Author Archives: Dill's Greenhouse

Gardening With Children

By gardening with your children or grandchildren, you can give them an awareness and appreciation of nature and the world around them that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Even very young children enjoy helping with simple garden chores such as weeding, spreading mulch and harvesting. Older children love to have their own special garden to look after. This could be as small as several containers on the deck or as big as your whole yard, depending on their (and your) time, willingness and patience. To start out, you might give them a section of your garden to plant and look after.

First, be sure to teach your budding gardener the value of improving the soil with organic material before they begin planting. Explain how organic material improves the texture of the soil and adds some food for the plants as well.

Since improving the soil will make them more successful, they’ll be willing to garden again next spring. There are special kid-friendly tools available, just right for small hands to manipulate and since children love getting dirty, you’ll not be short of volunteers when the digging begins!

Next, help your child select a combination of plants that will make their garden interesting and exciting throughout the year. You can do this by considering all five senses:

Sight
Many colorful blooming plants as well as plants with unusual flowers, oddly-shaped leaves or crazy seeds will appeal to a child’s imagination. Consider smiling pansy faces and nodding columbines in the spring and snapdragons to snap and silver coins from the money plant (Lunaria biennis) in summer. In the fall, blue balloon flowers (Platycodon grandiflora) and the bright orange seed cases of Chinese lantern (Physalis franchettii) are fun options.
Touch
Stroke the silky-soft, silver leaves of lamb’s ears (Stachys byzantina) – now you’ll know how it got its name. Or, feel the papery flowers of thrift (Armeria maritima) or strawflowers, the ferny foliage of yarrow or the succulent foliage of sedum. Even thorny plants such as raspberries or roses can engage a child’s sense of touch – carefully of course!
Taste
Growing vegetables is always fun and rewarding for children. If you have the space, it’s always exciting to grow pumpkins for Halloween or weird and wonderful gourds. Other easy to grow vegetables include radishes, carrots, peas, lettuce and cherry tomatoes. And don’t forget fruits like strawberries, rhubarb and watermelon. At harvest time let your child host a ‘salad party’ to share their bounty with family and friends.
Smell
There are many scented flowers to choose from, including perennial peonies and lilies, as well as annual sweet alyssum and heliotrope. Let kids select herbs with fragrant foliage too. Mint is always popular but be sure to allow room for it to spread. Choose varieties with interesting names like chocolate, apple or grapefruit to capture a young gardener’s imagination. Use the pineapple-flavored leaves of pineapple sage in iced tea and watch the hummingbirds gather around this herb’s bright red flowers!
Sound
The whirring of hummingbird wings, the song of a bird, the rustling of foliage or flowers in a breeze – these are all sounds that you and your child can share in a garden. Take time out from your gardening chores every now and then to listen.

So, bring in your child and let us help you get started on that most special garden of all, a child’s garden.

Father And Son Planting Seedling In Ground On Allotment

Spring feeling

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Ladybugs: The Good Guys

Did you know that a ladybug can devour up to 50 aphids or more in a day? They also attack scale, mealybugs and leaf hopper, but not on your precious garden plants or seedlings. Invite ladybugs to your garden – they dine only on insects and won’t harm your plants in any way.

Ladybug or Lady Beetle?

The different names given to ladybugs are almost as numerous as the number of species. You may call them ladybugs (although they are not really bugs), lady beetles (they are technically beetles), lady birds or in Germany you would say “Marienkafer” (Mary’s beetles). In North America, there are more than 350 species of ladybugs, and more than 4,000 are found around the world. Most species can be identified by the pattern of spots on their elytra (flight wing covers).

Lady beetles are members of the beetle family Coccinellidae, which means “little sphere.” In their life cycle, a lady beetle will go through egg, larval, pupal and adult stages. Lady beetles’ favorite food is the notorious aphid. A female lady bug has huge appetite, eating from 75-100 aphids per day, while the male eats about 40 per day. Most lady beetles are predators, but a few are plant eaters, and can be crop pests.

Lady beetles have some surprisingly innovative ways of protecting themselves. First is their coloring. Most predators know that bright colorings mean that their victim would likely taste bad and may even sting them. Lady beetles also produce a pungent odor when threatened, or may just play dead. Lady beetle larvae is kind of alligator-looking, so not many predators will not mess with it. Lady beetles may live in shrubs, fields, trees and logs.

