Florist Supplies Guide

The most important thing you must consider when planning a wedding is your budget. With the following cost cutting tips you can have a beautiful wedding without going into debt.

1. Create your own invitations

With a little practice you can create professional looking invitations. Buy high quality blank invitation forms. Make sure to use a typeface that is formal, crisp and easy to read for professional-looking results.

2. Gowns

Save money on your Wedding gown and Bridesmaid dresses by shopping at a bridal discount outlets. If alterations are necessary, take the dresses to a local seamstress. If you need a bridal gown slip, rent it rather than buy it.

3. Limit your attendants to Maid/Matron of Honor and Best Man. You will save money on clothing, gifts, and food costs at the rehearsal dinner.

4. Get married in the morning: afternoon and evening weddings are more expensive.

5. For an indoor wedding consider having your reception at a restaurant. Most charge less than a hotel or country club. Plus restaurants do not charge room fees like many facilities.

6. Consider having your reception at a park or public garden rather than an expensive hall. Most public parks are free or charge a small fee.

7. Cut Reception Food Costs

Limit the number of guests to those you really want there. (Remember caterer’s charge per person).

Forego the multi-course dinner in favor of a brunch, luncheon, a dessert reception, or even a cocktail party.

8. Cut Bar Reception Costs

Serve only beer, wine, and soft drinks. Do not offer mixed drinks. By eliminating mixed drinks you may be able to cut your bar bill in half.

Consider offering a full bar for the first hour or two and then switch to a cash bar. Do not have waiters/waitresses serve the guest drinks. If a people have to actually go get their own drinks, they will probably drink less, therefore saving you money.

9. Party Favors

You can save hundreds of dollars by eliminating the party favors. If you absolutely want favors, why not make your own? How about buying bags of Hershey kisses and wrapping a few into a small piece of organza cloth and tying it with a cute ribbon.

Forego the printed napkins and matches to save even more money. Also, do you really need a gold embossed guest book? Probably not! Why not purchase a nice guest book at your local stationery store.

10. Wedding Cake

Wedding cakes can be very expensive. To save money on your cake contact a nearby college that offers cooking classes for referrals. A recent Graduate can make you a gorgeous cake a lot cheaper than a professional baker.

To really save money on your cake you could consider using a display cake (A dummy Styrofoam cake) for the display table. A display cake will look exactly like a real cake and your guests would never know the difference. Since you do not have a real cake your caterer can serve guests slices of sheet cake which costs a fraction of the cost of wedding cake.

11. Music

Hire a DJ rather than a live band. If you want live music, visit the music department at your local college for referrals. There are many talented music students who would gladly play at your wedding.

12. Flowers

Why not make your own bouquet? Buy a pretty bouquet of flowers or pick wild flowers and tie them together with wire. Then wrap the wire with a pretty ribbon. (Hint: Roses are not good flowers for bouquets as they fall apart rather easily).

If you want to purchase a professional bouquet, remember to always use flowers in season to save money.

Rather than purchase expensive boutonnieres for the men, why not pin a single flower to the jacket lapel.

13. Table Displays

You do not need expensive flower table displays for your reception. Why not put pretty flowers in a small vase on each table. All the vases do not have to match. In fact, it can look striking if you use a different vase and flower on each table.

Rather than flowers, decorate each table with candles. Here are some tips:

• Buy some candles and tie ribbons around them then slip a single flower inside the ribbon. Keep the ribbon long and let it cascade down to the table.
• Put a couple of floating candles in a clear glass bowl along with a few fresh flower heads. You can buy a plant like a Chrysanthemum for a couple of dollars and cut the flowers off.
• Votive candles on top of a mirror makes a romantic centerpiece for an evening reception.

14. Photographer Hiring a professional photographer/videographer is very expensive. Consider asking a photographer friend to do the honors (Perhaps as a wedding present).

If you want professional photos, consider hiring a photographer for the formal shots of your ceremony only. Then place disposable cameras on every table. Not only will your guests have fun, but you’ll get dozens of photographs as momentos at very little cost

Jasmine Macdonald is a wedding website designer. For a FREE TRIAL OFFER please visit http://www.fun.createswebsites.com or http://windsor.weddingwindow.com.

You can visit her daily wedding blog at http://funweddings.blogspot.com for free wedding advice and tips.

Think of cyclamen and the chances are that Mothers Day immediately comes to mind, which is something of a pity. Now don’t misinterpret me, there’s nothing wrong with mothers or with having a day for them, but it does seem a little unfortunate when such beautiful, adaptable and useful plants become so commercialised that there’s difficulty escaping that association.

But no plant as beautiful as the wild cyclamen can remain so neatly packaged and presented as its cultivated forms may have it. Gardeners are always willing to experiment, to use outdoors what might be considered house plants and to seek out less widely grown but hardier species for their gardens.

Once thought to consist of many species, the genus Cyclamen is now considered to include just 19 species, some of which encompass subspecies and forms previously considered distinct. Related to the primroses, they form a few large tubers or numerous small ones, soon spreading to cover a considerable area, if happy. They occur naturally in southern Europe, neighbouring western Asia and the moister parts of North Africa with one species from Somalia, and as with many of the western Asian bulbs, corms and tubers, some species are now rare in the wild because they have been over-collected by commercial bulb gatherers and enthusiasts.

Cyclamen are generally most at home in fairly dry, partly shaded, well-drained conditions such as might be found in a rockery. Although hardiness varies with the species, if planted in well-chosen sites, all can be grown in coastal New Zealand gardens and many can be cultivated inland too. While the exact flowering time varies with the species, none bloom to any great extent in summer, the cooler months from March to October being the main season.

Common species

The best-known cyclamen is Cyclamen persicum, which is so widely cultivated as an indoor or gift plant that it usually known as the florist’s cyclamen. This species, or rather the countless cultivars or probably hybrids derived from it, is a native of the eastern Mediterranean, Libya and the islands of Rhodes and Crete. The true species, sometimes seen but often hard to differentiate from the cultivated forms, has dark green leaves heavily marbled with silver-grey and its fragrant flowers, which have reflexed petals up to 3?cm long, may be white, mauve or any shade of pink from pale to cerise. This natural variability and the ease with which it adapts to pot culture has made the plant what it is today?- a universal favourite.

Cyclamen persicum is so well known that it’s fashionable to dismiss it as being too common and to look instead for less widely grown species. However, anything that is popular becomes so for a reason and you don’t have to search for the secrets to the success of the florist’s cyclamen. It has lush foliage, masses of beautiful flowers in a huge range of colours and styles, it blooms from autumn to spring and can be grown indoors or outdoors in mild climates. What else could you possibly want?

