Thursday 7 January 2010

Winter Garden Flowers

Winter is a coarse time for most plant lovers. Since the weather is cold, nobody is in the mood for anything. Humans feel bad during this time and plants are not feeling better too. There are some people who look for things to do during this time. If you are very much inclined in gardening even on a cold weather, you need to look for plants that will survive during this time of the year. Building a winter garden can be the best solution to your problem. This the best place to grow exotic plants which can survive a cold weather. You can grow some of the following:

• Climbers
• paprika
• tomatoes
• camellias
• hellebores
• Some scented plants

You can grow different kind of plants and vegetables during this time. Your seeds are limited because not all plants can withstand cold weather. Winter can be a fun season to nurture plants because some flowering plants bloom during cold season. You just have to be more careful in taking care of plants during this time. They can be very sensitive especially passion fruits and other fruit bearing plants.

Winter garden brings a lot of benefits into your home. They will not just provide you with clean fresh air; they can also bring a good exterior. As most winter plants bear flowers during this time. Your home will surely look good on those flowers. The smell of the leaves can provide you with a calming effect while the smell of the scented flowers gives your home a refreshing natural smell. You don't need to buy artificial air fresheners for this.

You can start preparing your soil for a winter garden during the first day of October. During this time, night time can be perfectly cold although daytime can be steaming hot; it's still the best time to start preparing your soil. While you are waiting for the winter season and still overcoming the Santa Ana wind, you can start preparing for the landscape that will perfectly suit your gardening needs.

You can decorate your garden so it won't be boring during the cold months. Since cold season can be the perfect time to sleep and rest, you can do a lot of gardening during this time. It can be a good stress relief and relaxation technique. It's the cheaper way of relaxing without spending anything.

You can decorate your garden by adding more winter plants to accent it. You should think more of bark, berries and shape. There are lots of plants which add color and style into your garden. Some of them are Japanese pagoda tree, delicious vines and lots more. Protect your garden from strong winds and natural perils. You can do that by putting wooden fences. You can protect your garden and still let your plants get some sunlight. They need it special during this time that they will face strong cold weather not just on day time but more during the night.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brian_I_Park

Wednesday 6 January 2010

Winter Gardening Ideas

Are you a hard core fan of gardening? If so, you most likely garden year round and even garden in the winter as well. If you do garden in the winter, you will want to make certain you have some of the best winter gardening ideas to make your gardening as fun as it can be. When you take the time to learn a few tips, it can really help all you gardening plans.

One of the best winter gardening ideas you are likely to find is to use containers during the winter when you garden. This can allow you to have some fresh produce even in the dead of winter. Many people will do container gardening in the winter to allow them to have to continue to have beautiful plants.

One great plant to use in the containers would be pansies. These can thrive through the winter and many people will plant these in containers and place on their porches or decks. This can make for a beautiful assortment of flowers for anyone that decides to use containers to garden.

Additionally, there are all sorts of containers to choose from that you may enjoy using. You can get some very decorative pots and when you combine the beautiful colors of pansies in these pots, you are certain to have a lovely arrangement.

Also, you can use decorative cabbage to plant in the containers as well or you may prefer to plant these in the ground. Either way these will make beautiful arrangements to showcase your gardening skills. It is a great idea which ever type of plant you use, you take the time to find the best plant that you will keep up. Both of the above plants are hearty and will create a lovely arrangement for any one that likes to garden.

When it's cold in the Pacific Northwest, you can still get some winter planting ideas as a select few plants and shrubs can still be started - find out more at http://www.dennis7dees.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chad_R_Fisher

Garden Plants For the Winter Garden

In many parts of the country designing a garden for winter interest requires relying on plants with distinctive stems such as the 'Harry Lauder's Walking Stick' or garden structures. If you live in a more temperate part of the country, you have many garden plants that bloom in the winter months which add color and interest to your winter garden.

Poppies are rapidly gaining popularity in southern climates for adding color in the garden during winter months. Although easily grown from seed, most nurseries and big box stores are beginning to stock poppies in late fall as an alternative to the traditional pansy. Poppies can easily stand nighttime temperatures dropping into the high teens. During the extremely cold months, poppies may get knocked back, but quickly recover when temperatures begin to warm.