Releasing Ladybugs

If you want ladybugs or lady beetles in your and – and what gardener wouldn’t? – you can buy them to release in the most needed spots. Ladybugs should always be released after sundown since they only fly in the daytime. During the night, they will search the area for food and stay as long as there is food for them to eat. The more they eat, the more eggs they lay and the more insect-eating larvae you will have. It is best if the area has been recently watered.

Ladybugs tend to crawl up and toward light. Release them in small groups at the base of plants and shrubs or in the lower parts of trees that have aphids or other insects, and they will crawl up the entire plant as they feed, thoroughly eliminating unwanted pests. They may eventually move on and out of your garden or yard, but by the time they do their job is done and you have naturally eliminated many pests while helping ladybugs spread their beauty and helpfulness.

Landscaping the Pond

So, you’ve just installed a water garden and you’re wondering how to landscape around it without looking like the pond was a mistake or haphazard addition to your yard. A pond looks best if it appears to “belong” in your landscape. Whether your garden has a natural look or a formal style, the secret is to use plants that look right at home at the water’s edge and blend well with your existing landscape.

Getting Started

Lining the margins of the pond with small rocks disguises pond liner edges and gives an informal look to the water garden. A larger boulder actually overhanging the pond is an ideal spot for kids (or you!) to watch fish, frogs and dragonflies. Continue the theme in the surrounding landscape with some groupings of larger rocks, creating additional shelves or niches for an uneven, natural look.

Trees

In general, trees should not overhang the pond, as a water garden needs 5 to 6 hours of sun for aquatic plants to thrive and intrusive roots could damage the liner as trees grow. However, a small specimen tree will give your water garden scale and is a good starting point to the planting surround. Select smaller growing trees such as Japanese Maple, River Birch or low-growing flowering trees like Star Magnolia, Crepe Myrtle or Snowbell (Styrax). Position them slightly back from the pond’s edge in a suitable space for their own growth needs.

Shrubs

Shrubs give the landscape substance as well as flower and foliage interest at different times of the year. For winter color, select some evergreen shrubs like pines, spruces or junipers. A water garden located in the corner of your yard might have a backdrop of taller shrubs and smaller growing ones in the foreground. A more centrally-located water garden should have lower-growing shrubs all around so the pond can be viewed from all sides. Azaleas are a favorite for early spring color.

Perennials & Grasses

Perennials and ornamental grasses form the final layer of landscape. Select perennials that bloom at different times or with interesting foliage for color and texture all season long. Some favorites include Siberian iris, coneflower, rudbeckia and daylilies for sunny areas, with astilbe, hosta and ferns for more shaded locations. Plant perennials in large clumps or flowing drifts for the most impact.

Ornamental grasses are a spectacular addition to the water garden. Where a tall-growing grass is needed, use varieties of Miscanthus, Erianthus and Molinia. Graceful Fountain Grass is attractive planted in large groupings, while vibrantly-colored Japanese Blood Grass forms a dense low-growing mass for foreground plantings.

Finishing Touches

Be sure to create a place in your pond landscape where you can sit and enjoy your water garden – an overhanging rock or strategically placed garden bench can be ideal. Lighting, too, is important to bring your water garden to life at night. Create dramatic effects both by spotlights around the pond and submerged lighting if possible.

With thoughtful landscaping, your pond can be an integral, beautiful part of your landscape and a focal point for stunning landscaping design.

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Versatile Hydrangeas

Tall or short, red, pink, purple, blue, white and shades in between, few shrubs provide the versatility of hydrangeas. Generations of gardeners have loved and designed their gardens using these showy shrubs as summer privacy screens, landscape focal points and beautiful cut flowers. Now, thanks to new hydrangea introductions, there are even more ways to use them.

Discover the Newest Hydrangeas

New types of hydrangeas are being introduced every year, and these showstoppers are fast favorites among both experienced hydrangea aficionados as well as newcomers to the hydrangea craze.

‘Endless Summer’
Termed “the best new flowering shrub of the decade” by some gardeners, this cultivar has gained a reputation as the first “reblooming” hydrangea. Blooming from early summer to first frost on both new and old wood, it is unfazed by high heat or extreme cold. Now gardeners in colder microclimates can grow beautiful low maintenance 3-5’ tall and wide hydrangeas. The 8″ diameter mophead balls of light blue or pink flowers bloom the entire summer.