Well, perhaps you might want greater frost hardiness, more flowers with less foliage, greater sun tolerance and the kind of diminutive stature that makes the finest rockery and alpine plants so appealing. And that’s where the three species that come next in the list of the most widely grown cyclamen really shine, features not lost on the gardeners to which we often look for guidance, the British.

Cyclamen have always been popular in Britain but Cyclamen persicum rarely succeeds outdoors in the British climate. Consequently other species have been sought out and developed as garden plants. The first of these was the local Cyclamen purpurascens, from central and eastern Europe, which in its common form was formerly known as Cyclamen europaeum. This small species has marbled, rounded to ivy-like leaves and deep pink flowers that open from late summer. While still popular in British and European gardens, Cyclamen purpurascens is not commonly met with here, though its style of growth paved the way into cultivation for three species that are: Cyclamen coum, Cyclamen hederifolium and Cyclamen repandum.

Cyclamen coum

Undoubtedly my favourite, this tough little plant is found from Bulgaria and the Caucasus to the northern parts of Syria and Iran and may extend southwards into Israel. It dark leaves are small, usually 25?to 50mm wide, and are heavily marbled, with reddish undersides. The flowers are tiny too and may be white, pale pink or tending towards magenta. They open from early winter and continue unabated into spring. The flowers are remarkably resistant to frost and although they can look very downhearted when frozen, they immediately perk-up on thawing out. This is a terrific plant for rockeries or alpine troughs and is at home in sun or partial shade.

Cyclamen hederifolium

Formerly known as Cyclamen neapolitanum and still widely sold under that name, the attractively marbled, ivy-like foliage of this native of southern Europe and Turkey dies away in spring and does not reappear until well after the plant has started to flower in late summer. The small flowers occur in a wide range of shades and when spent, their stems start to coil like springs and turn downwards to the ground as the seed capsules develop.

Cyclamen repandum

This species is found from southern France to Greece and has large, lobed leaves that are dark green with conspicuous silver-grey mottling and marbling. Considering its lush foliage, spring blooming habit and Mediterranean homeland, it is surprisingly frost hardy. Its flowers are pleasantly scented, have petals up to 20mm long and occur in white and all shades of pink to light red.

These three species are so common that if you see a garden cyclamen that is obviously not Cyclamen persicum then the chances are that it’s Cyclamen coum, Cyclamen hederifolium, Cyclamen repandum or one of the subspecies or forms of those species. However, collectors and enthusiasts, being what they are, have imported other species that you may occasionally have the pleasure of seeing.

Rarities

With?so few?species in the genus I’m reluctant to say that any of them aren’t cultivated. Indeed, it’s very likely that they’re all in gardens - somewhere - in one form or another. But while I’ve learnt to never say never when it comes to stating what’s to be found in our gardens, I’m yet to see the Somalian species, Cyclamen somalense.

Another exclusively African species, Cyclamen africanum, from Algeria is also very rare. It has rather glossy, toothed edged leaves up to 10?cm wide and its 25mm flowers, which are deep pink and open in autumn, have the scent of violets. It is somewhat similar to Cyclamen hederifolium and along with the white- to deep pink-flowered Cyclamen ciliatum from Turkey is usually the first cyclamen to start blooming in late summer or early autumn.

Also from Africa, the Libyan Cyclamen rohlfsianum has silvery marbled bright green leaves with a covering of fine pinkish hairs when young. Its bright pink flowers open in autumn and are often scented. It dislikes winter wet and is best grown in pots with the addition of some limestone chips.

The eastern Mediterranean species: Cyclamen creticum, from Crete; Cyclamen cyprium, from Cyprus; Cyclamen graecum, from Greece, the Aegean islands and southern Turkey; and Cyclamen libanoticum, from Syria and Lebanon, are all to be seen locally, though none are common. However, because these species are becoming increasingly rare in the wild and live in areas that are threatened by that most pernicious of predators, the tourist, we should be doing our bit to ensure their survival by making them more widely available.

They are, in the main, dainty plants with small leaves and pink flowers. Cyclamen graecum has some of the most beautiful foliage in the genus. In addition to the usual silver-grey mottling, its leaves have pale to vivid green veins, maroon undersides and reddish teeth.

Cultivation

As mentioned earlier, cyclamen generally prefer partial shade, very well drained, somewhat dry soil and cool conditions. They thrive in lightly shaded rockeries, growing happily in the crevices between rocks and also adapt well to container cultivation, especially in alpine troughs. Most species have a preference for neutral to slightly alkaline conditions. Adding a few limestone chips to the soil aids the drainage and keeps the pH about right.

That said, tough species like Cyclamen hederifolium usually adapt well to being cultivated with acid soil plants such as ericas and dwarf rhododendrons, so don’t be afraid to experiment.

While a few species, such as Cyclamen libanoticum, prefer their tubers to be below the surface, in most cases the top of the tuber should be at or above the soil surface. This helps keep the tubers dry in winter and ensures that the crown of flower and foliage stems does not rot off at ground level. The tubers of indoor potted cyclamen should be kept dry?- water the soil surface, not the tuber?- and even then only when it has dried.

Cyclamen are not heavy feeders. Regular feeding with mild liquid fertilisers will keep house-grown cyclamen flowering well, while a light application of general garden fertiliser during the summer dormant season is enough to ensure that outdoor plants continue to thrive.

Pests and diseases are rare on healthy plants and when present are usually a sign of poor growing conditions. While slugs and snails can attack outdoor cyclamen, they should otherwise be pest-free. If indoor cyclamen show signs of botrytis, mildew of other soft rots, the soil conditions are probably too damp. If mealy bugs and scale insects occur they may indicate low humidity or may have spread from other plants that have been infested.

Propagation

Most cyclamen are bought in nurseries as ready-grown container plants intended, in the case of Cyclamen persicum, for growing indoors, or otherwise for planting out. As they grow and their tubers multiply, they can be lifted and dived when dormant.

This slow and steady method of propagation ensures a continuity of growth, but if you need to speed up your cyclamen reproduction consider propagating the plants from seed. While some of the fancy-foliaged forms must be propagated vegetatively to maintain their characteristics, most cyclamen cultivars reproduce reasonably true to type from seed and the species certainly do.

Growing from seed is quite straightforward, though you may have to wait quite some time before the first flowers appear, typically 18 months to two years. Sow the seed when ripe, usually late spring to early summer, in a fairly light, gritty soil. The temperature should be cool, around 18?C, and the seed should be lightly covered with soil. If viable, most of the seed should have germinated within 28?to 42 days. The seedlings may be pricked out into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to easily handle without damaging their fleshy stems.

