Make plans now to join Melinda on her famous Garden Walks at Boerner Botanical Gardens in 2013! Download the schedule here.
Nationally renowned garden expert Melinda Myers helps everyday gardeners find success and ease in the garden through her Melinda’s Garden Moments radio segments. Melinda shares “must have” tips that hold the key to gardening success, learned through her more than 30 years of horticulture experience. Listeners from across the country find her gardener friendly, practical approach to gardening both refreshing and informative! On this page, Melinda shares some more extensive garden tips, which expand on the information provided in her one-minute radio segments.
New tips are added throughout each month, providing timely step-by-step tips on what you need to do next in your garden! Visit Melinda’s website www.melindamyers.com for more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and answers to your questions.
Improve your family’s health and support your local park by celebrating Take a Walk in the Park Day.
Research funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development found kids spend 2 hours less per week outdoors than they did 20 years ago. With this decrease in outdoor activity comes an increase in health problems, including obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
Kids that spend time outdoors in gardens and nature are more focused, perform better in school and have less problems with ADD symptoms. And all of us feel the benefit as our blood pressure is lowered and mood improved.
And parks have traditionally provided space for families to take a walk, gather and play. And opportunities for play are critical in development of muscle strength, coordination, language and cognitive abilities. Parks also improve our environment by capturing storm water runoff and air pollution.
Visit www.walkscore.com to find a park in or near your neighborhood.
Many of us are looking for ways to rid our body of toxins, while improving our eating habits. Asparagus is nature’s own detoxifier and one of the most nutritionally balanced vegetables.
This flavorful vegetable is easy to grow; once you get it in the ground. Grow asparagus in full sun or light shade in almost anything but waterlogged soil. And if space is limited incorporate this pretty vegetable into perennial gardens, mixed borders, and other non-traditional vegetable growing spaces in your landscape.
Start with one- or two-year-old crowns. These are the roots with growing point intact. Set them 12 inches apart in 6 inch deep furrows that are 36 inches apart. Cover the crowns with 2 inches of soil. Continue filling the trenches with soil as the crowns sprout and grow through the soil. Water thoroughly as needed. Once established, these are fairly drought tolerant plants.
Wait one full year before making a light harvest.
A bit more information: The second year after planting you can harvest asparagus for one month and from then on pick for 6 to 8 weeks. Harvest the spear when it’s 6 to 8 inches tall by bending it until it snaps or by cutting it just below the soil surface.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Don’t let a tight budget stop you from starting seeds indoors. Get creative and involve the whole family in the process.
Share or swap seeds. Most packets have more seeds than one gardener needs. Or offer to start seeds for your favorite gardener. They may be willing to fund the experience in return for your time and effort raising transplants for you and them.
Recycle paper cups, yogurt containers, and fast food containers into seed-starting pots. Just clean and punch holes in the bottom for drainage.
Or create your own pots from newspaper. Fold squares of paper into pots using origami or roll strips of newspaper around a 2” diameter or bigger dowel rod, rolling pin or juice glass. Fold up the bottom edge to form a bottom. Fill with a well-drained potting mix and set in a flat, tray or saucer.
A bit more information: For details on creating origami pots visit http://www.melindamyers.com/pdf/ORIGAMI_SEED_STARTER_POTS.pdf. And don’t overlook all the pots, flats, and cell packs in your or your gardening friend’s garage. Clean them before planting by immersing them in one part bleach and nine parts water. Rinse with clear water and you are ready to plant.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Tired of constant pruning or need a change from those green gumdrops, hockey pucks and meatballs? With a bit of time and patience you can convert these back to their natural beauty.
Start the unshearing process in late winter or early spring. You’ll need a good pair of bypass pruners, loppers and a pruning saw. And don’t forget the gloves and safety glasses for your protection.
Use renewal pruning to convert multi-stemmed shrubs like forsythia and redtwig dogwood back to their natural habit. Remove a few of the biggest oldest stems to ground level. Repeat each year.
Multi branched plants are a bit trickier. Remove a few of the thickest clumps of twiggy growth throughout the sheared plant. Or remove several of the finer smaller twigs from the twiggy masses. Or use a combination. Make cuts back to the main stem. Repeat yearly until the plant regains its natural appearance.
A bit more information: Some shrubs tolerate shearing better than others. When shearing a hedge of planting, keep the base of the plant wider than the top. This allows light to reach all parts of the plant, preventing naked ankle syndrome; shrubs with no leaves at the bottom and all the greenery at the top of the planting.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Whether you are sharing a piece of a favorite plant, a bit of family history, or a shared memory, pass-along plants have long been a part of the gardening tradition.