‘Bloomstruck’
A dwarf ‘Endless Summer’ this hydrangea grows to only 2-4’ tall and wide with pink or blue 4-5″ diameter mopheads on upright red-purple stems. Perfect for containers, in smaller gardens or in the front of cutting beds, it also graces balconies and decks. In fall, red-purple colored leaves extend the beauty.

Color Tip: Change the flower colors of ‘Endless Summer’ and ‘Bloomstruck.’ The soil pH affects the flower color of many hydrangeas. To intensify the pink color, decrease the acidity by adding hydrated lime. To intensify the blue color, increase the acidity by adding sulfur. Our staff can suggest products to help you determine your soil pH and the amount of lime or sulfur to use.

‘Quickfire’
Also known as Hydrangea paniculata, this variety blooms earlier than most other hydrangeas and has flowers along an elongated stalk. The flowers, blooming on new wood, open as white, gradually turning to pink in the summer and darker rose in the fall. The soil pH does not affect the flower color. As one of the hardiest hydrangeas, this beauty grows to 6′ tall in most soils, full sun or dappled shade and tolerates drought conditions.

‘Little Quickfire’
A dwarf form of ‘Quickfire,’ this tiny powerhouse has all the beauty and benefits of its bigger relative but in a small package. Growing only to 3-4′ tall with a slightly larger spread, this hydrangea makes a big statement in a little space when covered with blooms and can be an ideal choice to start out with hydrangeas.

‘Bobo’
Another paniculata hydrangea, this variety creates huge drama for such a little plant. Growing only to 3′ tall and wide, it’s a thriller in containers, and easily won the Gold Florall medal for best novelty plant. ‘Bobo’s early season white flowers also bloom on new wood and cover the plant on strong overhead stems. Unaffected by soil type or pH, this hardy hydrangea steals the show wherever it is planted.

No matter how you use these newcomers in your landscape – larger varieties in the back of beds or as borders, smaller options in the front or in containers – their long-lasting flowers will make you think summer truly is endless.

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Perennial Power

Perennials may not be the best showstoppers in a garden full of annuals, but they make great foundation plantings to serve as a reliable backdrop or trusty fillers among other plants. There’s no reason you can’t select perennials that are just as beautiful as your favorite annuals, however, it’s just a matter of choosing the flowers that pack the most punch and using them appropriately.

Best Perennials to Choose

When choosing a perennial to fill an empty space in your garden, make sure to get the most bang from your buck by selecting one, or several, long-blooming perennials. These flowers will be worthwhile additions to your landscape for their ongoing staying power, giving you a reliable backdrop and structure to build from.

Achillea (Yarrow)
Alcea (Hollyhock)
Anemone (Wind Flower)
Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed)
Campanula (clips series)
Clematis ‘Jackmani’
Coreopsis (Tickseed)
Corydalis lutea (Yellow Bleeding Heart)
Delosperma (Ice Plant)
Dicentra exima (Bleeding Heart)
Doronicum
Echinacea (Coneflower)
Gallardia (Blanket Flower)
Gaura (Wand Flower)
Geranium ‘Johnson Blue’
Helenium (Helen’s Flower)
Heliopsis (Sunflower)
Hemerocallis ‘Stella D’Oro’ (Daylily)
Hemerocallis ‘Happy Returns’ (Daylily)
Kniphofia (Red Hot Poker)
Lavender
Liatris spicata (Gayfeather)
Ligularia (Ragwort)
Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal Flower)
Lythrum (Loosestrife)
Malva (Mallow)
Monarda (Bee Balm)
Nepeta (Catnip or Catmint)
Oneothra ‘Siskiyou’ (Evening Primrose)
Perovskia (Russian Sage)
Rudbeckia (Coneflower)
Salvia (most verticillata)
Scabiosa (Pincushion Flower)
Shasta Daisy ‘Becky’ or ‘Snow Queen’
Stokesia (Stoke’s Aster)
Veronica (Speedwell)

Using Your Blooming Perennials

To make your perennials truly pop, it’s important to position them in your landscape where they will show to their best advantage. Popular options include…

Filling in between showstopping annuals with perennials that will grow and bloom to cover fading blooms after the annuals are finished.
Adding blooming perennials in front of a hedge, fence or privacy screen for extra coverage with a dash of color.
Using perennial flowers as a backdrop for lower annual plantings along a house foundation or in other flowerbeds.
Creating a naturalized lawn or meadow-like area full of different perennials for a low-maintenance option that still stuns.
Planting perennials in hard-to-tend areas, such as alongside a water feature, in tight corners or on terraces so they can be gorgeous with less maintenance.

