Flowers

Having trouble getting your hydrangea to bloom? You’re not alone! There are three possibilities for lack of flowering among the hydrangea species.   Shade vs. Sun   Although some hydrangea like shade, too much shade can reduce flowering. This is particularly true of panicle hydrangea, which is the one hydrangea species that grows well in…

Trimming a Rhododendron   To increase next year’s bloom, cut off this year’s flower heads after blooming (known as deadheading) & keep roots well mulched. Prune them after flowers fade.   A good annual maintenance schedule includes removing dead wood & thinning out weak & spindly growth. Rhododendrons require an acidic soil to keep growing…

Roses can do more than grace our landscapes and floral designs. Like its cousins the apple, pear, peach and cherry, roses produce a fruit. Rose Hips are a valuable source of vitamin C, containing as much as 20 times more vitamin C than oranges. They are also an excellent antioxidant.   Growing Roses for Hips…

Clematis is easy to grow and care for and can live for 25 years or more. It is a hardy vining plant that can be grown from zone 3 to 10.   Clematis should be planted as dormant plants in the spring. If planting in the autumn, you should do so no later than September…

In the 18th Century, rose bushes were very common in gardens. These roses were mainly “old roses” and often given as a gift during courtship.   Since the “old roses” were easy to tend, beautiful to admire and highly fragrant, most of these roses conveyed a symbolic gesture that wasn’t often spoken among 18th Century…