These can be divisions, cuttings, runners, or another piece of a plant that will develop into a healthy specimen.
Always ask before taking a snip of a fellow gardener’s plant. It’s the polite thing to do and usually yields many more cuttings. Use garden scissors or hand pruners and make your cuttings four to six inches long and root them in a moist well-drained potting mix.
Share a few divisions with family, friends and new gardeners the next time you divide some perennials. Simply dig up the clump and use a sharp knife, shovel, or garden fork to cut it into 4, 6, or 8 pieces.
Avoid sharing patented plants. Not only is it illegal, it can impact sales and ultimately limit future introductions. You’ll find plenty of old time favorites to pass along.
A bit more information: Try layering when starting new plants from established vines. Leave the long stem attached to the parent plant. Nick the stem about 9 inches from the tip. Then bury this portion in soil in a container or in-ground. Keep it watered throughout the season so it will develop roots. Then disconnect it from the parent plant once rooted and when you are ready to plant.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Enjoy the beauty and fragrance of roses without all the work. Many of us have switched to hardier more pest resistant shrub roses for just this reason. But now, thanks to the Earth-Kind rose designation, growing roses will be easier for all.
The goal of this program was to help gardeners enjoy roses while limiting the use of fertilizers, pesticides and water. The Texas Agrilife Extension Service started the program by conducting field trials of 100 rose cultivars for at least four years. They evaluated the roses for outstanding performance, superior pest resistance and tolerance of a wide variety of soils from acid to alkaline and sand to clay. To earn the Earth-Kind designation, roses also needed heat and drought tolerance once established.
The effort has expanded and now the National Earth-Kind research study includes test sites throughout the United States and several countries.
A bit more information: A few of my favorite roses already carry this designation. The fairy is a dwarf polyantha shrub rose covered with bouquets of small pink roses throughout the summer. Knock Out with its raspberry red flowers and glossy green leaves performs well throughout the country. And Carefree Beauty, one of the Buck roses, has fragrant double pink roses all season long on a 5 feet tall and wide plant.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Tired of cleaning up dropped leaves or killing your favorite ferns? Increase your gardening success and enjoyment with the Austral Gem fern.
Interiorscapers love this easy to grow, good-looking plant and so will you. It’s durable and much more drought tolerant than other ferns - even forgiving a bit of minor neglect.
This Australian introduction is hardy in zones 9 to 11, where it’s grown in wooded and shady gardens. But this beauty makes its biggest impression indoors.
The waxy coating on the thick shiny dark green leaves prevents it from drying out and shedding leaves. Austral Gem tolerates most indoor conditions, including bright indirect light and even shady locations. Water thoroughly when the soil starts to dry.
Grow this, like other ferns, in a hanging basket or a container set upon a pedestal or plant stand. Use it as a nice focal point or mix with other indoor containers.
A bit more information: Austral fern is known botanically as Asplenium x ‘Austral Gem’™. You may need to shop around to find this relatively new fern. Call your local garden centers, florists, and other stores specializing in houseplants or search online and catalogue sources.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Add a bit of color and form to your summer garden with Allium ‘Summer Beauty’. This flowering onion puts on its show during the heat of the mid-summer after most alliums have finished blooming.
Grow this 16 to 20” tall allium in full sun or light shade in well-drained soils. The 2” globe-shaped lavender-pink flowers top the strappy bright green foliage for weeks.
This drought and heat tolerant allium is hardy in zones 4 to 9, long lived and basically pest-free. The sterile flowers prevent reseeding throughout the landscape and make this flower easy to blend with perennials or for use in mixed borders.
Enjoy the flowers and the butterflies they attract in your garden or harvest a few to enjoy in a vase indoors. Plus, the reddish stems and yellow fall color provide a nice addition to the fall garden. And leave the dried flowers intact for a bit of winter -interest in the garden.
A bit more information: Chives is an edible member of this group. The leaves and flowers are edible. The purple globe shape flowers add color to your garden as well as your salads and baked potatoes. Try growing these in containers or mixed with your perennials and herbs. Just watch for wayward seedlings that may need control.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Break out the camera, notebook or garden journal and start recording the beautiful blooms in your garden. It‘s a fun family activity that can help you increase your garden’s beauty and manage garden pests.
Studying and recording the timing of natural events like plant bloom, animal hibernation and reproduction is called phenology – literally “the science of appearance”. Scientists have long used this method to track seasonal and climatic changes.
