Sometimes the urge to see “those far-away places with the strange sounding names” becomes almost unbearable to those who needs must spend most of their days at home, especially if they are interested in the botanical world beyond their own gardens. This urge may be gratified in several ways, whose beginnings may lead on to wider horizons.

Learning all we can about plants of other climes often encourages us to grow indoors under glass, as the term is, plants which are known as conservatory plants or sometimes called stove plants because they need protection and artificial heat, especially in our cold climate, one example would be the phalaenopsis orchid.

Many of these we have grown in a small way, and so it is a real thrill for us to visit a large botanical conservatory if we ever get the opportunity to do so. This long awaited chance to see these plants growing to maximum proportions came to me this spring when I visited a very instructive and beautiful one in one of the parks in our state capital, St. Paul, and also had a look around the greenhouses and propagation houses on the horticultural grounds of the College of Agriculture.

If you have a trained eye for such sights and a background of botanical and horticultural reading, you will be surprised at the amount you will be able to see and remember afterwards even without benefit of notes. Having the plants labeled is a greater help than you will ever know, especially if you will have the struggle afterwards to remember the characteristics of some special unknown plant, and try to the best of your ability to fit the description to what you saw in a few fleeting moments, for we usually only have a very limited amount of time in which to see and remember a great deal.

Later on I will mention some of those plants which I saw for the first time growing under the most favorable conditions, but first of all let us think of a few ways in which we may prepare ourselves for such an opportunity, should it come our way.

Keith Markensen can see why so many individuals get frustrated with the topic of phalaenopsis orchid. Get to know it’s packed with value in the world of all about plants indoors and outside in the landscape.. This article, Plants In The Conservatory has free reprint rights.

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Gourds for Christmas? Most certainly, gourds for Christmas! They are one of the most ornamental and versatile additions to the “greens” we cherish as such an important part of the holiday time. They can be fresh, colorful ones of this season’s crop; or beautifully shaped, dried and polished ones.

The variety of fresh ones is numerous; ranging in color from pure white through all shades of yellow and orange to, perhaps, the most brilliant and beautiful greens one could imagine. Picture a tapering cluster of tiny lagenarias, or hard-shelled gourds as they are commonly called, on a well-made swag of spruce, yew or cedar. The green shades are variegated and light enough to show up well on the dark background, and their shapes are charming.

A few bright, brown cones might be added for variety. And what could be more breath-taking than a beautiful arrangement of ivory-white Crown-of-Thorn gourds of varying sizes, against a background of rich dark-green sprays of yew? Picture this on a dignified antique black-marble mantel, with tall ivory candles in gleaming silver-sticks at either end. These lovely gourds have a religious significance as well, which makes them even more appropriate to the season. Their 10 points have won them the name of “The Ten Commandments.”

These graceful Crown gourds are beautiful enough for a formal centerpiece, big enough to be a fake landscaping rocks. A lovely one for a long table may be made on an oval board with a band of waxed clay around the edge; well-shaped sprigs of green firmly stuck into it, radiating outward, until it forms a frame, slightly wider and higher towards the center, with the gourds arranged inside this, and a good-sized spray of green and white-leafed Oregon holly at either end to carry the white of the gourds out along the table; some shining silver, tall white Candles and gleaming glasses complete a truly festive picture.

When your Fall crop of ornamentals fade and dry, do not discard them: there is another interesting use for them. Select the smooth ones that have fruit-shapes; clean and paint them to resemble tiny apples, lemons, limes, etc. Here’s your chance to see how good an artist you can be; and use them to decorate your wreaths, swatches and baskets instead of the real fruit; you will find them lighter and much easier to fasten to whatever you are making; and what is more, they are waterproof and durable. However low the mercury drops they remain intact, and after the holidays may be packed away and used again and again.

Small, well-shaped lagenarias (dried) may be cut off at the bottom and gilded, to make charming little bells: a string or cluster of these, with little cones as tongues, against a background of green makes a stunning door-piece. A bit of gold or red ribbon may be added if you feel the need of a little more color.

In regard to the painting of these dried gourds, be sure they are entirely dry and free of the often-mouldy skin with which all gourds are covered. Warm water, a stiff brush and some steel wool will accomplish this. Bore two small holes in the stem ends, and run a fine wire through them, leaving it long enough to fasten easily to whatever you wish to decorate; then paint them with regular artists’ tube colors, using a varnish medium instead of oil as this dries much more quickly, and has a higher gloss. Hang them up until perfectly dry, and you are ready to go to work. Also, while you have a brush in the varnish, give your little gold bells a coat, and they will repay you by keeping clean and bright through many Christmases.

A large, firm lagenaria, in which graceful openings have been cut, and a strip left at the top for a handle, makes a lovely and interesting basket centerpiece filled with greens, holly, alder or growing vines and berries. This should be dried, scraped and polished; a light waxing helps the color, and a coat of paraffin inside makes it waterproof.