I am a garden book author and horticultural photographer based in Christchurch, New Zealand. I run a stock photo library called Country, Farm and Garden (http://www.cfgphoto.com). This article may be re-published provided this information is published with it and is clearly visible.

In a fast-paced world of wedding planning, stress levels are high; immune systems are low; and over the course of the past 20 years, brides have transmitted, what has become a bridal epidemic of our time.

The number of victims has steadily increased; and to date, there is no cure. It’s been dubbed various clinical names: Multiple Personality Disorder, Schizophrenia, Temporary Insanity. But in the world of matrimony, anyone who’s been exposed - fianc?s, family, friends, and victims themselves — this broadening illness has been commonly termed “Bridezilla Syndrome” or “BS.”

A contagious condition, BS has become more prominent and has plagued today’s busy, wedding-planning woman. In a preliminary study, the disease has spread at an alarming rate. Symptoms of victims of BS — better known as Bridezillas — include reoccurring mood spells, bouts with selfishness, signs of controlling behavior and feelings of meticulousness.

Unfortunately fianc?s, bridal party members, friends and family eventually fall victim to the actions and attitudes of a Bridezilla.

Research suggests that symptoms are recognized most often by the fianc? and Maid of Honor, and are completely undetectable by the actual victim. In some cases, a bridal party member, who having had too much alcohol to drink, confronted the Bridezilla. Most often, an emotional, breakdown of the victim would follow, thus intensifying her condition. In a survey of 100 Maids of Honor, an alarming 85% said they avoided confrontation with the victim for fear it would only exasperate the illness.

So we must ask the underlying questions: Where is all this BS coming from? How does one know when she’s full of it?
Unfortunately the source has not been found; though it is believed that it has existed since the dawn of the institution of marriage. A short-term condition (symptoms persist about 1-2 years depending on one’s wedding date), Bridezillas seem to have been unfairly blamed for their actions, for which some believe they have no control, albeit their control over everything else. In fact, it’s been clinically proven that a Bridezilla actually does have feelings — feelings of selfishness, insecurity, anxiousness and stress!

Though it’s been said there is no cure, there are ways to prevent infection of BS. A survey of healthy brides, whom successfully planned their weddings without contracting the disease, was conducted. Results showed commonalities of the actions performed to avoid the disorder. Doctors, psychologists and wedding planners strongly suggest the following preventative therapy:

1. Keep Perspective - remind yourself that the wedding is only one day in your life. When things get out of control, close your eyes and remember the reason why you are planning this wedding in the first place.

2. Don’t Assume Your Groom Doesn’t Want to Help - ask him what he’d like to take responsibility for; and then let him. (note: some grooms may follow the clich? and decline this offer.)

3. Know That You Can’t Control Everything - realize this and accept it!

4 Delegate. Delegate. Delegate - If you act like you can handle everything, people will let you. Spread the duties.

5. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff - people won’t remember whether or not your invitations had those cute little tissues enclosed.

6. Treat The People You Cherish with Love - the wedding is one day; your family and friends are forever.

7. Allow Others to Vent - give your fianc?, family and bridesmaids permission to tell you when you’re going off the deep-end.

8. Take the Heat - give yourself permission to hear them.

9. Do Something for Yourself Every Day - the catch is that it must not involve the wedding.

10. No Wedding Talk After 10pm.

Although preventative therapy is available, some brides inherently fall victim and still contract BS. But there is hope! This is not a terminal illness. In fact in most cases, the bride has been known to be miraculously cured once she has returned from her honeymoon. Doctors and psychologists theorize that the change in altitude from flying coupled with excessive levels of the love hormone, Oxytocin counteracts the disease by boosting the immune system, thus eliminating symptoms.

In cases of remission, the disease has been known to resurface when a person, under certain circumstances, may be planning her wedding again. According to research, those brides with a higher IQ score avoided the reoccurrence of symptoms by simply eloping.

Whatever your situation, whether a Bridezilla, fianc?, friend or family member of one — join in the fight! With love, hope and education, our brides of the future and their bridal parties will have a winning chance against all the BS!

Chicken Soup for the Bride’s Soul NOW available at all bookstores and at discount online at amazon.com.

THE PERFECT WEDDING BEGINS WITH INSPIRATION! Romantic, humorous, touching and true. This books brings to light the true meaning of love and commitment, whether you are newly engaged, recently married or reflecting on the years of married bliss. Makes the perfect bridal shower gift!

Visit www.bridesoul.com for more information about Chicken Soup for the Bride’s Soul.

Footnote: Preventative Therapy of Bridezilla Syndrome provided by www.WeddingQuestions.com.

By the author of Chicken Soup for the Bride’s Soul.

Gina Romanello is the author of Chicken Soup for the Bride’s Soul.

A graduate from Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism, Gina was thrilled when given the opportunity to join the Chicken Soup for the Kid’s Soul team. Her temporary position turned into eight years of employment in their book production department.

Her position as Executive Administrator to Patty Hansen & Irene Dunlap has played an integral part in the compiling and marketing of Chicken Soup for the Kid’s Soul, Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul, Christmas Treasury for Kids, Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul II and Chicken Soup for the Girl’s Soul.

Noticing many friends and family members endure the stress of planning a wedding, Gina saw a need for Chicken Soup for the Bride’s Soul, a Chicken Soup title sure to comfort and enlighten a stressed-out bride planning her big day.

Contact Gina at gina@chickensoupforthebridesoul.com or visit her website http://www.bridesoul.com

VITRIOL is the First Formula of Alchemy - the hidden meaning of VITRIOL is a guided meditation which gives the hidden Meditational meaning of the Philosophers Stone.

VITRIOL is a Latin word which means Acid. The acid which can dissolve all negativity. It also means anger and thus symbolises a method to reduce and remove all negative emotions like anger, fear and depression or sadness or bereavement or trauma.

The Integration of all the Chakras ends in complete freedom, Kaivalya or Enlightenment. We can use this meditational formula to Ground all Negativity.

The Painless Grounding Of Negative Energies and Emotions Is The Secret Of The Philosophers Stone described By The Ancient Alchemical Phrase, “Drain the last Dregs of your Vitriol!!” where Vitriol is used in the sense of, “Anger” which is representative of all negative emotions to remove totally all Anger, Fear and Depression.

Each letter in the word VITRIOL stands for another Latin word which together form the First Formula, or guided meditation, of Alchemy.

A Guided meditation encoded for centuries in the word VITRIOL - a guided meditation given in the Art Card of the Tarot, THOTH Pack, you can see the Latin words, an explanation of VITRIOL in a circle behind the figure on the card as a prelude to learning and practising these Practical, Ancient and Successful Meditations for the removal of all negative emotions like Anger, Fear, and Depression.