Gardeners can track bloom time to help improve their garden’s beauty. Use phenology to identify and fill voids in your garden’s floral display.
Phenology can also help in managing pests in a more eco-friendly way. Since insects, are dependent on temperature, just like plants, the appearance of certain flowers coincide with the timing to manage problem pests. For example, the best time to control pine needle scale is when the vanhoutte spirea and horse chestnut trees are in bloom.
A bit more information: Check out budburst http://neoninc.org/budburst/phenology.php to join a network of individuals interested in tracking leafing, flowering, and fruiting of plants. The information you and others gather will help scientists track and better understand changes in our environment. This project was started in 2007 and involves partners and sponsors from Universities, botanical gardens, environmental, educational and other related groups.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Beautiful reddish purple buds line the branches and trunks of the picturesque redbud tree. As the temperatures warm the buds burst into rosy pink or magenta blooms. And this is just the beginning of this tree’s beauty.
The redbud is a great tree for formal, naturalized and woodland plantings. Its small size makes it a perfect specimen tree in small space gardens. Hardy in zones 4 to 9, redbuds grow best in moist well-drained soils in full sun or light shade.
Once the flowers fade re tinged heart shaped leaves emerge and eventually turn a lustrous green or blue-green for the summer. Enjoy the fall leaves as they turn yellow or red, depending on the species. Dried pods hang from the tree, adding winter interest to the wonderful form and exfoliating bark of this tree.
Since this tree has a wide growing range, select a variety grown from a local seed source and suited to your growing conditions.
A bit more information: The Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) is native from New Jersey to northern Florida and west to Missouri, Texas and northern Mexico. It is hardy in zones 4 to 9 and marginally in zone 3. Minnesota strains are most hardy. The Western redbud (Cercis occidentalis) is native to western U.S. and hardy in zones 7 to 9 and 10 on the west coast.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Celebrate World Hyacinth Day on March 7th and throughout the spring by enjoying the fragrant blooms of this popular spring flowering bulb.
The wonderful fragrance and wide range of colors make the hyacinth a favorite garden and forced flower. During the 17th and 18th centuries only the very rich had this flower in their gardens. Now they are available worldwide.
Hyacinths are hardy in zones 3 to 7, but can be pre-cooled for planting in warm regions and forced into bloom to enjoy indoors anywhere.
Once the soil cools in fall or early winter, plant the bulbs in full sun and well-drained soils for best results. Plant the bulbs about 4 to 6 inches deep and 6 inches apart. Extend their life and blooming power by removing the faded flowers.
And consider planting new bulbs every few years since hyacinths are slow to spread and often not long lived in our less-than-ideal growing conditions.
A bit more information: One story in Greek mythology has hyacinths named for a Spartan youth, Hyacinthos, who was accidentally killed by Apollo. In this story, beautiful flowers, hyacinths, sprouted from the spot where his blood fell.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Get more produce and enjoyment from your garden by extending your growing season. Use cold frames, cloches, and floating row covers to protect young seedlings and transplants or your harvest from chilly temperatures and frosts.
Purchase or make your own cold frame from plywood and old window sashes or plastic. Most cold frames are 3 x 6 feet or sized to fit old window sashes or other material used for the cover. Make the backside higher than the front wall, and face southward to maximize the sun’s warming benefits. Nestle cold frames against a building for added heat and protection from the cold.
Row covers of polypropylene spun fabrics can also be used to extend the season. The row cover fabrics trap heat around the plants while allowing air, water, and light through to the plants. Loosely drape fabric over the plants and anchor the edges of the fabric with stones, board, or wickets. And leave enough slack in the fabric to allow for plant growth.
A bit more information: Cloches have long been used to cover tender plants at the start of the season. Glass jars were placed over the plants and slightly tipped on sunny days to prevent overheating. Plastic milk jugs or similar covers can be used today.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Amber Plants by Melinda Myers,posted Mar 2 2012 11:09AM
“Masses of orange yellow blooms blushed with tones of soft pink and peach” describes the blossoms of Flower carpet Amber Rose. Breeders are looking for more ways to add this beautiful color to your landscape.
The subtle beauty of amber foliage and flowers makes it a nice addition in container plantings or garden beds.
You will find a wide range from shades of peach, yellow, orange, or salmon when looking for amber plants. Select the ones you like and consider combining these with purples and blues for an eye-catching combination. I mix Crème Brulee, Peach marmalade and Southern Comfort coral bells with some of my favorite purple leafed varieties to create a colorful tapestry beneath my street tree.
