Are you Outside Gardening And Need Relief From Those Nasty Bugs, Try This…

I  found these two mixtures to help repel  insects , so I do not get bitten. The other day I forgot to spray something on me and I now have more than thirty bites to show for it. It was in the evening and they all seemed to descend at once!

Check this out:

What is a hot air balloon doing in this blog?

Are you thinking "What is a hot air balloon doing in this blog?"

Well, yes. There it is. Sometimes when we are out gardening we see amazing things!

As the summer progresses, many folks launch their own balloons usually early in the day. At least that is when I have seen the most of them. Usually I have looked up alerted by just an unusual movement from where there shouldn't be any or that strange 'whoosh' sound made by turning the gas on. There will be more hot air balloon festivals coming up too. These usually have launches in the morning from 4:30 am to 9 am, and end the day with launches in the early evening until about 7 pm. Some festivals have times at dusk to 'light up' the balloons. This is amazing to see.

Get out in your garden to dig some dirt or weed or water your plants...but keep an eye to the sky. Sometimes you will be astonished at what you might see.

Annuals versus Perennials .....oh, which one is better...

Annuals versus Perennials ...oh, which one is better?

Annuals are so great because either you can just go out and buy some and you have instant color for almost the rest of the growing season if you care for them correctly. You do want to think a bit about how the colors complement or contrast with each other. Also how the heights vary from the front to the back of your garden beds so you do not hide the shorter plants. The height and colors you have work through with your  perennials too.

Perennials need to have planning involved so that the timing of their blooming periods overlap yet follow one another to achieve some color in your garden throughout the growing season. You have to realize that there will be areas of just green spaces where some perennials will either be coming into bloom or going dormant. To offset all the green, you can take into effect the foliage of your perennials. This means pick some gray greens like silver mound, chartreuse, or a variegated type, or you could pick different leaf styles like a finely cut fern leaf, a heavy waxy sedum leaf, a wooly lamb's ear leaf, or spiky type yucca spears and so on.

Money-wise annuals are cheaper for one year, but over the long haul you will be shelling out money each year, so that cost will mount up. Perennials will cost more at the beginning, but after you are all set, you will only have to care for them and enjoy the view.

I think that there is a bit of a compromise and use the best of both worlds. Put in as many as you can afford with the perennials, then fill in where you need color with the annuals.

Do what works well for you. Most of all enjoy your garden because that is what is important.

How To Pick Just The Right Plants For Your Garden...

Have you been checking out the various garden centers and nurseries in your local area? This is a great time to do this. Just before summer sets in, there is a shift in the varieties of plant material available.

There is also a change in the blooming of the perennials as we move along though the seasons. I find that if I check out the perennials when they are in bloom, then I will be sure to get the right colors that I am looking for in specific areas of my gardens. For me locally there is Seawright Gardens in Carlisle MA where they specialize in day lilies and hostas. In a couple of weeks I am going to visit there and pick up several varieties of day lilies and hostas. My problem is limiting the number that I want because they are all so beautiful.

Check out any specialty places that might be local to you. If not, find a knowledgeable garden center or nursery and they can special order plants in for you if you have something specific in mind for your garden.