Flowering vines and other climbing plants come in all shapes and sizes, all colors, and in both perennial and annual varieties.

Some of the more popular perennial flowering vines are climbing roses, clematis, honeysuckle and wisteria. Annual flowering vines like morning-glory, moonflower and hyacinth bean, grow for just one season, but these are easy to grow, inexpensive and allow you to change your landscape each year. Read the rest of this entry »

I really like using several different plants in combination when planting in containers. The only problem is I sometimes can’t visualize how the plants will look together after they grow some. I came across this site this weekend and if you like the look of different plants combined in pots and planters, but need a little design help, you will love this site as much as I did.

The usual way to use perennials in the landscape is to plant them in beds or borders. Perennial beds are designed to be viewed from all directions and are usually planted in a circle,square, rectangle or some other geometric shape. Perennial borders are planted against a backdrop such as a wall, fence, or hedge. Read the rest of this entry »

While I was driving earlier today, I saw daffodils blooming in a field on the side of the highway. Daffodils and forsythia blooming are always such a welcome sign of spring to me.

The temperature is right around 70 degrees here today, so it feels like springtime. I know we still have some cold weather left, the overnight temperature is supposed to drop into the 20’s in a couple of days, but it won’t be long until I can get outside and start digging in the dirt.

Perennials are plants whose tops are killed back by frost but whose roots and crowns survive the winter.

Perennials grow and flower for several years. Many perennials live for a very long time with some care, while others return for only a few years. Some perennials re-seed and may move around in your garden. Read the rest of this entry »