The Guided Meditation encoded in the Latin words of VITRIOL shows what is and also how to activate “The Philosophers Stone” The “Occultem Lapidem” or “OL” OF VITRIOL! which is the catalyst which changes Base metal into Gold.

Not the metal Gold, the Element Gold or “Fools Gold” as the Alchemists used to call it. The Enhancement of the pure Golden Spiritual Energy of the Crown Chakra and the transmutation of the Negative Energy slowing down the Base Chakra, or how to change or transmute the Base metal (lead) - The Energy Blockages of the Base Chakra, into pure Spiritual Golden Energy.

VITRIOL is a guided Meditation for the removal of all negative emotions like Anger, Fear, and Depression teach how to Ground Negative Energies, how to transform the stress, the Negative Energy of daily life, which arises in you or that which you pick up from other people. The stress which arises from the painful memories of the past.

The Secrets of the Guided Meditation of Alchemical VITRIOL have been taught for thousands of years for the removal of all negative emotions like Anger, Fear, and Depression teach how to use meditation to get rid of all Painful Traumatic Memories and the Energy Blockages which hold them in the Body, the Emotional Armour of Reich, which causes toxins to be deposited in the area of the Stiffness, eventually failing in the body and making operations necessary.

Each letter in the word VITRIOL stands for another Latin word which together form the First Formula, or guided meditation, of Alchemy. VITRIOL is the Ancient and Successful Meditation for the removal of all negative emotions like Anger, Fear, and Depression teach how to use meditation to ground the pain of broken relationships.

VITRIOL is the guided Meditation from the Emerald tablet of Hermes Trismegistus for the removal of all negative emotions like Anger, Fear, and Depression teach how to use meditation to ground the pain of bereavement, the pain of divorce, the pain of abuse. The pain which causes fear, sadness, anger and grief.

The Grounding Of Negative Energies Is The Second Formula Of Alchemy - “Solve Et Coagule” said the Alchemists, or “Dissolve to Integrate”. The secret of Alchemy is that all metals dissolve in Acid, all metals except gold dissolve in acid or vitriol.

The Second Formula Of Alchemy Is “Sec” - “Solve Et Coagule”, A Latin Word Meaning “To Dry” - Dry out the Water Of The Emotions - get rid of your fear, pain, anger, jealousy and negativity etc. Through the guided meditation of V.I.T.R.I.O.L.

The ancient and meaningful phrase, “Drain The Last Dregs Of Your Vitriol” Where vitriol in this phrase means anger, yet also it symbolises how to Get Rid Of All Your Anger And Pain With this guided meditation which is thousands of years old and exists in many different cultures..

The same vitriol meditation exist in India as part of the Kundalini Kriyas. It exists in China as the Five Elemental Pathways of the Qi of Chinese Alchemical Taoism. It exists in Europe and Arabia as the Alchemical Meditations of Hermes Trismegistus and his Emerald Tablet.

This is part of “The Secret of the Golden Flower” a book translated from Ancient Chinese Taoist sources by Jung.

VITRIOL exists as a major part in some of these useful Ancient and successful Meditation Techniques below which put you in contact with, so that you can use the high and plentiful energies of the earth and of the universe, from many cultures to create the Launch pad of Enlightenment and the Creation of Genius…

Director Satchidanand, is one of the leading teachers of Meditation.

He helps people worldwide reach further than they EVER thought possible, FASTER!!!
http://www.energyenhancement.org

Morning coffee with the internet has become a tradition of mine in recent years. The internet holds a much greater variety of information than the newspaper, as well as less depressing things to read at the beginning of the day. No one should have to wake up with murder and mayhem in their face. A more pleasant mindset is found in waking to check the weather, respond to a note from a friend, or reading about an exciting new plant. This morning I went to look for further information on a particularly nifty new plant on one of my vendor’s sites. Not finding that I clicked on another link that caught my attention in their Garden Writers section.

“Meatballs, Soapboxes and Tuna Cans”, to be precise.

To a person who has never been employed within the landscape industry, that phrase would bring to mind food. To insiders it would have a far different meaning. Of course where I worked it was baseballs and cubes. So this morning’s coffee was sipped between chuckles.

The author (head of sales) I would venture to say is younger than 50. Those over 50 feel that these balls, cubes, footballs or tuna cans are a staple that is required in the landscape. For the life of me I have never understood why we must have them.
What is so necessary about using a shrub far to large for its placement and whacking off it’s limbs to shape it into an unnatural form? Off with its head! It should wear a size 42 long jacket, but we will force it to fit comfortably into a 10 short.
It is interesting to note that also helpless poodles have also fallen victim to this manner of unnatural shaping and they are not plants. A month ago I witnessed a house cat shorn in this manner.

Mr. Woods, who wrote the afore mentioned article, has developed the opinion that it is an inherent human instinct. That we humans have so little that we actually have complete control over that our psyche has tuned in to the helpless shrubs in our yard. While I giggled often while reading his words, it struck me that he has a good point. Why else would we so cruelly inhibit the wild beauty of a shrub? In my early years I had no reason to argue with my father, the professional landscaper as to why we must do this. Quite the contrary, originally I assisted him in his whacking while trying to mimic his methods.
It wasn’t until I started to design plantings and began to see plants for their own individual beauty that I began to question this barbaric practice. It has come to be a long standing argument between us over the years. He refuses to budge from his Pro Juniper stance, insisting we simply MUST have the prickly old things. Yews and Burning Bushes have their place and are quite lovely if not placed where they can be gently shaped not beaten in submission twice a season.

During my contracting days, I would arrive at a clients home for a meeting about a landscape facelift to find the sad remains of Burning Bushes, Yews and Junipers that had resided along the walk or foundation for decades. All of them left much to be desired in the looks department after the last harsh whacking.
Common sense told me that following decades of cruel treatment, the poor things have given up growing hair. Why should they continue to grow it if for the past 25 years every attempt was quickly lopped off? How much squelching of creativity can a being endure before throwing in the towel? In voicing this thought to successful lawyers and surgeons , I must admit I was rewarded with raised eyebrows. Why do we insist on planting a shrub that will grow eight foot tall and 12 foot wide in a 30 inch wide space and insist it does not exceed those confines? I am in agreement with Mr. Woods, it is one area to have complete control over in our lives.

