Flowers Garden Plants

Believed to have originated in Mexico, it was brought to the land of America in 1928. The person responsible for this was the Ambassador of the US in Mexico, Dr. Joel Roberts-Poinsett.

In its native country, it could reach the height of 16 feet. The scarlett hue of the leaves is caused by the bracts. These are the sections that develop before a flower.

Because its leaves turn red every Christmas, it has been referred to as the flower of Christmas. Mexican stories also stated that the bracts are like flowers in Bethlehem, it has been used as the holiday decorations of churches and every home. Today, poinsettias also come in the colors pink and cream.

The Christmas flower belongs to the spurge or euphobia family. In medieval ages, it was used to cleanse the body from melancholy and black bile.

No, we're not going to suggest you use those empty ketchup bottles as funky vases to put on the window sill. (Although, no one's stopping you. And really, any pot for a plant will do!) But let's face it, space can be a problem, especially for urban-dwellers who have sworn not to clutter their lives with anything more than Zen. That shouldn't discourage you from setting up your own indoor garden though. Dish gardens come to the rescue here, bonsais and cacti being favorite choices. If you fancy something more sophisticated than a ketchup bottle or a soup pot though, there's the Erbale plant-holder designed by Becchelli, Bortolani, Maffei. Made of transparent PVC plastic that drapes down like a curtain, and with four pockets each for your plants and for the water, the Erbale should just about usher the Hanging Gardens of Babylon into anyone's living room.

Poinsettias are bound to be extremely popular now what with Christmas just days away. But if you're lucky and there's still a pot of nicely blooming red poinsettias in your local botanical shop, go ahead and purchase one. They're not at all pricey even during the holidays. But there is a sad part about poinsettias; they do not grow well after the season is over and getting them to blooming condition again next year could be quite a challenge.

Taking care of potted poinsettias means that you have to know that the plant is tropical in origin, although much of the garden variety we grow today come from a single source in the Paul Ecke Ranch, at the City of Encinitas in California.

Direct sunlight will benefit the plant, so be sure if you can't find an east-facing window for the plant, try the west side. North windows almost always never get sunlight during the Holidays, so if east and west are not available put the plant south. Temperature must be around 65-75 F to be ideal for poinsettias. As far as water is concerned, never leave poinsettias dusty dry. Humidity is the main problem for the plant this season, but this problem can be solved by frequent watering.

The year should not end without a blog entry for the Sweet Peas. Incidentally this year has been declared by the National Garden Bureau as the year of the Melon and the Sweet Pea.

Sweet peas have been a source of enchantment for most parts of North America since the 1930s. It is quite interesting to note that this flowers are referred to as the "Queen of Annuals." These flowers have such brilliant colors,which make them a favorite among plant lovers.

These climbing plants are popular because of the fragrance it exudes and the lenght of time that it is in bloom. However, keep in mind that these plants don't last that long during hot weather. It is suggested that you plant them now and be able to enjoy the flowers all throughout Spring.

Considered among the most if the not the most prominent flowers in the world is the tulip. Although popularized by the Dutch, tulips were said to have originated from the mountains of Central Asia, which scatters through Northeast Asia. Because of several factors, tulips were brought to different countries specifically in all regions of Europe. Since tulips are mountain residents, breeding them in low lands is quite a challenge. However, the Dutch were successful in propagating different species of tulips in low lands. More importantly, tulips were introduced to various places and were commercialized. Today, numerous flower shops do sell tulips, which are suitable for any celebrations. Others are simply dumbfounded by the beauty of tulips that they too are learning how to plant such flowers.

It's another season for the famous poinsettia. The National Poinsettia Day designated by the U.S. Congress was even celebrated last December 12. Not only is the plant itself popular, but the man behind the name also is.

Poinsettias are originally from Mexico and were introduced by Joel Poinsett. They are perennial plants that can grow to a height of ten feet. The red part of the plant which is thought of as flowers is actually bracts. You can spot a fresh plant if it has no yellow pollen on top of the red bracts.

The poinsettia is famous because it is associated with Christmas. It's already in full bloom by this time of the year. This plant, however, is not the usual choice of plant enthusiasts since taking care of this plant can be quite bothersome.

Aah, Christmas. That time of year where people drop their other concerns and instead focus on their families and friends, all in the spirit of sharing and giving. And to celebrate this annual event, many people tend to buy real pine trees and won't settle for anyhting less. The real challenge here is to make these suckers last the whole holiday season.