Very tiny gourds may be polished, painted or gilded to be tied onto your gift-boxes, with perhaps some little cones and a bit of green.

Any one with a little imagination can make unlimited use of these fascinating products of nature, for they blend perfectly with all of the other materials of the season. Once you have worked with them you will most certainly fall under their spell.

You can’t always get what you want but topics like landscaping rocks are only a click away. It’s time for a better insight on .. This article, They’re Unusual In Decorating… Gourds For Christmas is released under a creative commons attribution license.

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Hedges are important in many front yard landscaping plans. They may be formal or informal. They serve a number of purposes – as boundaries, for separation of areas, as part of or substitute for foundation plantings. They may be protective, especially here in our region of constant winds. They may serve as backgrounds for flower beds.

Whether they are formal or informal depends on the desire of the designer. Formal hedges require much more maintenance work.

The choice of hedging material depends on a number of things. If the hedge is to be formal, it should be of a kind of tree or shrub that tolerates clipping. The plant chosen may be deciduous or evergreen. Another important point is to select a hardy species. Still another consideration is the rate of growth and the ultimate height of growth. Many gardeners like to select fast growing plants. These may not be desirable because they require more frequent shearing or grow out of bounds too quickly. Freedom from suckering, absence of disease and insect pests are other important qualities in selecting hedge plants.

Summer and fall foliage color of deciduous plants, and the all year color of evergreens, foliage texture, and color of winter twigs will be important attributes of good hedge materials. Kinds having thorns might be selected where barriers against animals and other trespassers are wanted.

Flowers and fruits may add to the beauty of a hedge, but if the hedge is kept clipped, they will usually have to be removed.

Another desirable trait is dense, compact growth. This is often helped along by proper early maintenance. If deciduous plants are used, they should be cut hack severely at planting time to encourage branching and bushy growth from the base. Additional cutting back, but not as severe, may be needed the second season to encourage more branching. If this is not done, the hedge often produces one or only a few trunks at the base devoid of branching.

Evergreens do not respond to this treatment. They should be allowed to grow until about the desired height is reached, and then shearing should be commenced. A little light shearing during development will encourage branching and thickening up of foliage growth. Generally shearing should never be severe on evergreens.

Hedge plants are usually spaced closer than if they were planted in border or shrub group plantings. Low growing hedge plants can be spaced 12 to 18 inches apart in a row medium growing shrubs 18 to 24 inches apart, and tall growing shrubs and trees 24 to 36 inches apart. Some advise planting double rows, with plants staggered in the alternate rows. Such a practice may be questioned because it leaves an area between rows that is hard to keep free of dead foliage and debris. A double row also needlessly extends the hedge width.

Nurseries often sell deciduous shrubs in seedling sizes for hedging. Likewise evergreens may he available in “liner” sizes suitable for hedging.

In deciding on a hedge shape, it is always best to train the hedge so that the top is narrower than the base. This allows sun and light to reach the lower leaves. Art inverted “V,” a wedge or semicircular shape are some of the good popular forms. Training hedges to a “V” shape or box shape invites shading of the lower part of the hedge and in a few years the lower limbs thin out and drop off, particularly on the shaded side.

Many species of trees and shrubs develop satisfactory hedges in our western area. Some of the popular kinds are dwarf and common caragana, lilac, honeysuckle, various shrub roses, spireas, bayberries, buckthorn, shrub-type maples, and Siberian elm.

Popular narrow-leaf evergreens include junipers, arbor-vitaes, spruce, Fir and pine. There are many other possibilities.

Keith Markensen continues to grow his education and enjoys sharing that knowledge providing resources, advice and tips on topics like front yard landscaping. Uncover more at increase your education of houseplants, outdoor color, lawns and landscape.. This article, Uses And Needs Of Hedges is available for free reprint.

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Thinking over my garden bloom from Spring until fall I think of nine self-sowing annuals and bienniels which I especially like to unify my wide border which is 100 feet long by 24 feet wide and is made up of neatly spaced rows of iris, mums, Hemerocallis, tall background plants, medium height plants, and edging plants, all arranged according to height.

This space makes a much more attractive flower garden with self-sown plants between the clumps of perennials, not between the rows, as I cultivate and walk between the rows, especially in the evening with our LED garden lights guiding the way. As the tulips and the intermediate iris begin to bloom the Hesperis matronalis, or Sweet Rocket, begins opening its delightfully perfumed clusters of rosy purple, lavender, and white flowers. I’m glad I started growing Sweet Rocket in my early gardening days, else look what I would have missed. It is a biennial blooming the second year from the seed, I allow it to grow in the taller rows back of the iris since these are mostly later flowering plants that do not get taller than the Sweet Rocket until it goes to seed.

The Memorial Day Daisy, or “May Queen Mums” as they are often called, also bloom the second year from seed. If divided to single crowns and re-set every two or three years they prove to be perennial, otherwise they will rot out. They self-sow nicely and make a fine display by setting them between the Sweet William, another self sowing biennial. Their fragrance and beauty in bouquets make them a “must have.” We have a triple starred flower. If the first bloom is cut back they will bloom a second time in July and August.