So there I stand with this super successful professional, a man of high learning, who wants to know how we can coax this spent row of 5 foot tall trunks and stems along his walk into growing more hair in the bottoms. He thinks that fertilizer cures all of man’s cruelty. (Remember that you must see things through the eye of the plant?) How am I to explain this to this person! My professional self developed a cunning approach. “A landscape has a life expectancy of about 20 years. Yours seems to be about 5 years overdue for replanting.” If this was not enough to convince the customer, I would go on to ask how long the wallpaper in their kitchen had hung there. Explaining that redecorating outdoors was just as necessary to variety in life than it was to keep up to date with their interior d?cor. But they wanted back what they had before it turned into bare branches! The issue of certain control may very well be the answer.

Now I am not against hedges. I am not anti-evergreen. Pruning, thinning and shaping is of definite necessity to full and lovely shrubs and even some trees. Even every other aspect of life we look for the right thing to accomplish the task, but when it comes to the plants we place in our yards we seem to fall short in the search for the proper element. Proper planning should be the first consideration and whacking could become almost obsolete. It is good to know that plant breeders are busily developing new Arborvitaes and Yews that will stay in a nice little meatball shape without whacking. News that will lessen the maintenance you must forfeit your weekend to perform, alleviate the need to butcher the bushes and make all the hedge trimmer companies hold their breath over next year’s third quarter earnings.

As for the aspect of proper planning vs. constant replacement, if the space is 30 inches wide, then it would be best to consider installing only those shrubs that will never exceed 4 foot in width. Remember, a little shaping is good and a harsh whacking is lowering the life expectancy of the elements in your landscape. Proper planning is one of the best tools in creating a low maintenance planting.

Whack-O-Matic
Tammy Clayton
Copyright © 2005 Tammy Clayton

Read more great Gardening articles at:
http://www.lostintheflowers.com

About the author:
Raised by a highly respected & successful landscape contractor in the metro Detroit area, Clayton wanted a career in anything but landscaping! Now an award-winning landscape designer, Clayton runs Flowerville Farms, a mail-order nursery in Michigan. Read more at LostInTheFlowers.com.

Whether your wedding will be coming up roses, daffodils, or something
else, choosing the wrong flowers for that blissful day can create a scene
you’ll want to soon forget. But armed with a few basics about flowers,
the arrangements you choose will land you a bevy of compliments and
queries.

When selecting your wedding flowers, the single most important thing to
keep in mind is that all flowers have distinct characteristics. Knowing
what the characteristics are of the flowers you’ll be choosing can mean
the difference between crying because you’re exchanging vows with the
man of your dreams and tearing up thanks to an allergic reaction to the
pollen in some of those beautiful flowers in your wedding bouquet.

To avoid sniffles and sneezes at the alter, know which blooms might
cause you trouble. And ask each person in your wedding party which
blooms they are allergic to before ordering bouquets. Topping the list of
highly allergenic blossoms are lilies and gardenias.

If you are planning a warm-weather wedding, be sure to stick with
flowers that can withstand heat and high humidity. Delicate flowers, like
hydrangeas, are likely to wilt and sag in warm weather. Choose hardier
flowers, such as orchids, roses, or herbs.

The fragrance from flowers will be stronger during warm weather,
therefore take this into consideration when making your selections. You
will want your guests to feel as if they’ve just walked into a flower
garden, not a perfume factory. When planning a summer wedding that
will take place in a small, completely enclosed room, choose
less-fragrant flowers such as orchids or asters. Freesia, tuberose, and
gardenias should be avoided.

Want to take your guests’ breath away (figuratively speaking, that is)?
Near the entrance to the reception area, be sure to have lovely floral
centerpieces, or perhaps candles, at eye level. Stringing garlands,
ribbons, or some other kind of delicate ornaments above windows or
doorways will also add to the effect.

Winter brides should consult a florist before settling on a particular
arrangement. Below 42 degrees, some flowers may turn black. This
doesn’t necessarily mean that those flowers must be excluded from your
bouquet, but it does mean that they shouldn’t be taken along for an
outdoor photo shoot.

Lilies will help you to put on a stunning show, but before you carry them
next to your dress, be sure to have your florist remove the stamens. Left
intact, they’ll stain your dress with bright yellow pollen.

Although charming to look at, some field flowers are best left out in
nature. Once they are cut, mostpoppies and bluebells, for
examplewill droop and wilt before you get to the altar. Notable
exceptions to this general rule include asters, sweet peas, and daisies.

Flowers are sensitive to cigarette smoke. So, if you don’t want your
bouquet to turn colors or wilt, ask your guests to smoke outside.

Some popular wedding flowers, such as euphorbia and daffodils, are
hollow-stemmed, so their sap can drip onto your lovely gown. If you
choose one of these varieties for your bouquet, have your florist
completely wrap the stems.

Many couples begin greeting their guests well before the ceremony is
scheduled to begin. If this is your plan, the groom’s boutonniere may be
completely flattened by the time he has finished hugging and kissing his
and your relatives and friends. Consider ordering a second boutonniere,
which will be fresh for the ceremony and the photo session.

Don’t allow your centerpieces to hinder conversation between guest.
Centerpieces should always be either high or low, never in between,
forcing your guests to crane their necks to speak to someone on the
other side of the table.

Here are a few final points to keep in mind:

Know in advance where everything is supposed to take place. In fact, it’s
a good idea to write down the schedule of where everyone should be
and when. Give a copy to your mom or dad, the maid-of-honor, your
caterer, and your florist. Giving a copy of the schedule to the florist will
help to ensure that the right floral arrangements arrive at the right
location on time.

Reusing the floral arrangements from the ceremony for the reception
areas will help to keep down costs. As long as you’ve planned in
advance by making sure that the color schemes blend, there is no
reason not to recycle wedding flowers.

About the Author

Jean Bachcroft is a former public relations director, the founder of
Bachcroft and Aloha Labels, and the publisher and editor-in-chief of
Town and Country Shopping Bargains Magazine. For designer
wedding, holiday, and year-round mailing and return address labels,
visitBachcroft Mailing and
Return Address Labels and
Aloha Return Address
Labels.

For
bargains and
bargain shopping articles, visit Town and Country Shopping
Bargains.

Plant ‘em if you’ve got ‘em. If you don’t have ‘em, get ‘em. They are not referred to as “Jewel of the Landscape” by accident. Those wonderful ornamental flowering crabapples offer a distinct landscape feature for every single season, are easy to grow, generally require little maintenance and somewhere at a local nursery or garden center there is one with your name on it.

First, let’s chat a bit about crabapples. Both apples and crabapples are in the rose family (Rosaceae) and the genus, Malus. This is where size really matters. Trees that produce fruit in excess of two inches in diameter are considered to be apples. Trees that produce fruit two inches or less in size are considered crabapples.

