Calhoun County Gardening – Growing Tropical Canna Lilies: Tips for Thriving Blooms in Zones 7 and 8
Calhoun County, AL – Tropical Canna Lilies are rhizomes. In zones with deep freezes, they can become mush. However! I have planted them for years in zones 7 and 8 and never saw any delay in summer blooming. Unlike the rhizomes of Iris that do not need to be planted deep, Canna Lily need the […]
Calhoun County Gardening – Why Iris Are the Perfect Evergreen Border for Your Landscape: Beauty, Low Maintenance, and Endless Color
Calhoun County, AL – If you are creating a new landscape zone, you should consider using iris as the evergreen border. Why? Because irises are inexpensive and yield rhizomes, you can divide every few years. In the winter, these evergreen stems grant a nice backdrop to all the brown die back of other plants. Iris […]
Calhoun County Gardening – Forever Susan Lilies: Bold Blooms and the Beauty of Sharing Garden Surplus
Calhoun County, AL – There are over 100 species of Lily options. Lilies bloom between early summer to late summer. My very favorite lilies are called Forever Susan. Forever Susan’s grow tall, vertical stems, hardy and firm. The top of the firm Lily stem shoots out several blooms. After the blooms have expired, the vertical […]
Calhoun County Gardening – Why Zinnias Are the Perfect Perennial for Your 2025 Garden Plans
Calhoun County, AL – New Gardeners always ask me, “What is your favorite perennial seed”? My answer is, “Zinnas”! There are dozens of choices in seed packages and brand names for zinnia seeds. Zinnas offer numerous colors of blooms, sizes of stalks, and sizes of blooms. If you have empty corners in your landscape scatter […]
Calhoun County Gardening – Support Your Local Co-op: Gardening Tips and Must-Have Supplies for 2025
Calhoun County, AL – I wanted to give a big applause to my local Co-op. Jacksonville Farmers Co-op always supports me as an organic buyer & consumer. I have been using organics in gardening since 1998. And you can find some of the items in the photographs I am including in this article at big […]
Calhoun County Gardening – Rooted in Time: Why Perennials and Heirloom Plants Are Every Gardener’s Best First Investment
Calhoun County, AL – When new gardeners ask, “What do I need to invest time and money in planting first, in my landscape”? My answer is, “Perennials and heirloom plants”! Why? Because as time goes by, seasons turn into years and the original perennials you planted have created magnificent root systems. These perennial roots can […]
Calhoun County Gardening – Winter Hardscaping: Plan and Build for a Stunning Summer Landscape
Calhoun County, AL –Winter is the perfect time to focus on your summer landscaping by planning your hardscapes. What are hardscapes? To name a few: fences, gates, sheds, raised beds, a vertical trellis, etc. Hardscapes show off your plant selections and support your plants. The winter weather helps you beat the heat of summer. Colder […]
Calhoun County Gardening – Winter Outdoor Pottery: Creating Stunning Seasonal Pots with Texture and Variety
Calhoun County, AL – Winter outdoor pottery, urns, and containers do not have to be dull. You can remove some annuals from your summer pots and add dwarf shrubs, and miniature topiaries to the pots. The secret to an interesting outdoor winter pot of plants is to stagger the heights of each selected item. You […]
Calhoun County Gardening – Enhance Your Landscape: The Vibrant Role of Annual Flowers in Your Garden Design
Calhoun County, AL – When you have planted your basic shrubs and trees in your landscape diagram, what next? The next important landscape selection for planting is your perennials. However! You cannot neglect annual flower seeds mixed amongst the shrubs, trees, and perennials. Why? Because the splash of colors that annual flower seeds yield are […]
Calhoun County Gardening – Prepare for Spring: Root Your Favorite Plants Indoors Before the Big Freeze
Calhoun County, AL – Before the big freeze this season be sure to take cuttings. Why? Because most plants will easily root in water indoors in a sunny location. I have included some photos. I root rosemary stems. I keep a journal about the date I placed the rosemary. After 30 days the rosemary grew […]
