Landscaping Archives - Creative Homemaking

February 12, 2015 0 comments

The Best Shade Plants for a Shady Side of a House

Q: A friend is looking for ideas to plant on the side of her house that sees almost no sun at all. She needs something to go with the inevitable hostas. Tip #1: Ferns will do wonderfully. Ferns have varied texture like other plants have colorful blooms. Small to large leaves. Wide to narrow fronds.…

June 20, 2013 0 comments

Elderberries for Every Garden

If you have room for only one edible plant, consider the elderberry. This arching eight-foot tall shrub is easy to grow, anchors the mixed border with its bold compound foliage and flowers, and of course, provides glorious clusters of shiny, dark purple berries. Elderberries come in a variety of cultivars and species. The American species…

March 21, 2013 0 comments

Growing Bird’s Nest Spruce

The Bird’s Nest Spruce is one of the most common dwarf evergreen shrubs. It is a member of the Norway Spruce (Picea abies) family; its Latin name is ‘Nidiformis’. This attractive, low-growing shrub gets its name from a depression in the center that makes it look like a bird’s nest. A versatile shrub, it is…

April 16, 2012 0 comments

How to Grow Passionfruit

Passionfruit, or passionflower, are a climbing vine with edible fruit making it a welcome addition to the home garden. There are over 400 species of passiflora species cultivated for their intricate flowers and wonderful fruit with flower colours ranging from white and pink through to red and purple. Passionfruit (P. edulis) is a very…

May 15, 2011 0 comments

What is Lawn Aeration and What Does it Do?

Lawn aeration is a technique that most people will use at some time or another to keep their lawn looking fresh and healthy year after year. However, at the same time, there are also a lot of people are who are still left wondering what lawn aeration is and what it actually does. This is…

July 16, 2010 0 comments

How to Grow Burning Bushes

Known for its bright red leaves in the fall, the burning bush is a very attractive deciduous shrub that is very easy to grow and maintain. Its easy care makes it one of the most popular landscape shrubs in the United States. They are an excellent choice for borders and hedges. Burning bushes (Euonymus alata)…

June 1, 2007 0 comments

Weeping Norway Spruce

Weeping Norway Spruce (family: Pinaceae) is a rare, exquisite looking conifer that creates a great focal point for any garden. They are very slow growing and easy to care for. This variety of spruce grows outward instead of upward. Left untrained, it will grow 1-3 ft tall and 10-15 ft wide at maturity. However, if…

May 1, 2007 0 comments

Guide for Planting Wisteria

Wisteria is a woody, deciduous climber that is very invasive. It is known for its vigorous growth as well as its fragrant eye-catching flowers. Depending on the variety, the flowers come in a large range of colors, including red, lavender, white and blue. Although some gardeners avoid Wisteria due to its invasive nature, if you…

June 1, 2002 0 comments

Planting and Care for Buddleia (Butterfly Bush)

Buddleia, also known as, ‘butterfly bush’, is one of the most beautiful and easiest flowers to care for. The blooms may be purple, white, pink, or red and appear in late summer. The leaves are gray-green and range from 4-10” long and are 1-3” wide. Even though butterfly bushes are an easy plant to grow,…

May 1, 2002 0 comments

How to Grow Holly

Holly is a beautiful plant which can be grown almost anywhere except Australia and Antarctica. Most holly varieties are evergreen and have red berries which attract birds, squirrels and deer in the wintertime. Select your holly carefully. Hollies range in size from 6 inches to 70 feet tall. While many aren’t hardy to USDA zones…