There are several wonderful varieties of crabapples such as Dolgo and Hopa that do produce fruit large enough for nibbling on and which are more frequently used for making jelly. What we will be sharing in this article, however, is information about a baker’s dozen of my favorite ornamental crabapples. Here we go.

1. Malus ‘Adams’ (Adams Crabapple) has a rounded shape with a mature height of approximately 25′ and spread of 20′. It is adorned with pink flowers, orange to red fall color and ?” to 5/8″ red fruit which holds well into the winter. Considered hardy in zones 4-7, it also has good disease resistance.

2. Malus ‘Indian Magic’ (Indian Magic Crabapple) is somewhat vase shaped in form, with a height of 18′ and spread that is similar. It has red buds that open to deep pink flowers, and has glossy orange to red ?” fruit that persists all winter. The foliage is dark green, turning orange to reddish in the fall. This one is disease resistant and considered hardy in zones 4-7.

3. Malus ‘Donald Wyman’ (Donald Wyman Crabapple) exhibits a rounded form at maturity with a height and spread of approximately 20′ each. It has large white flowers, 3/8″ red fruit which persists well into the winter, and glossy green summer foliage. Hardy in zones 4-7 it has excellent disease resistance.

4. Malus ‘Liset’ (Liset Crabapple) is an 18′ high by 15′ wide spread and has a dense rounded form. Its flowers are a deep red color, the foliage is shiny purplish, and the fruit is ?” red to maroon in color. It is very disease resistant and rated for zones 4-7.

5. Malus ‘Pink Spires’ (Pink Spires Crabapple) is one of my favorites where space is limited, because it is upright in form and only has a 12′ spread. It can even be used in boulevards for this very reason. It ultimately attains a height of 20′, has profuse pink flowers and small, dark red fruit. The foliage is reddish in the spring, becoming green to bronze during the summer. This crab has great hardiness, being rated for zones 2-7.

6. Malus ‘Profusion’ (Profusion Crabapple) becomes a 20′ high tree with a 25′ spread at maturity. It exhibits bronze foliage in the spring, becoming more green over time. The flowers are reddish with a pink center and the fruit is a deep red. It has shown good disease resistance and is rated for zones 4-7.

7. Malus ‘Red Jade’ (Red Jade Crabapple) is my favorite of all the crabs. It reaches a maximum height of 10′ with a spread of 12′, has a distinctive weeping form and extremely interesting branching habit. Although a zone 4-7 tree, I have one that is doing famously here in the northern reaches of zone 3. With a little protection from the winter winds and rabbits, it has been a real success story for us. In addition to its branching characteristics it exhibits white to pale pink flowers and nice green summer foliage. As I now look out my window on this mid-January morning, I observe the small red fruit contrasting with the fresh snow. This crab really makes a statement along the edge of an ornamental pond or waterway or in a secluded courtyard.

8. Malus ‘Red Splendor’ (Red Splendor Crabapple) has an upright spreading form with a height and spread both of 20′. It is adorned with single pink flowers, small red fruit persisting through the winter and foliage that turns reddish purple in the fall. A zone 3-7 tree, it has shown excellent disease resistance.

9. Malus ‘Royal Gem’ (Royal Gem Crabapple) has a very small and compact form with a height and width both being 5′ - 8′. This zone 3-7 variety has red flowers, yellow fall color and great disease resistance. Because of its small stature it makes a great accent or specimen plant.

10. Malus ‘Royalty’ (Royalty Crabapple) displays a height and spread each of 20′ and an upright rounded form. Its flowers are dark red, the fruit deep red and up to ?” and it has glossy red to purplish foliage all summer. This zone 3-7 tree is very hardy and also blight resistant.

11. Malus sargentii (Sargent Crab) is a very small spreading crabapple with dark green foliage, fragrant ?” flowers with red buds opening to white. The small red fruits hold on until the birds get them. It achieves a height of up to 8′ and a spread of 15′ or more. A zone 4-7 plant it is one of the very best specimen crabapples available.

12. Malus ‘Snowdrift’ (Snowdrift Crabapple) is one extremely hardy hombre that will brighten any yard. It has been a favorite of mine for many years, displaying pink buds opening to masses of white flowers, has glossy green summer foliage and small orange to red fruit which holds well into the winter. Its zone 3-7 hardiness makes it very useful in the north country.

13. Malus ‘Spring Snow’ (Spring Snow Crabapple) is an unusual variety in that it does not fruit. It attains a mature height of 20′ with a spread of 15′, is somewhat upright in form, has pink buds opening to white flowers and has glossy green summer foliage. Although a zone 4-7 tree, I have used it with good results in zone 3. It displays good heat tolerance as well as disease resistance.

While there are many other nice crabapples to select from, this is a pretty good list to start with. Grace your yard in the spring with those beautiful blooms, in the summer with the developing fruit and lovely foliage, in the fall with the changing colors and mature fruit, and winter brings a wonderful view of the branching structure, the persistent fruit and if you are lucky a visit by the Bohemian or Cedar Waxwings. If you don’t already have a flowering crabapple, by all means bring home one of these orphans from your local garden center. You will be glad you did.

William Henry is a co-owner of Gizmo Creations LLC, a landscape and website design company, located in the Brainerd Minnesota Lakes Area. Henry is a licensed landscape architect and has over 20 years of landscape design experience. For more articles on landscape design and a forum where you can post your questions on landscape design and plants go to Gizmo’s website at http://www.gizmocreations.com

Long before the first daffodils of the year come into bloom, seed catalogs are delivered to our mailboxes to herald the arrival of Spring. A good seed catalog contains so much information, it can sometimes be overwhelming for a novice gardener to decide which seeds to buy for their garden. Today I’ll explain how to interpret catalog descriptions for vegetable, herb and flower seeds.

Let’s start with vegetable and herb seed descriptions, since they’re fairly straightforward. A typical catalog listing for these seeds will look something like this description for lettuce seeds:

“Black Seeded Simpson (45 Day) Crisp, tender and sweet. Heat resistant. Pkt. $1.25″

In this description, “Black Seeded Simpson” is the name of the lettuce variety. “45 Day” refers to the average length of time from when the seeds germinate until the plant matures and is ready to harvest. Keep in mind that this number should be used only as an estimation. The actual maturity time will vary slightly with your particular growing conditions and the weather. This number is a rough guide and should be used mostly as a comparison with other varieties and when planning when to plant successive crops.

That’s pretty simple, right? But catalog descriptions aren’t that cut and dried for every vegetable.