And plan for the changeable and variable nature of these and other garden plants. The foliage of Amber Ghost Japanese maple and Amber Waves heuchera change throughout the season. And the intensity of color can vary with the growing conditions.
A bit more information:The silver-green leaves of Apricot Sprite Hyssop make an attractive combination on this dwarf drought tolerant plant. The more yellow daisy like flowers of Amber Wheels Blanket Flower will brighten your late spring and summer garden.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
When is it ok...
Over the weekend I went to a party and Miley Cyrus was there with her mom promoting her new album. I've seen Miley a million times on T.V. or in magazines but meeting her in person made me think...is it ever ok to tell someone they are too skinny? Miley is very nice but my first reaction was "Wow she is way to skinny". Of course I kept my mouth shut but everyone at the party was whispering the same thing. I hope she has success with her new album and comes to Wisconsin soon for cheese and beer! lol!
My recent Hollywood murder mystery adventure! Part 2
It was a beautiful sunny Saturday in Los Angeles, California. I awake from Friday night's TNT catered/planned festivites, where a criminal got shot atop the famous Beverly Wilshire Hotel, tried to figure out who hired the murderer and got ready to interteview the stars of TNT's Monday Night shows Major Crimes and King & Maxwell.
PICTURE: Van McNeil w Jon Tenny / Sean King (King & Maxwell) Mondays, 9pm, TNT.
Jon Tenny / Sean King talks about Milwaukee, his new show King & Maxwell and what it's all about...
So, I finish my interviews and head back to my room to get ready for a cast party at this awesome club called Boulevard 3.
Everything was to the nines and everyone was having a good time! Food, drinks, dancing, the Hollywood stars... and then, THIS happened!
The murder mystery continues...
It almost felt like we were on these TNT shows! Trying to put the peices together, collecting evidence, interviewing suspects, all to figure out whodunnit!
Get your, "crime solving" ON! Monday Nights starting at 8pm on TNT w Major Crimes AND King & Maxwell OR get caught up online at www.TNTDrama.com
Remembering NOLA!
I don't know if you have ever been to Mardi Gras (February/March) in New Orleans, Lousiana but if you get the chance GO!
I got to experience Mardi Gras before Hurricane Katrina hit in 2006 and lemme tell you, it was an experience! From all the parades, colorful costumes, beads and coconuts to the French Quarter and Burbon Street craziness there is NOTHING quite like Mardi Gras!
So, if you've never been or just want to scratch that itch again, our friends at Six Flags Great America will be doing it Mardi Gras style all weekend and I have your FREE tickets to go!
Of course, you can enjoy ALL that Six Flags has to offer, like Batman The Ride Backwards, X-Fight and the NEW Ignite Grand Finale but the streets of Orleans Place will be transformed THIS WEEKEND so you can enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of Bourbon Street including live music, parades and fireworks, as well as authentic food and drinks from New Orleans.
Want more information? Click here.
Wanna win tickets to go? Listen between Noon-4p ALL WEEK for your chance to win!
Good luck and 414.799.1099
BACON Debate - Best way to cook...
In honor of Father's Day, I thought I would finally settle the age old question...
What is the best/proper way to cook bacon?
To settle such a debate I called the experts! Renowned food writer/author/critic (New York Times), Peter Kaminsky joined me to talk about his new book he wrote alongside Marie Rama called, "Bacon Nation".
In the book you will find 125 different recipies, from breakfest to dessert, that include BACON!!
So... What IS the best/proper way to cook bacon? Find out what Peter says below and don't forget to enjoy some bacon this weekend! :)
More about Bacon Nation...click here.
Eat All Your Vegetables Day – June 17th
Load up your plate with fresh-from-the garden produce as you celebrate Eat All Your Vegetables Day on June 17th.
Use this day to inspire new additions to your vegetable garden while encouraging reluctant veggie eaters to try something new. Once they try some fresh vegetables they may be willing to make them a regular part of their diet. And, if you get them to grow their own, they are even more likely to partake.
Once you're inspired, look for extra space to add more vegetables to the landscape. Start by calculating the number of days left in your growing season. Simply count from the anticipated planting date to the average date of the first fall frost in your area. Check plant tags and seed packets for the number of days needed from planting until harvest. Make a list of these vegetables.
Then look for vacant spaces in flowerbeds, mixed borders and containers. And train vines crops up decorative trellises and fences.