With so many options for lovely perennials that can be used in many different ways in the landscape, there’s no excuse not to enjoy these easy-care flowers for many years!

Beyond Lettuce

There’s nothing like a garden fresh, crisp salad, and these days, many people are adding varied greens to their salads besides familiar lettuce varieties and common spinach. Try growing a few of these less familiar greens for your own salads or for sale at your farmer’s market. Greens can grow in cooler or warmer weather for year-round freshness and healthy eating.

Cool Weather Greens

Mache (Valerianella locusta) – Also known as corn salad or lamb’s lettuce, mache is a popular French green. It is very cold tolerant if grown under covers, and will seed itself once temperatures rise above 80 degrees. Maturing in about 50-60 days, the small, dark green leaves are sweet and juicy. Mache attracts snails and slugs, so you may want to grow it in raised beds or put out bait to distract critters.
Claytonia (Claytonia perfoliata) – Very high in vitamin C, claytonia, also known as miner’s lettuce, was eaten by miners in the California gold rush to keep from getting scurvy. Claytonia is also very cold tolerant, and will grow under covers even in winter. It takes about 40 days to be ready to harvest, and can be eaten even after in flower, though it is better when the flower stalks are still short.
Mibuna and Mizuna – These two closely related Asian greens grow quickly and tall in cooler, moist weather. Mibuna has a mustard-like flavor, while Mizuna is more peppery. Both are good raw in salads or as part of a stir-fry dish. Both are good for “cut-and-come-again” harvesting, though on smaller plants the stress may cause them to go to seed prematurely.

Warm Weather Greens

Orach – This colorful, vitamin rich plant is often considered a warm season alternative to spinach. It can grow in either cool or warm weather, as it does not get as bitter as spinach after flowering. This hardy plant can tolerate mild frost, as well as salty areas, and can grow anywhere from 4-6 feet tall.
Purslane – Though commonly considered a weed, this green is very nutritious, with high amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E and beta carotene. Its tangy flavor and crisp texture make it a great addition to salads, and its oily content benefits homemade pesto or other sauces and dips. Purslane spreads out to about 18 inches, and will not tolerate frosts.
Malabar Spinach – This vining green loves the heat. Long past when other greens have wilted or gone to seed, malabar is still crisp and tasty. The leaves also hold up better in soup and stir fry than most greens. The raw leaves taste like peppery citrus, but when cooked it is much closer to the taste of spinach.

Trying new greens can be an interesting experiment in the garden or greenhouse, and they can add rich variety, texture and tastes to your salads and other recipes. Try some of these less familiar greens and you’ll fall in love with salads all over again.

Great Gifts for Dad

Is your dad a hands-in-the-dirt, let’s-get-sweaty, these-weeds-will-never-win gardener? Whether he gardens with a fierce passion, calculates his harvest, or just enjoys this hands-on hobby, there are many great gifts for Dad to help him enjoy every moment he spends tilling, planting, weeding, watering, and harvesting.

Garden Center Gifts for Dad

Garden centers have a full crop of gifts for the gardening Dad. He’s always done his best to be a good provider, so why not give him a gift to make his gardening time even more productive? These top options are always popular gifts.