The Lenten Rose, although not actually a rose, is a must for any winter garden, but a necessity for a southern garden. The Lenten Rose sits almost dormant during the summer months, but when temperatures begin to cool in mid fall, they begin to add new growth. The chartreuse colored new growth is the perfect complement for the dark green mature foliage. This beautiful color combination lasts throughout the winter and in early February dainty japanese lantern like flowers are added to the show. The flowers can last into early summer. Lenten Roses like part to full shade and if placed in too much sun will experience leaf scorching. Once established, Lenten Roses are easy to divide and are prolific self seeders

Camellia Japonica and Camellia Sasanquas are the aristocrats of the southern garden. Both varieties are often grouped under the name Camellia by novice gardeners, even though the varieties are quite different. Every garden should have a few of each. Camellia Sasanqua is the first to bloom, depending on the variety, in mid to late fall and will bloom until about Thanksgiving. Just as the Sasanquas finish their show, the Camellia Japonicas' first blossoms appear. For the best show, you will need multiple varieties picked specifically for their bloom time which can run from before Christmas into March.

Daphne Odora also known as the Winter Daphne, although hard to grow, is worth the effort. This evergreen shrub, is known and grown for the wonderful scented flowers it produces. The flowers can begin as early as late January and continue for about a month. This is one plant that truly hates to be moved, so make sure to take your time when selecting the right spot in the garden. They grow best in shade to part sun. A spot that has filtered shade in the summer and full sun in the winter would be ideal. Daphnes hate wet feet so well drained soil is a must, consider a berm or hillside to help with drainage. Because they can be hard to grow and are slow growing, Daphnes can be a little pricey. Nurseries will be featuring them in mid-fall, but will usually begin to discount them by early spring.

Daffodils are not often associated with winter, but early blooming daffodils can bring wonderful color to your winter garden. Daffodils along with Crocus and Hyacinths are always the harbingers of spring, but there are several varieties that actually flower as early as January. 'Rijnveld's Early Sensation', a two-toned yellow daffodil, has won the hearts of many gardeners when it pokes its head up, even through a blanket of snow, as early as mid January. Narcissus 'Paperwhites' flower as early as December or January. Due to their early blooming habit, both bulbs are often used for forcing indoors. A great idea is to purchase bulbs and force them to bloom indoors and when finished, plant them in your garden for winter color the next year.

These are just a few plants that can add color to your winter garden, for more ideas, take a walk through your city parks or around large complexes like hospitals which have departments devoted to maintaining effective color and interest regardless of the season.

George Radcliffe is retired now residing in the coastal region of South Carolina. He has been a lifetime gardener and a Master Gardener for three years. He enjoys helping others learn the joys of gardening in the South. Visit http://www.wickedgoodgardens.com for more tips and advice on southern gardening.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=George_Radcliffe

Winter Garden

There is a general conviction that winter gardens are (because of the price and their nature) for snobs. Of course, this is not true - setting up the winter garden, is slightly different in its price from putting a few pots with flowers in the living room, but if we schedule its look well and take care of this garden it will surely give the best is has - a wonderful climate and unique nature.

Usually every house has its so called garden space - the most grass is growing there, we have probably a set of benches, sometimes a grill. Of course, if one of members of the family has the time - the house can have a truly colorful garden. But despite the effort, during the winter all those colors will fade away and sitting on one of the garden benches covered by snow won't be recognized as a pleasure.

That's why we should think about selecting the space for winter garden. It doesn't have to be a large space - only a few metres of grass, for an outhouse. So, when it's summer time we can use our regular garden but when the weather is bad or if its winter time we can choose our winter garden. Not only you and your family would be happy of such solution. If you invite your friends for a cup of tea to your winter garden they will be totally pleased.

What can we tell about winter gardens (winter garden buildings)? Winter gardens (winter garden buildings) should characterize by qualities like: tightness, ensuring optimum temperature inside the room, adequate ventilation and light, strong and completely resistant to deformation structure. It should be based on a system of wooden-aluminum profiles. Large decorative sense should meet the functions of the building.

For more affluent people with larger garden space to use there is also a possibility of making an orangery. Orangery is usually a separate building made of strong glass such as it is in the greenhouses. It offers more space in the middle, and a possibility of having an exotic plants (that's why its also called a different name - hothouse). But the cost of it is not small due to the need of constant heating.

So, while the orangery is for wealthy people, the winter garden won't be such a big expense. That kind of garden will make you feel luxury and after a first visit your friends will make a request for another and another visit.

Every garden needs it garden benches and garden buildings

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matthew_Sorrow