Take sweet corn, for instance. The catalog description may indicate the length you can expect each ear to be at maturity, and even how many rows of kernels to expect on each ear. But you may also see some odd letters after the names of the corn varieties offered in some catalogs. EH, se, sh2, suit’s like a secret code. Actually, these letters tell you a little about the flavor you can expect long before you ever bite into the first sweet, tender ear.

First of all, when you see any of these designations after the variety name, you’ll know you’re looking at a hybrid corn variety. These hybrids have been developed for certain desirable characteristics, such as flavor, tenderness, or durability for shipping.

An “su” hybrid is a normal sugary hybrid. They tend to be creamy and sweet, but they don’t store well. An “su” hybrid should be eaten within a couple of days of harvest. This would be a good choice for a home garden, but a poor choice for a commercial corn grower. They tend to not cross pollinate with the neighbor’s corn.

An “se” variety is a sugary enhanced hybrid. These varieties have a smooth, butter texture, very tender kernels and a longer harvest period. Sugary enhanced hybrids also tend to not cross pollinate readily, and need not be isolated from your neighbor’s corn.

Supersweet hybrid corn is designated as “sh2″. These varieties have a gene that enhances their sweetness and produces firm, crisp and juicy kernels. The texture is not as creamy as “se” or “su” varieties, but supersweet varieties do hold their flavor for up to ten days after harvest, making them a good choice for commercial growers. Supersweet corn will cross pollinate readily with other corn varieties, resulting in starchy kernels, so it’s best to plant supersweet varieties at least 25 feet from other corn in your garden.

Now let’s talk about flower seeds.

Flowering plants are categorized as either Annuals, Biennials or Perennials. Annuals will complete their entire life cycle in one growing season. Their seeds are planted in the spring, the plant grows rather quickly and blooms that same season. Marigolds and sunflowers are examples of flowering annuals.

A biennial plant will spend its first growing season establishing itself and storing energy. But it’s not until the following growing season that a biennial will bloom. Foxgloves and hollyhocks are biennials.

Perennials are plants that will continue to grow year after year without being replanted. They typically go dormant over winter and grow back from their roots the following spring. Astilbe, hostas and daylilies are examples of perennials.

Before choosing seeds from a catalog, you’ll need to know which growing zone you live in. Growing zones, also known as hardiness zones, are based on the average minimum temperatures for each zone. A growing zone map is included in every good garden catalog, making it quite easy to identify your garden’s hardiness zone. Growing zones with higher numbers are in warmer climates, while growing zones with lower numbers are in the north.

For all perennials, biennials, trees and shrubs, catalogs will indicate the range of zones in which the plants will perform consistently. For instance, Blue Fountains delphinium is listed as hardy in zones 3-7. This plant would not be likely to survive a long, cold winter in zone 2, nor would it tend to grow well in the heat of zones 8 or 9.

For best results and the most satisfaction from your gardening efforts, always choose seeds for plants that are hardy to the growing zone you live in. Buy seeds from a reputable company and avoid discounted seeds left over from the previous year. Most seed companies print planting instructions for each seed variety right on the back of the seed packet. By following these instructions carefully and choosing your seeds wisely, you’ll be well on your way to having a terrific garden.

Kathy Anderson has been an avid gardener for many years and has grown tomatoes by the acre, along with many other vegetables, flowers and landscape plants. Kathy recommends http://www.freeplants.com as a great place to learn more about gardening. Article provided by http://gardening-articles.com.

Since the beginning of our creation, the plants, flowers and trees have been with us. Even at our most primitive, we relied on them for their profound healing abilities. What has changed? Mostly, our lack of personal relationship with them. Our highly technical, over busy, media-drenched lives have us relying on quick fixes with artificial chemicals and antibiotic super bugs. This unnatural reliance combined with the unhealthy air and highly processed foods are all resulting in far less than vibrant health.

So, naturally, we search for what we intuitively feel is missing! Could it be in the plants, flowers and trees? Could the solution be in the natural world around us, which has nurtured and sustained us throughout our evolution?

YES!!

After falling very ill in 1994, just walking down the detergent isle in the supermarket became a nightmare. Perfume sections and artificially scented candle isles, forget it! Confusion, severe debilitating pain, shortness of breath, nausea, headaches, and fatigue beyond belief became my constant companions. Searching for the cause and answers, my Dr. and several specialists put me through a battery of tests resulting in diagnosis of Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Mayo Facial Pain Syndrome, and Multi Chemical Sensitivities. I was so ill that I was pronounced permanently disabled and receive disability from my home in Canada.

My traditional doctor’s were unable to help me beyond giving me a prescription for a “Natural” substance to help me sleep. Their other “solutions” degraded my health further, rather than resolving any of my problems. Reading what Dr. Jean Valnet wrote, “Essential oils are especially valuable as antiseptics because their aggression towards microbial germ is matched by their total harmlessness to tissueone of the chief defects of chemical antiseptics is that they are likely to be as harmful to the cells of the organism as to the cause of the disease.”(Dr Jean Valnet, 1980), I began to think that; maybe, my body’s ’sensitivity’ was a reflection of my body’s inherent wisdom, rather than a reflection of its weakness.

Searching for some help and relief, I found an herbalist, who has been of great help to me. Still, pain was my constant companion. Unable to take any over-the-counter pain medication, let alone prescriptions, due to my chemical sensitivities, I tried essential oils. I had some minor success with headaches relief, until I tried Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils. And FINALLY, I found products that are giving me profound relief, without triggering my body’s sensitivities to un-natural chemicals! No additives or fillers, just the pure, therapeutic-grade, essential oil of the plants, flowers and trees.

This company uses impeccable extraction methods. They help with exhaustive and ongoing research with top experts in the field of Essential Oil therapeutic uses! All of this knowledge, care and sensitivity have produced the largest variety of therapeutic-grade essential oils in the world. What a resource me, people like me and for human kind in general!

The more I learn about and use these oils, the more relief I am finding. The ’side effects’ of the pain relief include increased energy and better quality sleep.

“Essential oils are 50 times more powerful than herbs.” (Dr. Gary Young N.D.).

“European scientists have studied the ability of essential oils to work as natural chelators, binding with heavy metals and petrochemicals and ferrying them out of the body” (Essential Oil Desk Reference, Compiled by Essential Science Publishing).

I have also seen some profound benefits for family and friends.

“While helping friends with house construction, I was suffering from a very debilitating sinus headache. My friend had me use her Myrtle oil on my forehead, temples, under my nose and the sinus sites on the back of my head. I went back to work and within 15 - 20 minutes I happily realized that I was working as hard as ever and the headache and pressure was completely gone.” Char N.