The many colors of larkspur come after the iris have bloomed, so I scatter seeds of this between the iris clumps to fill this space with summer bloom. Their sparse foliage and spire blooms are ideal for growing with iris, heavier foliage plants might cause the iris rot. Choose the color to combine with the background plant, for example pale blue larkspur in front of Thermopsis. I scatter a few early cosmos seeds, such as yellow and orange for the yellow section, Red Dazzler and Pink Sensation in front of the double Hollyhocks, and Hibiscus. This year I want the pure white Purity and Radiance Cosmos seeds. I find the cosmos lovely for cutting, free flowering, and self sow just enough.

A self sowing biennial I love among my yellow Hemerocallis are the Texas Plumes (Gila rubra) , the flame color spires add a gay note I love. For a different pink accent among the phlox try a few plants of Cleome Pink Queen, I have had the white variety, I would like the Golden Cleome.

A fragrant night blooming annual which I consider indispensable is Nicotina affinis, the pure white variety, this can be planted in spring or it will come up rather late in spring from seed dropped in the fall. It must wait for warm weather to do its growing just as petunias do, in fact the seedlings look much the same, both tiny. Plant this with a night flowering Hemerocallis like Sunny West, or Citrinia.

We must not forget grandmother’s perfumed favorite, petunias, but don’t let them take your garden, but do try some of the wonderful new varieties. I once grew the velvety dark red General Dodds, and Snowstorm a large white. Petunias are too large for edging plants, but may be used near early daylilies, and Sweet Williams.

My true edging plants are sweet English violets, dwarf iris, violas, and pansies. A few dwarf Plumbago, and azure Lungwort. All of these plants can be quite easily grown from seed. For the busy homemaker who loves abundance of bloom, they will surely please.

Kent Higgins understands why so many people get frustrated with the topic of LED garden lights. Get to know it’s packed with value in the world of outdoor landscape, flowers, houseplants and lawns.. Free reprint available from: The Annuals And Biennials.

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In order to enjoy a longer blooming season from his colorful, velvety tuberous begonias, E J. Waltner, a Freeman, S. D., gardener, gives his tubers a boost by starting them indoors. By the time frost danger is past and it is safe to set them outdoors, the begonias have made a good growth. It is not unusual for some of them to be showing buds by the time they are set into their summer “bed.” He has lengthened the blooming season by as much as two months by this method.

In a locality where the blooming season is short enough at best, this adds considerably to the enjoyment these flowers give him and the many visitors who come to see the flowers in his unique backyard landscape designs.

1. Two weeks before the desired planting dale (Wollner likes to plant about March 1) the tubers are moved from their cool winter storage to a warm dark room to coax them into sprouting. When the sprout is well started, they are ready for planting.

2. The sprouted tubers are planted in shallow containers filled with peal moss. They: are covered except for the lips of the sprouts. After planting the tubers are well watered, then not watered again until the moss seems dry. Hoots develop from tops and sides of tubers. By the time the plants have stretched to a height of several inches the root systems will be well developed and the plants ready for transplanting into plant bands.

3. Plant bands are made from strips of roofing paper four inches wide and 17 inches long. The strip is folded into it four inch square with the extra one inch used as an overlap and stapled to make an open-bottomed square band. Bands are arranged in flats and filled one third full of the potting mixture. Walther Mies four parts oak leaf mold, one part well rotted barnyard manure unil three parts sandy loam. The begonia Clumps are cut apart leaving the peat moss undisturbed around the roots. Then they are set into the bands and more of the potting mixture is poured in to fill band.

4. After planting, a light watering is in order. they are not watered again until the soil shows dryness. As the plants grow more frequent watering will be necessary but the rule of “don’t water until the soil is dry” is followed. The plains grow happily in their hands until frost danger is past and they ran be set not into their summer bed.

5. The begonias don’t like full sunlight so they are set in semishade on the eats of the house and in open light on the north of the building. Plant bands are removed. The dump of soil is set into a lode of sufficient size in the bed and the earth is firmed around it. Begonias are set with the points of the leaves facing in the direction one wants the blossoms to face.

6. Begonias started this way have a longer blooming season than tubers planted directly in outdoor beds, since they can be started as muds as eight weeks sooner. They will bloom until frost. Waltner sometimes plants the started begonias into puts instead of plant bands, then sets pot and all outdoors. This allows the blooming begonias to be taken indoors in their pots in fall to lengthen the blooming season by several weeks before the tubers are “pm to bed” for their winter dormant period.

Keith Markensen offers experience and wisdom gained from many years of growing plants in the business providing advice, helpful resources and tips on subjects like backyard landscape designs. Become acquainted with grow and increase your education on the subject of lawn, garden landscaping, vines and house plants.. Also published at An Early Start With Tuberous Begonias.

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