Roses are a sign of love, friendship and beauty. While some people have their favorite colors, most would agree that any rose is lovely. Whether you choose to complement your home with a vase of fresh roses, or decorate the outside with a garden of rose splendor, the pleasure will be great. Even whe......[Read More]

Orchids have long, thin, green stalks at the top of which sits brightly colored flowers. Orchid plants usually only have three to four leaves that sit at the base of the plant near the soil. Orchids are widely considered to be finicky plants that are hard to care for, but the truth is that they simp......[Read More]

Moss and algae easily grow on wood siding, especially in shaded spots near trees. Several varieties of oil-based sealants contain natural oils that algae and mildew feed on, defeating the purpose of the sealant. The best way to clean your wood siding is with a scrub brush and oxygenated bleach. Pres......[Read More]

Many dogs, particularly brown or liver-colored Labrador retrievers, some American pit bulls and all pharaoh hounds, sport light-brown noses and light-colored eye rims. A white- or light-haired dog can be genetically predisposed to have a pink or mottled nose. As a dog of any breed ages, owners may n......[Read More]

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Mangoes can be grown in tropical or subtropical gardens. A better and faster growing tree is produced by grafting, and most commercially available species are grafted. You can also plant the seed inside the pit of the fruit and grow your own tree. Mango trees are fast growing as long as they have a ......[Read More]

New Guinea Impatiens are some of the easiest varieties of annual flowers to care for. These hybrids are descended from tropical flowers imported from New Guinea where they live along the banks of rivers and streams. They love full shade and very damp soil. Impatiens can seem to collapse when thir......[Read More]

Aquatic plants in fish ponds create a natural look and help maintain water quality. Several species of aquatic plants are easy to establish and care for in fish ponds. Choosing the right aquatic plants for your fish pond is a simple process.......[Read More]

Willow trees are such easy plants to propagate from cuttings. According to Ron Smith, a horticulturist at the North Dakota State University Extension Service, they have preformed root initials all along their stems, which will start forming roots under the right conditions. The curly willow, or Sali......[Read More]

Grass has fibrous roots consisting of a main section, or crown, that produces ever-smaller, laterally-growing branches that end in tiny filaments. This mat-like growth extends only a few inches deep. All parts, from larger arms to tiny end filaments, absorb water and nutrients, while also anchoring ......[Read More]

The large, colorfully variegated leaves of a hosta provide a lot of impact in shadier areas of the yard. Hostas grow in clumps of foliage that can be divided every few years to give you new plants for the landscape. After transplanting new or divided plants, the hosta may need some time to recover. ......[Read More]

Frangipani (Plumeria spp.) are often associated with Polynesia, but these succulent trees have origins in Central America. They are heat and drought tolerant, but freezing temperatures cause branches to rupture and then rot. Bring these tropical plants indoors if winters are too cold.......[Read More]

River birch (Betula nigra) is a more heat-tolerant and bronze birch borer-resistant tree species grown where other birch trees tend to falter or never look nice in the landscape. Fast-growing and often multi-trunked, it displays yellow fall color and flaky bark.......[Read More]

Yucca plants, iconic in desert areas of the Southwest, are flowering blade-leafed plants that naturally thrive in full sun. A member of the Agavaceae family, 56 native and introduced varieties of yuccas grow in the United States.......[Read More]

Pumpkins are an autumn favorite, baked into pies or carved into Halloween jack o'lanterns. If you're discarding the wealth of pumpkin seeds hidden inside the pumpkin, you're wasting a delicious treat loaded with fiber, zinc, iron, magnesium and healthy omega-6 and omega-3 oils. Pumpkin seeds aren't ......[Read More]

Gardeners keeping African violets and orchids know that many times the highest maintenance plants offer the greatest reward during blooming season. For years now, the self-watering pot has been available to African violet gardeners, making the task of properly watering this sensitive plant much easi......[Read More]

Dwarf banana trees have large, oblong leaves with dark flecks. They grow two rows of flowers that are dark red or purple with yellow on the outside. Dwarf banana trees grow bananas that are almost as big as regular bananas. Dwarf banana plants, however, are much shorter than regular banana trees and......[Read More]

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The intent of most native plant demonstration gardens is to educate and enlighten people about the various native plants in a particular climate. While a standard design usually focuses on a limited plant selection for continuity and plants that contrast and compliment each other, a demonstration ga......[Read More]

Apple trees produce the most fruit when a particular type of pollination, called cross-pollination, fertilizes the flower. Cross-pollination occurs when the pollen from one variety is distributed by insects or other means to another variety. To ensure cross-pollination, home gardeners typically must......[Read More]