Tools – Give Dad a helping hand in the garden with new hand tools or other small tools. If he’s a lefty, left-handed tools will have a more comfortable grip, or choose ergonomic designs. New tool designs may make gardening tools more efficient, or look for upgraded options for Dad’s favorite tools.
Tools for Tools – If Dad prefers his old tools, help keep them in good condition with a new whetstone or sharpener, appropriate oiling, or new grips. A tool organizer belt or stand can be a great gift, or find accessories to help out in the garden, such as a hose extender.
Plants – Help Dad expand his garden with a gift of plants, from established seedlings to dormant bulbs to seeds for all his favorites. For a more unique gift, consider finding heirloom vegetable varieties or planning a grilling herb garden that Dad will love.
Space – Give Dad more room to grow when you expand his garden space with an elevated planter or green wall, hanging planters, or an arbor, trellis, or other support structure that can give climbing vegetables more room to thrive.
Attire – Make sure Dad is well-equipped for his gardening efforts with the right clothing. A broad-brimmed hat, durable gloves, and waterproof boots can help him tend to gardening chores in any weather.
Feeders – A garden feeds more than just a family, and if Dad doesn’t mind a few wildlife guests sneaking a free meal, help him attract birds and butterflies with the right feeders or houses to welcome those guests.
Excluders – Not all garden guests are equally welcome, and some men will prefer gifts that keep unwanted visitors away from the harvest. Baffles, deer-resistant plants, or humane traps can be good options for only letting welcome guests into Dad’s garden.
Monitors – Let Dad get all the data he wants to make his garden great when you give him an outdoor thermometer, barometer, or complete weather station setup. Rain gauges, hose timers, and soil test kits are other useful choices.
Signage – Tell the world how great Dad’s garden is with a sign that proclaims “Dad’s Garden” or is personalized with his name. Other personalization, such as jobs or favorite sports teams, can be fun options to add Dad’s flair to his garden.
Nourishment – It may not be the cleanest gift but it can be a clever one if you give Dad a load of compost, manure, or other fertilizer to help his garden grow. Even better is if your gift includes plenty of help to spread that nourishment around and work it into the soil.

The Best Gift for Dad

The very best garden-themed gift of all is showing Dad how much you appreciate both him and his garden. Spend time with him in the garden attending to necessary tasks or harvesting the latest tasty vegetables. Compliment how productive his plants are or how bountiful the harvest has been, and ask for tips and guidance to bring his expertise to your own planting and gardening efforts. The more you spend time with Dad in the garden, the more wonderful memories you will be able to grow together that you can harvest and enjoy for years to come.

Great Gifts for Mom

Spring is the perfect gardening season and as Mother’s Day approaches right at the height of spring, why not celebrate Mom with a gardening gift? The garden center is packed with great gifts for Mom that are ideal for Mother’s Day, birthdays, or any occasion to tell Mom just how much she means and how appreciated she is.

Garden Center Gifts for Mom

Many gift ideas can come from the garden center. When choosing the best gift for Mom, consider her preferences, needs, and favorites to find a gift that suits her gardening style. The most popular gift ideas include…

Tools – Help Mom make the most of her gardening with all the best tools to get the job done. Smaller hand tools that will be more comfortable in her hand are a great choice or choose ergonomic tools for a more comfortable grip. Is Mom a lefty? Choose left-handed tools that will be more efficient for her to use.
Attire – Let Mom show off her gardening style with practical attire to wear while she gardens. A broad-brimmed hat with a quirky ribbon, a colorful pair of garden gloves, a comfortable pair of clogs, or a sweatshirt for chillier gardening days are all good choices. Opt for Mom’s favorite colors or patterns for an even more thoughtful gift.
Signs – Mom has always been welcoming, so why not extend that hospitality into the garden with a welcoming sign? Personalized wooden signs can declare the space as “Mom’s Garden” or can be customized with her name or initials. Fun garden flags are another option to add a greeting to the garden’s entrance.
Fairies – Help Mom add a whimsical touch to her garden or containers with fairy accents. Small props such as charming houses, sweet little swings, quirky toadstools, and other decorations can be a fun addition to a garden of any size, from simple containers to a more extensive plot. Garden gnomes can also be a fun choice.
Plants – Give Mom something new to grow with a gift of seeds, bulbs, or seedlings. Choose her favorites or splurge on a new exotic variety she’s always wanted to try. If spring hasn’t quite sprung, you can also opt for houseplants or indoor garden options such as herbs to let her enjoy her green thumb even in poor weather.
Feeders – Let Mom welcome wildlife into her gardening space with a feeder for feathered guests. Hummingbird feeders are especially popular, as well as oriole feeders. Regular birdseed feeders can also be a great choice for the Mom who welcomes all sorts of visitors and may not mind a bit of spilled seed in her garden.
Houses – Another way Mom can welcome wildlife into the garden is by providing suitable homes for guests. Birdhouses, bat houses, bee houses, toad shelters, and butterfly houses are all great options that can not only give Mom joy when she sees new residents move in, but they are beneficial to the garden with pest control and pollination.
Totes – If Mom needs a bit of help hauling all her tools, seeds, and other gear around the garden, a tote bag, bucket, or basket can be a convenient and helpful gift. For even more industrious hauling, consider a small wagon, wheelbarrow, or garden cart that you can fill with other surprises and gifts.
Stepping Stones – Add a personalized touch to Mom’s garden with a homemade stepping stone that includes the names of children, grandchildren, or pets. Handprint or pawprint kits are other meaningful choices, and the stones can be decorated with colored pebbles, embedded jewels, and other creative accents.
Containers – If Mom has trouble containing her excitement for gardening, new containers can help expand her gardening space. Choose colorful pots, stackable gardening systems, hanging pots, or wall containers for more space. If Mom has a bit of trouble getting down to the dirt, an elevated planter can be a perfect gift.
Décor – Add a bit of flair to Mom’s garden with a decorative gift such as a gazing ball, whimsical statue, wind chimes, or wind socks. Decorations can even have a practical side if you choose a barometer, rain gauge, plant identification stakes, bird bath, or other gift ideas that bring both beauty and functionality to the garden.
Hand Care – Help Mom keep her skin lovely after a day of rough gardening with hand care gifts. Lotions, soaps, and exfoliants are all available and are often infused with beautiful garden scents such as favorite flowers and herbs. Not only will these gifts keep Mom’s skin healthy, but they will remind her of all the joy she takes in gardening.
Jewelry – Let Mom show off her passion for gardening with fun garden-themed jewelry such as a charm, pendant, pin, brooch, or earrings in the shape of watering cans, garden tools, or favorite plants and flowers. Mom might wear the jewelry, or jewelry could be attached to a garden tote or hand tools for a bit of bling.