A bit more information: Here are a few short season crops you may want to consider. Plant seeds and be ready to harvest radishes, leaf lettuce, spinach and chard in 40 days. Beets, bush snap beans, cucumbers and kohlrabi are ready to harvest in 50 to 60 days. Carrots, Chinese cabbage, and turnips take about 10 days longer.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
My recent Hollywood murder mystery adventure!
Every now and then, "work" takes me out to the West Coast but THIS trip was a little different. Lemme explain...
This adventure begins at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, (Pretty Woman, Bevery Hills Cop) where I was put up for the weekend for a TNT event! If you're are asking what TNT is, you probably already know, it's the TV channel... the one that is so familiar with drama, it's in their slogan... TNT - We Know Drama.
Anyway, me and my buddy check in, go up to our respective rooms and get ready for a gatering on the roof of the hotel later that night. Little did we know we would witness a "shootout" between police and a hired killer! It was up to everyone in attendence to figure out who at the party was responsible, by the end of the weekend.
There were clues... LOTS of clues!
Text messages, twitter accounts, pictures and more!
Plus a whole cast of characters from detectives, forensic lab technicinans, suspects and even a special appearance from the Los Angeles Department of Corner office!
If you're a murder myster junkie, even if you're not, this is kind of stuff you will encounter if you're watching TNT on Monday Nights! And let me be the first to warn you, IT SUCKS YOU RIGHT IN!
Let's begin with, "Major Crimes" who's first season I missed despite rave reviews from critics and fans. This show gives you all the tools to figure out WHO killed, in this first episode it's the BIG TIME film-producers wife. It's a great show that will leave you wanting more! BTW you can catch up on Season One by visiting TNTDrama.com or take a sneak peek of Season Two, which premeieres tonight at 8pm on TNT..click here.
PICTURE: Van McNeil w Major Crimes cast members, L, Tony Dension (Lt. Andy Flynn), C, Mary McDonnell (Capt. Sharon Raydor), R, G.W. Bailey (Lt. Provenza).
TO BE CONTINUED...STAY TUNED FOR MORE!
Visit a Farmer’s Market and Plan Your Garden
Farmers Markets are on the rise as more and more of us are looking for locally grown fresh produce. You may be surprised to find one or more popping up near your home.
Get the most out of your visit with a little advance planning.
Check out the internet for a list of farmer's markets in your area. Confirm the dates and hours of operation. Many include a list of vendors with links to their website and the week's featured produce.
Gather those cloth bags used when buying groceries. It makes managing all the produce easier and you will reduce the number of plastic bags headed to recycling or the garbage.
Take cash and lots of small bills. This makes it easier for the farmer and speeds up shopping. And you'll have more time to visit every single booth.
Look for and try new and different vegetables. It will help you plan future additions to your edible garden.
A bit more information: Eat first so you buy less or go hungry and plan on staying for a meal or snack. Many markets serve coffee and pastries or tasty meals. And take the whole family to enjoy this shopping experience. Many have kids' activities and music for all to enjoy.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Weed Your Garden Day – June 13th
Break out the cupcakes and balloons and get ready to celebrate Weed Your Garden Day on June 13th.
The thrill of the party may wane a bit when family and friends discover your true motivation. But, adding a festive spirit to garden tasks can make it more fun and you're more likely to make them happen.
Try a round robin of eating and weeding with friends. It is a great way to work in some social time and help each other tackle the weeds in the garden.
Barter a bit of weeding for a home cooked meal, pie, photography or other hobby or skill you prefer over weeding.
Hire some help – it's ok to admit the weeds won this round. Once under control, it will be easier for you to keep up with weeding and other garden care.
Once the garden is weeded, mulch it to reduce future weed infestations. Shredded leaves and evergreen needles are perfect for flowerbeds and vegetable gardens.
A bit more information: Woodchips and shredded bark make nice mulch around trees, shrubs and pathways. Do not put fabric weed barrier beneath these and other organic mulch. As the mulch decomposes it provides a great environment for weed seeds to sprout and grow through.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Nudge Your Bougainvillea Into Bloom
Nudge your potted bougainvillea into bloom with proper growing conditions and proper care.
Grow these blooming beauties in full sun. You'll get the best flower display during the shorter days of early spring and early fall. Plus the cooler night temperatures of 60 degrees or cooler will also promote bloom.
Keep your bougainvillea potbound to further encourage bloom. Repotting too soon results in lots of leaves and stems and delays flowering. During the growing season, allow the plants to dry slightly before watering again.
