So, you want to start a garden! That’s wonderful news! Growing a garden is a fun and rewarding process that takes time and is well-worth the effort. Here are ten steps to follow when starting a new garden from scratch. You might be surprised to find that planting doesn’t begin until step 8. Much of
One rose. It was the only plant the former owners of my Michigan home asked to take with them when I moved in around May 2005. The rose had once belonged to his mother and now it was moving halfway across the country to find a new place in their Idaho garden. That left precisely
At the end of the season, were there a few things you would have done differently? It’s true for everyone—no matter how long we’ve been gardening, there are always things we want to change. The garden is constantly evolving. I’ve been gardening on a shaded one-third acre parcel for 16 years and would consider myself
Winter is the perfect time to make a DIY terrarium—a garden under glass—that you can enjoy indoors until it’s time to get back out into your garden again. There are lots of different styles of terrariums to choose from, but they all contain the same basic few ingredients: a clear glass container with or without
Some of the most unique pieces of furniture are often handcrafted. That’s the case with the crate table planter you see here which is made from four repurposed fruit crates and a piece of scrap plywood. It is durable enough to stay out in a screened porch or other dry area year-round and should last
“Sharing is the most fundamental act of friendship. It is a way you can give something without losing anything.” – Richard Stallman It is wonderful to be able to enjoy your hydrangeas blooming prolifically or to collect a basketful of fresh produce out of the garden for your supper, but those experiences are made all
One easy yet impactful thing you can do to boost your home’s curb appeal is add matching porch pots to flank your front door. Take a drive through a nice neighborhood this weekend and see how others are doing it near you. There’s something about having beautiful flowers on the porch that makes a home
Purple fountain grass is a classic go-to for summer and fall containers, but it takes a little practice to use them successfully. The most common call for help we hear from our customers is when their grass takes over their container at the expense of everything they have planted it with. Let’s take a closer
It’s late August in Michigan and as I am sitting here looking out my window into my garden, I’m seeing an incredible number of bees whizzing by while a beautiful yellow Eastern swallowtail butterfly hangs upside down to feed on my six-foot tall ‘Uchida’ lilies. I am blessed to welcome so many pollinators into my
If a durable, lower maintenance landscape is what you’re seeking, you’ll find this list of reliable native shrubs and perennials helpful. We offer many cultivars of native plants (sometimes referred to as “nativars”) here at Garden Crossings, but we’ve selected these ten for their unique beauty and ease of growth. Find details about where they’ll
Photo Courtesy of Susan Martin Caption: Rather than creating a single hedge, this homeowner layered this shrub border with a mix of small to medium sized flowering shrubs in front of tall evergreens. This creates a more interesting landscape that has something to offer in every season. So, you want to grow a hedge! Let’s
Photo Courtesy of Spring Meadow If you are looking for a hedge that stays green all year, or one that will afford you a greater degree of privacy year-round, you’ve come to the right place. We’re sharing seven of our best evergreen shrubs for creating privacy hedges in your landscape here. With a mix of