Flowers are one of nature's greatest gifts. Their scent, their colors, their shapes... everything about flowers is beautiful. A colorful, cheerful flower can brighten even the darkest day. Even more enjoyable than looking at flowers, though, is growing them. Flowers can be bought from pots and replanted. They can also be grown from clippings. However, one of the most popular ways of growing flowers is from bulbs and seeds.Growing flowers outdoors from bulbs is simple; in fact, it is so easy that it's almost foolproof. One of the most important aspects is timing. Bulbs need to be planted about six weeks before the first frost. Bulbs must be planted in an area with good drainage and a lot of sun. Make sure the soil is loose, and then plant the bulbs about six inches in the ground. (Package directions may vary depending on type and location; when directions differ, following your package.) Try to place the bulb in the hole with the pointed end facing up. Cover the hole and water. Voila! You've planted your flower bulbs.Flower bulbs and seeds make flower gardens accessible for everyone. They can be grown virtually anywhere. One idea is to plant them in containers. [more..]

The depth of the A's young starting pitching is an asset for the organization.For Vin Mazzaro, it's a hurdle.Mazzaro is among that group of talented young pitchers, and when the right-hander didn't make Oakland's roster out of spring training, it was unclear when his next chance might arrive.The opportunity came quickly because of injuries in the rotation, and Mazzaro is taking full advantage.He's looking for his third straight victory tonight against the Los Angeles Angels, who arrive in Oakland for a three-game series.As the A's try to right their ship after being swept in three games by the New York Yankees, Mazzaro's recent emergence offers a sliver of sunshine."Once you have a good game in you, it kind of gives you a big boost," Mazzaro said. "You see yourself achieving your goals in between starts with what you're working on. I'm just feeling good, strong, healthy. I've just got all the confidence in the world right now."If Mazzaro, 23, is feeding off his positive vibes, he also knows the other end of the spectrum.After getting called up in June 2009 and throwing back-to-back scoreless outings in his first two major league starts, his joy ride came to a screeching halt.Mazzaro [more..]

There's been a huge increase in the popularity of garden makeovers. Teams of people come in and transform your garden in less than a day. But how can you save money by avoiding the experts and costly plants and perform a garden makeover miracle yourself?Planning, research and the quality of plants are integral factors to saving money when buying plants for your garden.The quickest way to waste money is needing to replace plants after they wither and die.Perth nursery owner Courtney Babb, from Garden Affair in South Perth, says get it right the first time. "It's important to plan what you want first, then go and buy the plants. It cost's more if you're never really satisfied", he said.Developing a basic plan and researching the requirements of your garden is essential to saving money. You must determine what plants are suitable to your garden's environment and choose varieties fitting to the climate and soil.Buying seeds or seedlings is the most cost effective way of starting your garden and this certainly needs planning. It may take a little longer and command more patience but seeds establish themselves faster and develop stronger root systems. Buy seedlings without flowers and always check the [more..]

Health professionals know that gardening provides an effective way to lift your mood.  Horticultural Therapy is based on the mental, emotional and even physical healing that can result from gardening.  This therapy is used as a powerful tool for those with mental health problems or who are in recovery from physical illness. You don’t have to be suffering from serious problems to benefit from gardening – it’s a wonderful way to relieve everyday stress.  Gardening is an activity that has been enjoyed by people throughout time.  Working in the garden provides a feeling of pride and accomplishment, allows your mind to move on from the worries of a hectic day, and helps improve your mood through physical activity. Being outdoors can help lift your spirits.  Enjoy the fresh air and sunshine.  Take the time to look at the wonder of nature around you.  Doing so can help you focus on calming thoughts and tune into the rhythm of nature. Your garden can be a private escape from the pressures of work or family responsibilities.  Just being able to concentrate on the routine tasks in the garden can allow you to let your mind relax and reduce your stress levels. The [more..]

The most important and very essential first step is to find a first class nursery so you have a wide variety of garden plants, vegetable plants, shrubs, and whatever else you may want to create your own personal Garden of Eden.   Blooming Direct is a nursery second to none, located in the Parish of St. Saviour on the beautiful floral island of Jersey, and they will deliver to your home address, also a point to remember is that shipping on all orders to the UK is FREE.   Gardeners who have been at it a long time and know where they are going, in terms of what and when to do those jobs around the garden, will know that the month of June is also a busy time in the garden.  One of the important jobs in June is of course to ‘dead head' flowers that have finished flowering, also plant out all your bedding plants, you can use plug plants these plants will give you an instant mature look to your garden.   Feeding, fertilizing, and spraying to make sure your precious plants are not eaten alive, these are all tasks that an experienced gardener will do in [more..]

With most kinds of gardening or landscaping, the gardener may exercise a rather wide range of choices when it comes to treatment; he may make his planting formal, informal, natural, highly decorative, or more picturesque.With a rock garden however, formal treatment is precluded. Neither the materials used in the construction of the rock garden nor the plants which will occupy it, lend themselves to any formal arrangement. Straight lines, regular angles or curves, the trimmed plants, statuary, fountains, and all that sort of thing are so foreign to the whole conception of the rock garden that any attempt to introduce them would appear ludicrous. A rock garden is the most natural kind of garden there is, chiefly designed to be constructed with materials that are already present. A lot of fuss is just not appropriate or necessary.One may, however, choose between a naturalistic treatment and what may be termed "the Japanese style," the chief difference being that in the Japanese style an effort is made to reproduce a miniature landscape. This requires an excellent sense of proportion and a knowledge and use of a wide variety of plant material. The satisfactory execution of a Japanese rock garden is much more [more..]