“While helping friends, wash windows in their newly built house, my roommate and I were concerned about our arms being very sore since we both suffer from severe tendonitis. By the end of the day, both of our arms had started to hurt and ache. Since I had just purchased Idaho Balsam Fir oil I suggested that we apply some. We did that and the next morning we had NO discomfort what so ever. We even decided to continue to wash windows the next day for a couple more hours. Again we applied the Idaho Balsam Fir on our arms and again did not suffer any discomfort.”

Sandra R.

The opportunities for profound health benefits are almost endless. What would your life look like if you benefited like I did? I have had PROFOUND pain relief, a renewed sense of emotional well being, VIBRANT health and increased ENERGY.

The more I learn about the frightening effects of our overly artificial lifestyles, the more I realize each of us must take personal responsibility for our health. We must learn all we can and use our great intelligence, make informed choices, take care of our bodies with integrity, and question the effects of everything we take in through our mouth, skin, mind and breath.

Discover these organic products that are produced with the greatest of integrity, and meticulous attention to quality.

I am very excited to open the door through which you can gain greater health, vitality and relief. Learn more about therapeutic-grade essential oils with a FREE report at www.vibrantoils.com Join the journey of discovery that has made such a difference to me!

About The Author

Sandra Richardson is a Reiki Master/Teacher who uses Thereapuetic-grade essential oils personally as well as in her practice. Website is www.vibrantoils.com and my e-mail is swandancer@mybluelight.com

Bulbs are a great addition to any garden as they will provide color year after year and can even provide additional flowers to be divided and planted in another part of the garden. Unlike, annuals, bulb flowers do not need to be planted each year.

Bulbs are hardy in nature and there is a color, shape or size that should suit any gardening need. Here’s some favorite garden bulbs and their planting needs.

Crocus

Crocus bulbs are often the fist blooms we see in early spring or at the end of winter. Their tubular shaped flowers range in size from 1?” to 3″ long. Crocuses are planting in almost every garden and have a wide range of colors to suite any taste. Other types of crocus, such as the saffron crocus, bloom instead in the fall, and the flowers can rise from the bare ground weeks, or even only days, after the bulbs are planted. Crocus bulbs should be planted in the fall. Plant the bulbs 2 to 3 inches deep and space 3 or 4 inches apart. Crocuses require well drained soil, regular watering and will grow in full sun or partial shade.

Dahlia

Dahlias have a long bloom time from summer through fall and like many other bulbs come in a large variety of colors, sizes and shapes.
These flowers are so diverse that there are varieties with flower sizes ranging from 2 to 12 inches and from under a foot to 7 feet tall! Plant dahlias in spring after threat of frost has passed. Plant between 4 and 6 inches deep with spacing of 1 foot for short varieties and 5 feet for the tall variety’s. Dahlias like full sun unless you are planting them in a very hot climate where they might do well with a little shade. As with most flowers, make sure these are watered regularly.

Galanthus Nivalis

This plant is more commonly called the snowdrop and is one of the first plants to bloom after winter. They are short plants about 6 inches tall and have two bell shaped flowers. They thrive in colder climates. Plant snowdrops in fall, dig down 3 to 4 inches and plant 3 inches apart. These flowers like full sun but will tolerate partial shade. Water regularly during the growing cycle.

Daffodil

The daffodil may be the most easily recognizable of all bulb plants, and it rewards its gardener with a generous display of beautiful blooms. Besides the traditional white and yellow varieties, daffodils also come in shades of orange, apricot, pink and cream. Daffodil bulbs should be planted twice as deep as they are tall, and they should be spaced between six and eight inches apart. Daffodils benefit from full sun and regular watering during their growth and bloom periods.

Tulip

Tulips are a favorite flower around the world and one of the most easy to recognize. These are among the most hybridized of all flowers, with hybrids available in a staggering array of shapes, sizes, colors and textures. Tulips bloom from mid spring to late spring with different varieties having different bloom times. Tulips should be planted in fall and each bulb should be planted about 3 times deeper than the size of the bulb.A 2″ wide bulb would be planted 6″ deep. It is important to leave sufficient space between the planted bulbs as well, from four to eight inches depending on the size of the bulb.

Gladiolus

Gladiolas are among the most popular of all bulb plants, and their distinctive sword shaped leaves and funnel shaped flowers are instantly recognizable to gardeners and non gardeners alike. Gladiolas are best planted in the spring, but only after the soil has warmed. Gladiolas do best in full sunlight and they should be watered regularly during their blooming and growth phase. In much of the country, gladiola bulbs can be left in the ground over the winter months, but many gardeners choose to dig them up and store them during the winter. If you decide to take this approach, it is best to dig them after the leaves have turned yellow. The bulbs should be placed in a single layer and stored in a cool, dry and dark place to dry for two or three weeks. After the bulbs have dried sufficiently they should be stored in nylon stockings or onion sacks and kept in a cool and well ventilated place.

Hemerocallis

Hemerocallis is the scientific name for the daylily, and it is one of the most well known types of bulb plants on the market. Daylily hybrids can grow as tall as six feet and bloom in the spring and summer months. The daylily produces flowers ranging in size from three to eight inches, and they are available in a wide variety of colors. The daylily is actually a tuberous root variety of bulb, and they are best planted during fall or early spring. Daylilies should be planted between ? inch and 1 inch deep and space between 2 to 2? inches apart in the garden. As with other varieties of bulbs, it is important to water daylilies on a regular basis during their growing season.

Hyacinths (Dutch Hyacinth)

The Dutch hyacinth is one of the most instantly recognizable, and most popular, of all the varieties of bulb plants. The Dutch hyacinth blooms in the spring and features the well known foot high spires with their small bell shaped and very fragrant flowers. Hyacinths come in a wide varieties of colors, including red, pink, buff, white, blue and purple. The Dutch hyacinth grows best in colder areas, and it can last from year to year. In these cold water climates, the hyacinth is best planted in September of October. It is best to plant hyacinth bulbs four to five inches deep, and to space them from four to five inches apart as well. Hyacinths grow best in full sunlight, and they benefit from regular watering, especially during their blooming and growth periods.

Iris

The most frequently seen variety of irises are the bearded varieties. Bearded irises are striking plants, and they appear in a dazzling array of colors and combinations of colors. Irises appear in a variety of sizes as well, with very small varieties and very large ones as well. Irises should be planted in July or August in cold climates and in September or October in warmer areas. Irises are actually rhizomes, and they should be spaced from one to two feet apart, with the tops placed right below the surface of the soil. Irises grow best in full sunlight or light shade, and they benefit from a regular watering schedule during their growing season.

Lee Dobbins writes for Backyard Garden and Patio where you can find more articles on gardening, garden ponds, garden decor, and much more.