Mother Earth's Garden

Holly is a traditional Christmas plant. It adds it’s beauty to outdoor gardens, and indoor decorations this time of year. I’ts one of my favorite plants this time of year. I love holly’s waxy leaves and beautiful berries.

Legend has it that holly helps to ward of bad spirits, that’s where the tradition to add holly to holiday decorations began. Many believed that a sprig or two of holly added to the door, or entryway would help keep evil out of the house. So add a couple sprigs of holly to a wreath, a vase, or a table centerpiece for beautiful …read more

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Some plants are very attractive dried in the garden. If they have flowers or seed heads that add winter interest when they’re dried I usually leave them in the garden instead of cutting them back in the fall.

Besides being attractive these plants can also provide winter cover and food for birds and other small animals. The seed heads can be winter food for many birds, and grasses and other foliage can provide cover from the winter weather.
You may want to cut the seed heads off of any plants that are invasive, or prolific re-seeders. You don’t want them to go …read more

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Now is a wonderful time to purchase perennials, and even some annuals if you can make them houseplants when the weather turns cold. If your local nursery still has perennials on hand they’ll be going on sale with deep discounts starting in August and lasting through the fall.
 
If you plant perennials in the early fall they will have time to get their root system started before the cold weather of winter hits.

Look for healthy plants with good root systems, and no signs of overcrowding, or root rot.
Check over the plant for any sign of disease or pests.
Don’t …read more

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I mentioned the other day that we just returned from a trip to North Carolina. I already showed you the beautiful Crepe Myrtle trees in full bloom, but I wanted to show you some other images I captured while I was there. North Carolina is in zones 7 and 8, so they’re much warmer year round than my zone 5 Ohio garden.
I’m so jealous of some of the fabulous plants they can grow there year round. I would love to be able to grow palm trees.

Or keep hibiscus outside all year round.

I saw this fabulous rosemary …read more

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One of the most versatile plants in my garden is Bee Balm, or Monarda, or otherwise known as Wild Bergamot, or Oswego Tea. It is one of my favorite herbs and flowers. When they’re it’s in full bloom Bee Balm looks like a person having a bad hair day.

I think they’re blooms are one of the most interesting in my summer garden. The hummingbirds love Monarda too.
Bee Balm is a wonderful plant for naturalizing, in fact it tends to spread, so it’s great for meadows and open fields. The spreading is not hard to control with a …read more

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I used to scoff at Stella De Oro, I thought it was way to plain for my garden, you see it everywhere blooming it’s little heart out. Now I know why so many people grow this mighty little plant. It’s the longest blooming lily there is.

Stella De Oro blooms from early June to late July, and even into August in our area. No other lily in my garden blooms nearly that long. Most put on  spectacular show, but they’re done blooming in a couple weeks.
It may not have all the different colors available, but I love plants …read more

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I enjoy Spiderwort because it is one of the longest blooming perennials in the garden. Spiderwort usually starts blooming in early June and continues blooming all the way up to fall if you talk to it nicely, or at least give it a little incentive in the form of water and quality soil.

Spider wort features tiny delicate blooms and long thin leaves, and once it starts blooming it just keeps on going adding new blooms to the end of the foliage as the old blooms wither away.
I love the blue coloring of spiderwort, it makes a great addition to …read more

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I have a large clump of Moonbeam Coreopsis right outside my front door, and seeing it always makes me feel sunny. The bees and butterflies seem to love it too. Everytime I step outside I find bees and butterflies hovering around the blooms.
Any plant that attracts honey bees and butterflies to my garden is automatically a favorite.

I got a start of coreopsis several years ago from my mom. It’s a plant that tends to sprawl and can get out of hand if you don’t keep it in check by pulling out the plants you don’t want in …read more

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Hostas are truly one of the best plants for shady gardens. Here are some of the reasons why I have several hostas growing in the shady areas around my house.

They’re beautiful
When they’re mature they completely cover the ground around them for about a foot in each direction, completely shading out any weeds that may want to grow there.
They come in several varieties and colors.
Once you plant them they come back year after year, more spectacular every year.

Every year I find a new variety to add to my collection. We have several tall old …read more

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Peony blooms are spectacular, they’re truly show offs in the garden this time of year. No matter what color you have, you definitely know when they’re in bloom in your garden.

I think peonies are easy to grow, just give them a well drained sunny, or partially sunny location and they’ll take off.
 
They don’t spread, they just get a little larger each year. You can divide a chunk off of a mature plant to start someplace else in your garden.

The only drawback to peonies is the ant attraction. Ants love peonies, and not just your Aunt …read more

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