attractive garden too Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:44:49 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/lilacs.html Spring fresh lilacs Wed, 27 Feb 2008 18:20:18 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/daylilies.html Tips on growing and caring for daylilies in the flower garden Thu, 21 Feb 2008 01:11:56 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/landscape-design.html Landscape designers spend every working day solving problems most of us only face once or twice a lifetime - no wonder they have better garden design ideas than we do. Tips for hiring landscape professionals for your project: Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:56:43 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/seed-starting.html If you're planning to start plants from seed, it's tempting to do it as early as possible, but there are advantages to waiting longer. Read about timing and how much to sow. Tue, 19 Feb 2008 17:53:29 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/seed-starting-books.html Learn how to grow plants from seed with these seed-starting books Tue, 19 Feb 2008 17:15:20 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/lavender.html How to grow and care for hardy lavender, and how to use it in the flower garden Mon, 18 Feb 2008 23:47:38 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/hyacinths.html Flower bulb tips - how to grow fragrant spring-flowering hyacinths Mon, 18 Feb 2008 18:05:40 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/Garden-design-books.html Garden design books - How to lay out your garden and home landscape Mon, 18 Feb 2008 03:40:21 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/oudolf.html About Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf and his natural gardening style Sun, 17 Feb 2008 17:27:20 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/dry-shade.html Gardening tips and recommended plants for dry shade Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:40:45 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/annuals.html Growing tips for favorite garden annuals Wed, 13 Feb 2008 23:39:51 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/growing-geraniums.html Tips for growing geraniums in the garden and in containers Wed, 13 Feb 2008 03:38:28 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/seedlings.html Caring for seedlings, and getting them ready for the garden, hardening-off Mon, 11 Feb 2008 19:42:48 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/flower-garden-design.html Flower garden design tips - spacing and combining plants, design principles for successful flower gardens Fri, 08 Feb 2008 20:25:15 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/sweet-peas.html How to grow sweet peas, sowing from seed, care tips Thu, 07 Feb 2008 15:13:55 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/growing-sunflowers.html New cultivars, plus tips for growing sunflowers Tue, 05 Feb 2008 20:18:20 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/gypsy-moth.html Gypsy moth control tips for gardeners Tue, 22 Jan 2008 04:06:06 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/Geranium-Rozanne.html Geranium Rozanne: 2008 Perennial Plant of the Year - growing information Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:31:21 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/bare-root-plants.html How to grow bare-root plants from mail order suppliers Sun, 20 Jan 2008 22:42:40 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/buy-plants-online.html Many garden suppliers and growers have now have excellent websites to help you buy plants online and find general garden merchandise too. Find out more here: Sun, 20 Jan 2008 21:01:58 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/impatiens-from-seed.html This is the time of year to get started if you would like to try your hand at growing impatiens from seed. Wed, 16 Jan 2008 01:02:09 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/Gardening-book.html At the moment, my book is sold out and out of print. However, it may become available again later in the year. I will post an update here as soon as I know more. I have only two copies left, so if you would like to buy one, go to the "Contact me" tab and send me a note. Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:15:29 GMT http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/Japanese-beetles.html Information about Japanese beetles and how to control these garden pests Sat, 12 Jan 2008 01:01:14 GMT