The Best Gift of All

The very best gardening gift you can give Mom is just to appreciate her and her garden. Compliment the beauty of her flowerbeds or the tastiness of her herbs and vegetables, or admire how she manages to bring a plant back from the brink or coax a bigger harvest from a smaller plant. Better still, offer to help in the garden with less enjoyable chores or just spend time with Mom and all she loves about gardening. That time will become a memory you can both enjoy, and will be a gift not just for Mom, but for you as well.

Creating Shade

Shade is essential to make your outdoor living space more pleasant and comfortable so you will be able to enjoy it more often, even on the hottest days. Whether your yard already has some natural shade or you need to shade an entire sunny oasis, there are many options to choose from.

Map the Light

Before you put up a new structure or plant trees for shade, study where the shade already is in your yard. How does the sunlight change throughout the day or in different seasons? Is there natural shade you can make use of? How intense is the sunlight in different spots? Also, take note if you’d like to keep some sun in your space so you don’t create too much shade.

10 Great Ways to Add Shade to Your Outdoor Living Space

Depending on the size and shape of your space and how much shade you want, there are many ways to keep out some or all of the sunlight.

Plants – Natural shade is great for any space, but if you don’t want to wait years for a tree to grow, choose fast-growing shrubs or privacy options such as bamboo or tall fountain grasses. You can also add large hanging pots of flowers and ferns for instant shade.
Structures – All types of yard structures can add shade to your space. A gazebo, pavilion, pergola, trellis, or arbor can provide shade, and you can add climbing vines to the structure to thicken the shade and soften its lines for a more natural feel.
Umbrellas – Adding an umbrella is an instant way to create shade in your space. Umbrellas come in different sizes, and some have articulating hinges to be tilted at different angles for the best shade in different seasons.
Awnings – A classic way to shade a deck or patio, awnings can be permanent fixtures or may fold or retract when not in use, giving more flexibility to your space. Awnings may be canvas, fabric, or even metal.
Curtains – Breezy fabric walls and curtains can shade your space without making it feel enclosed or contained. Choose loose, sheer fabrics or even lace for light shade, or heavier, solid draperies for thicker, cooler shade.
Shade Sails – Tightly stretched, triangular shade sails add shade to your space with a sleek, modern touch. These sails come in different colors and sizes and can be oriented to shade even in awkward spaces.
Vertical Shades – When the angle of the sun drops, vertical shades can be perfect for cutting glare and keeping your space shaded. Rolling blinds or Roman shades are popular, and different panels can be adjusted individually for more versatility.
Canopies – A simple canopy immediately shades space under a pergola or other open roof, or a temporary canopy can be erected on a simple frame. Different colors and weights of canvas and fabrics can be used for canopies, and they can retract on wires to open the space when desired.
Cabanas – A fun way to add shade to a poolside patio or tropical oasis is with a thatched cabana. These peaked roofs still offer some air circulation and can be made thick or thin for different levels of shade.
Mix and Match – There’s no need to settle for one type of shade in your outdoor living space. Choose the different options that meet your needs and match your style, and you’ll be able to enjoy plenty of comfortable shade all year round.

