Did you know that Geranium leaves of some types can be used in the kitchen? These bright bloomed and aromatic foliage plants have several uses apart from being ornamental. Both the flowers and the leaves are edible and they are used in the production of geranium oil, which is said to have medical benefits like reducing inflammation. You can reap the benefits of geraniums by planting them in your garden or pots but they also make an excellent house plant….
Rhododendrons are typically healthy plants known worldwide for their brightly coloured spring blooms. This sturdy plant comes in many different varieties of varying heights and foliage mass. If you have one in your garden, you might start worrying once you notice foliage starting to curl inwards or droop. Please, do not panic, finding the root cause of the problem will go a long way in restoring your Rhododendron’s health. Below is a checklist of some reasons why your Rhododendron’s leaves…
Lemons trees are not hard to grow, in fact, as long as the soil is slightly acidic, has enough nitrogen, and the weather is not too cold, they will thrive fantastically. Once your tree begins producing fruits, lemon trees don’t need much maintenance. They will produce lemons whether they are indoors or outdoors with little effort; however, what do you do when you notice baby lemons falling off your tree? There are varied causes that can cause this and it…
Offering towering flowers and vivid colours, Delphiniums command their space in the garden with ease. These plants grow in beds and borders but can also be grown successfully in large pots. They may look like a lot of work, but they are quite easy to grow, as I will show in this guide. These perennial plants come in a wide range of varieties with differently coloured blooms as we as different eventual heights so sometimes choosing slightly smaller cultivars for…
Roses are considered the queen of flowers due to their popularity worldwide, and as beautiful as they are, they have their own share of problems with diseases such as blackspot, rust and mildew being some of the most common but more on these below. There are some rose cultivars designed to be more pest and disease resistant, but I have never found a specific rose that doesn’t suffer from one issue or another. In this article, I cover some of…
Worth the centrepiece position in any garden and one of my personal favourites, Acer trees, also known as Japanese maples possess an understated elegance throughout the seasons. Their colourful foliage in spring together with bare branches in winter always offers visual interest to many. Regardless of whether you have a smaller variety like Acer palmatum or Acer platanoides, which is a larger variety; occasional pruning is essential in maintaining the shape and size of many varieties and most respond very…
Buxus, otherwise known as box plants can be trimmed into different captivating shapes to add some visual spice to your garden and these evergreen shrubs have dense foliage that is perfect for forming hedges around your property. To maintain the shape, regardless if you use them for hedging or topiary, requires pruning at least once a year but the key is to prune at the right time to encourage new growth, avoid burning the foliage and reduce the risk of…
With an appearance very much like a lily, Alstroemeria is a favourite of many due to its colourful blossoms but it’s probably one of the favourite perennials. The plant offers over 150 cultivars and there are hybrids such as the A. ligtu that are often used in intricate flower arrangements but in this article, I’m going to focus on dividing Alstroemeria as is a great way to get more plants. Instead of purchasing more Alstroemeria to add to your garden,…
If you are one who usually likes to grow low-maintenance plants, Pieris shrubs should probably be top of your list. These evergreen shrubs which come in many varieties with ‘Forest Flame’ probably being the most popular because of the young fiery red foliage are used for ornamental purposes due to their colourful foliage, and small clustered blooms that attract insects like bees early in the season. Although Pieris shrubs are low-maintenance plants, pruning is a task that should be carried…
Camellias are known worldwide for their beautiful blooms and are considered to be one of the best early flowering shrubs that produce a mass of stunning flowers in spring. To maintain their beauty and reign in their growth, Camellias can benefit from annual pruning although it’s not essential. These evergreen plants benefit from pruning as it aids them in producing better blooms yearly by encouraging new growth as well as getting rid of dead or diseased branches. So how and…