Use a low nitrogen slow release fertilizer with phosphorous, like Milorganite, to meet most of your plants season-long needs. Or apply a soluble flowering plant fertilizer to moist soil once a month.
Prune away any unwanted growth throughout the summer. And occasionally pinch out the growing tips to encourage more compact growth. Wear gloves and long sleeves to minimize direct contact with the thorns.
A bit more information: Start new plants from 4 to 6 inch long cuttings. Stick the cut end into a moist well-drained potting mix or mix of peatmoss and perlite. Roots should appear in 4 to 6 weeks. Repot if needed in a slightly larger container.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Heaven on Earth!
Sun, snow, rivers, streams and...the mountains! That's what I saw while I was vacationing over the weekend in Denver and Vail, Colorado.
It's always been one of my favorite places to visit because the mountain views, in my opinion, are a glimpse of heaven on earth.
I was able to sit on a few rooftop patios downtown, I went horseback riding in the Rockies in Beaver Creek and then I was able to sit in a hot tub in Vail while sipping my morning coffee (this photo is my view from the hot tub). Yes, I fell back in love with Colorado during my visit and I hope to be back there sometime soon!
Heaven on Earth!
Sun, snow, rivers, streams and...the mountains! That's what I saw while I was vacationing over the weekend in Denver and Vail, Colorado.
It's always been one of my favorite places to visit because the mountain views, in my opinion, are a glimpse of heaven on earth.
I was able to sit on a few rooftop patios downtown, I went horseback riding in the Rockies in Beaver Creek and then I was able to sit in a hot tub in Vail while sipping my morning coffee (this photo is my view from the hot tub). Yes, I fell back in love with Colorado during my visit and I hope to be back there sometime soon!
PIC: Cool Clouds
I took this picture from the rooftop of a friends condo in Chicago. We were having cocktails tonight when the storm was rolling in. Super cool clouds!
Shade Combinations for Attracting Hummingbirds
Don't let shade stop you from attracting hummingbirds to your garden. Include a few hummingbird favorites in the garden or container plantings.
Fuchsia is a favorite of shade gardeners and hummingbirds. Try using one of the upright types like Thalia, Gartenmeister or Firecracker with its variegated leaves. Add a fern for texture and wire vine as a groundcover in the garden or spiller in the container.
Consider adding a few or quite a few Dragon wing begonias to the garden. The large plants put on a show all summer long with the red and pink flowers. They combine nicely with impatiens, another hummingbird favorite. And surround this combination with a groundcover or trailer of Silver Falls Dichondra.
Include a backdrop of summer long bloom you and the hummingbirds will enjoy. Train a honeysuckle vine onto a fence or decorative trellis for screening and hummingbird appeal. Try the mildew resistant Major Wheeler.
A bit more information: For more ideas on attracting birds and butterflies to your garden visit www.birdsandblooms.com . See projects and ideas on attracting wildlife to the garden and you'll find my answers to common garden questions. Also, be sure to look for my article "Make Room for Hummingbirds and Butterflies" in the June/July 2013 issue of Birds & Blooms magazine.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Buttered Rum, Southern Comfort - Colorful Perennials for the Garden
How about a bit of Buttered Rum or Southern Comfort in the garden? No, I am not talking about a drink, but rather a few colorful perennials.
Heucherella 'Buttered Rum' is a hybrid with coral bells, known as Heuchera. And foamflower, called Tiarella as its parents. The maple shaped leaves have a caramel edge and are topped with white flowers in spring.
Southern Comfort coral bells have cinnamon peach leaves that mature to amber. The white flowers on this plant appear in summer.
Finish off your planting with a little dessert. Peach Flambe coral bells have bright peach leaves in the cooler months of spring and fall. The leaves turn a softer peach in summer and plum purple for winter.
Use a combination of these and other coral bells and foamflowers to create a tapestry of color in your partial shade to full sun gardens. Be sure to keep the soil slightly moist throughout the season.
A bit more information: Add some Dolce® Key Lime Pie to the dessert buffet. This coral bell has chartreuse foliage all season long. The heart shaped leaves are mottled with lime green. Mix a few with dark green or blue-green hostas for an eye-catching combination.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Research funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development found kids spend 2 hours less per week outdoors than they did 20 years ago. With this decrease in outdoor activity comes an increase in health problems, including obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
This flavorful vegetable is easy to grow; once you get it in the ground. Grow asparagus in full sun or light shade in almost anything but waterlogged soil. And if space is limited incorporate this pretty vegetable into perennial gardens, mixed borders, and other non-traditional vegetable growing spaces in your landscape.