How to Care for Your Window Boxes

Window boxes can provide plentiful gardening space in the city, even without a yard. Whether you live in an apartment, condominium, or row house, you can add window boxes for extra gardening, and with proper care, your window boxes can yield a delicious harvest, fragrant herbs, or stunning flowers for you to enjoy.

About Window Boxes

Window boxes aren’t just for windows, and there are many different shapes and designs to choose from. Over-the-railing boxes are ideal for decks and balconies, and wall-hanging boxes can make use of any vertical space. These versatile containers are available in different sizes, from small, compact containers to much deeper, larger options for even bigger vegetables and multiple plants.

Wood is the traditional material for window boxes and is still a favorite choice for many spaces. Plastic and resin models are also available and can be lighter weight, and metal frames with moss or coir liners are attractive rustic options. You can even get creative with window boxes and choose non-traditional styles, such as repurposing garden boots, apron pockets, tin pails, or other fun containers to make a window box that suits your space and style.

While decorative flowers remain a popular favorite for window boxes, you can grow anything you like in these containers. An herb garden is ideal for these small spaces, or you can choose miniature versions of all your favorite vegetables and fruits. Mix plants up for a diverse window box, and use taller plants, such as climbing vines or grasses, to add more height, while trailing plants such as creepers and dangling vines can spill out of the space for more drama.

Best Window Box Care

No matter what you plant in your window box, you will want to give it the proper care for excellent growth and the most vibrant plants.

Mount the box securely.
Use the proper fasteners to mount your window box, and take into account its full weight as plants grow. Freshly watered, damp soil will be heavier, and the box needs to be secure to hold that weight. If you are placing the box on a railing, be sure the railing is sturdy and the box is not tipped or angled unsafely.
Choose appropriate plants for the space.
Consider the sunlight your box will get when choosing which plants to grow in the space. The sun will shift throughout the season, and you want to be sure your plants have the levels of sunlight they require for their best growth. Also be sure the box provides enough depth for adequate root growth so the plants will be their healthiest, and be aware that window boxes may be subject to extra heat reflecting off glass or walls, so heat-tolerant plants are always a good choice.
Use high-quality, moisture-retaining soil.
Window boxes need good quality potting soil to nurture plants, and which soil you choose will depend on whether you are growing vegetables, flowers, succulents, or herbs. Soil mixes with moisture-retaining granules are a great choice for window boxes and will help keep the plants watered so they stay lush, beautiful, and productive.
Water the box properly.
Window boxes can dry out more quickly than traditional garden spaces and may need to be watered daily or even more than once a day depending on the box size, how the soil retains moisture and the watering needs of your plants. A watering wand can help you reach window boxes in more difficult places, or consider adding water globes to the box for a practical splash of color that will keep your plants watered.
Choose slow-release fertilizers for extra nourishment.
A slow-release, liquid fertilizer is a great option for window boxes and will help provide all the nutrition your plants need. Choose a fertilizer blend that suits your plants’ requirements, and apply it once a week or at whatever rate is recommended for your box size and type of plants.
Groom your window boxes regularly.
Because window boxes are such a small space, it can be easy to keep them looking their best with regular deadheading and other maintenance. Trim and prune plants as needed to help them retain their shape, always using good-quality hand tools with sharp blades for safe, smooth cuts. If you are growing edibles, harvest your produce regularly to encourage even more production.
Protect window boxes from sudden cold.
Just like any plants, window box gardens can be damaged by cold snaps. Invest in appropriate plant covers to shield the boxes if the temperatures drop, and even consider bringing them indoors temporarily if a freeze is threatening. Adding a layer of insulation to the inside of a generous box, such as lining it with foam board, can also help protect delicate roots from possible cold and retain moisture throughout the season.

Add More Enjoyment to Your Window Boxes

Don’t be afraid to think outside the box with your window boxes. Any urban garden – even a small one at your windows or on your railings – can have quaint touches, such as adding a small bird feeder, a fairy garden, or a decorative garden stake or flag. These accents can help you personalize your box and truly make your small garden a relaxing and enjoyable space, no matter what its size or where you plant it.