To keep a Christmas tree fesh, the trick hee is to keep it well-watered all throughout the holidays. When you first buy your tree, make a fresh cut , taking off about an inch from the butt of the trunk. Next, immediately place the trunk in water, and in a stand that can hold up to at least a gallon of water, and always keep the end of the tree in water for the duration of the season. If you don't, resin will flow to the cut and seal off the end, making water absorption difficult. Properly kept trees will usually last around a month or so before finally drying out.

The smell of lavender has driven people to aphrodisiacal heights. As an herb with various benefits--from its stem, leaves, flowers and buds, perfumes and essential oils have been concocted, manufactured and sold commercially, whether in dry powdered or liquid form.

Garden lovers would plant lavender as a hedge that borders walkways, and their hues of red, yellow, pink and orange can accentuate a promenade. Lavender is a plant that builds up the perfume and aromatherapy industries. There are several varieties and species of Lavender: the French, English, Spanish and Dutch with many sub variations in between.

The intense of aroma of Lavender has made it useful even in culinary areas. In France, in fact, this herb is mixed with many light recipes including jellies, sorbets, and cookies. Many people the world over drink it as a tea to stimulate blood flow.

One of the flowering plants that beautifully adorn most homes is the rose particularly the climbing type. The Kinds of climbing rose is as varied as its origins. Perhaps, this is what makes the plant appealing to most gardeners. The roses which usually include the word "climbing" in their name are a hybrid of roses coming from the same category. At first these produce few large flowers followed later on by smaller yet scattered blooms. The other classification which does not include the term "climbing" is a result of the combination between two very distict kinds of roses. Moreover climbing roses also produce two types of blooms. There are those which yield larger yet fewer flowers while the rest produce smaller yet more numerous flowers.

Still regardless of its kind or its location inside or outside the home, a climbing rose still remains attractive to the sight.

Scientifically known as Ageratum houstonianum, Flossflowers are among the most popular annual flowers. This is commonly used as the garden's border or edgings because it grows quickly into a mound. Usually, it comes in the colors blue, purple, white, and pink.

When you decide to plant this in your lot, make sure you do not choose the pest variety. This is the plant that grows quickly and invades the space of other plants. For this reason, it will just ruin your garden landscape instead of beautifying it.

As much as possible, buy these plants from selected garden centers or nurseries. They are sure to give you the variety that can be tamed.

A native in Pacific's coast, this plant loves sunlight. When you water it regularly, it can bloom flowers from summer to fall.

With the cold months hanging over our heads, some of us might feel the urge to just give up on our gardens for the cold months, go on vacation and try again with a fresh batch come spring. But what they might not realize is that there are some annuals that can withstand even the harsh cold of winter.

The Nasturtium is one such plant. This is one plant that thrives in the cold, being rejuvenated by the cooler air. In fact, this plant will bloom better in cold weather than in warm weather, with fall being its favored blooming season.

But be sure to plant these annuals exactly where you want them, as they don't take well to being transplanted. Better to direct seed them instead. As the Nasturtium is a cool-weather plant, you had better keep them well-watered in the heat of summer.

Gardening is definitely an activity you will have to get on your knees to do. There's simply no other way to get down (and sometimes dirty) on the job and pull out weeds, plant flowers, or handle mulch.

But all that stooping down can't possibly be good for your health (back and knees included) now, could it? That's why a tool like the Garden Kneeler/Sitter is a welcome addition to the tool shed. A thick pad allows you to kneel down and get to work while sturdy steel arms help you get up after the job is done. Then, when you're all done, you can flip the whole thing and use it as a stool, the metal arms now serving as chair legs!

Featuring a sturdy steel frame, two soft foam cushions and spring-lock mechanisms to keep the legs/arms in place, the Garden Kneeler/Sitter makes sure that while gardening may be a dirty, tiring job, you CAN stay a little cleaner and a little less stressed.

Do you like hummingbirds? Do you enjoy seeing those little buzzing birds swooping in and out of your garden and backyard? If you do, then why not plant one of these spiky, bottle-brush perennial plants and watch them come in droves!

The Kniphofia (commonly known as the Red Hot Poker) is a natural magnet for those tiny birds. These plants require a bit of care to grow, like keeping them dry and well-drained in winter and keeping them well-watered in the summer. They also require a lot of sun to bloom, so be sure they get it!

Also, when planting a Red Hot Poker, be sure it's where you want it. This plant doesn't respond well to transplanting and doesn't divide well either. Better to try and plant the young side shoots instead.

Watering the plants is always a chore, even for the most hardened gardener. It can get quite messy, especially when it's done inside the house. Dragging the hose and connecting it to a faucet is probably one of the more daunting tasks around the garden.

That's why an innovative gardening tool like the coiled garden hose is such a welcome addition to a garden tool set. Much like a telephone cord, the coiled garden hose stretches when needed and returns to normal when you're done for easy handling and storage.

These coiled garden hoses come in two lengths, 25' and 50', and in various colors as well, to match your mood. Plus, they're fun to use as garden hoses go.

This annual comes in a wide variety of colors ranging from pink, purple, lavender and white to orange, yellow and burgundy. Able to be grown year-round, snapdragons are tall plants that generally bloom for 5 to 10 days.

These annuals are ideal to grow in the winter months, as they can be planted anytime, and can be enjoyed at anytime of the year, in winter or in summer, and all seasons in-between. As far as care goes, they are fairly hardy plants, only requiring frequent watering as they are thirsty plants.

Their beautiful colors and unique appearance make snapdragons excellent get-well flowers for the terribly sick or hospitalized.

Ah, your garden. You've meticulously planted and weeded every inch of it, watered every seedling or plant, mulched them, even talked to them. The slope on your garden might not be too much of a bother, but when the rain comes, you might end up in trouble up to your ears.

The trouble with a sloping surface, particularly when it comes to soil, is that it tends to erode when it rains. This is due to the flow of water down the slope, and sometimes it takes the topsoil with it, wrecking your garden in the process.

How can you prevent this? A time-honord solution is to build a retaining wall at the base of the slope so that it will keep the soil in place, but let the rain water flow out. A retaining wall can be made of stone, with little or no mortar required to build it. Many gardening experts recommend that you build a retaining wall first before you plant a garden, so that you lose as little healthy topsoil as posssible.

Of course, you can plant a garden without this wall. But expect to order replacements from proflowers.com a lot, though.

Does your garden look like it can use a revamp? Is your garden looking more like a rock quarry than a haven for blooming plants and flowers? Does it look like a pack of bulldozers went to town on it?

If it does, then all is still not lost. If you're having trouble greening your thumb, then why not build a rock garden? They're relatively simple to make, and a snap to maintain. All you'll have to worry about is the choosing of the right plants to compliment, not overwhelm your rocks, and the majority of plants that do are very low maintenance, even you can grow them!

I've got this nagging notion that rock gardens were made and popularized by people who couldn't grow a proper garden, but that's just me.

Are your plants dying out on you? Are you forced into refinancing your home every year because your garden wilts at the end of the year? If you are, then save out on a bundle of cash and plant perennials instead.

Perennials are plants that are made to last. Although they are by no means long-lived (lasting only 2-3 years) they can save you cash by not having to replant all that often. And they often mean a low-maintenance garden for you as well.

Perennials are a great type of plant to have in your garden, not only saving you money, but by providing a sense of continuity as your garden gets along in years.

Trees and shrubs can add a lot of character to a garden. They can make it more comfortable, or statelier, but the bottom line is they are welcome additions to any garden (maybe except smaller ones).

But there are times when trees get to be too big for their surroundings. At this stage, they can pose a danger to homes and even people. The best way to avoid this danger is to anticipate this before it happens, and transplant the shrub or tree to a location better suited to its growth.

Transplanting a tree is a delicate task, and great care should be taken. The root ball should be carefully preserved, and the new hole should be two or three times the width, and a bit lower than the height of the root ball. Once this is done, the plant should be constantly watered in order to help it reestablish itself, a process that could take a few weeks.

Here are two terms you will never want to hear in the same sentence: Copper Repiping and lawn.

Unfortunately, if you live in an old, unrefurbished house, it's a very likely possibility that you'll have to bite the bullet and have your plumbing repiped. Older homes used galvanized iron pipes, i.e., iron pipes coated with zinc, in their plumbing. As time wears on, so does the zinc, and when it eventually wears out, the iron pipes rust and need to be replaced.

That's where the problem lies. Most of these pipes run through your lawn and into the main water lines. If you do decide to repipe, you'd better be ready to lose a part, or perhaps even all, of your garden or lawn. If you're just starting out to garden, better learn first if your home needs to be repiped first.