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Family:  Myrtaceae Genus:  Callistemon Species:  rigidus Category: Trees Height: 10-12 ft. (3-3.6 m) Spacing: 6-8 ft. (1.8-2.4 m) Sun Exposure: Full Sun Danger: N/A Bloom Color: Red Bloom Time: Late Winter/Early Spring Mid Spring Late Spring/Early Summer Foliage: Grown for foliage Evergreen Other details: Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds Soil pH requirements: 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral) 7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline) Patent Information: Non-patented Propagation Methods: From semi-hardwood cuttings From seed; direct sow after last frost Seed Collecting: Unblemished fruit must be significantly overripe before harvesting seed; clean and dry seeds

The next time your neighbor with the emerald green lawn casts a look down their nose at your less than perfect lawn, don’t feel bad. The fact of the matter is that your weedy lawn is doing more for your garden, the environment and your wallet that the supposedly “perfect” lawn your neighbor maintains. One of the major benefits of having a weedy lawn is that many weeds in your lawn attract butterflies and caterpillars. Common lawn weeds, such as plantain, dandelion and clover are sources of food for the Buckeye butterfly, Baltimore butterfly, Eastern tailed blue butterfly and a great many others. Allowing some of these common weeds to grow in your garden, encourages butterflies to lay their eggs in your yard which will result in more butterflies in your garden later on. Weeds also help to attract other beneficial bugs to your garden as well. Many good bugs, like predatory wasps, preying mantis, ladybugs and bees find food and shelter in the weeds in our yards. These “good” bugs will

It's important to learn how to take care of summer plants in the winter, because most so-called summer plants cannot withstand freezing winter temperatures. Whether your summer plant is a tropical plant or a tender herb you'd like to keep alive throughout the winter months, learn the steps to taking care of plants through the wintertime. How to Take Care of Summer Plants in the Winter When people talk about summer plants, what do they mean? Identify your plant below and learn the specifics of how to take care of summer plants in the winter. Annual Flowers Annual summer flowers such as impatiens and begonias hail from warm, tropical climates. Most cannot withstand temperatures consistently dipping below 50 or 60 degrees. You'll see frost damage on the flowers first, followed by dying leaves. You can try to maintain them throughout the winter months by placing a cold frame around the garden bed. A cold frame consists of side panels and an angled clear plastic or gla

Common Names: Chinese hibiscus, rose-of-China, Hawaiian hibiscus Family: Malvaceae (mallow Family) Description Chinese hibiscus is a large shrub or small tree that gets up to 15 ft (4.5 m) tall in frost free climates. The toothed leaves are arranged alternately and are quite variable, but tend to be large, dark green, and shiny. Chinese hibiscus has a coarse texture and normally grows upright and broad spreading. It usually grows as a bush with many stems. Flowers are glorious and huge at their best -- up to 6 in (15 cm) in diameter -- and occur in many colors. Most are flared and have a bell shape; they may be single or double, smooth or scalloped. The flowers have a long central tube with stamens and pistils at the tip. Hundreds of selections are available, with flower colors from scarlet to orange to yellow to white. Location The experts aren't sure, but Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is thought to have originated in tropical Asia . Culture Deep, moderately fertile, well dr

Common Names: yellow poinciana, yellow flame tree, copper-pod, yellow flamboyant tree Family: Fabaceae/Leguminosae (bean Family) Description Yellow poinciana is a very showy flowering tree up to 50' tall, with wide-spreading branches that form an umbrella-like crown up to 25' across. The stems and twigs are rusty-red tomentose (fuzzy). The leaves are bipinnate (twice compound), about 2' long with 8-20 pairs of 3/4"-long oblong leaflets. The fragrant flowers are clustered on upright stalks (racemes, actually) about 18" long. Each flower is about an inch and a half across with translucent yellow, strangely-crinkled petals. The flowers have conspicuous orange stamens and each petal has a reddish brown mark in the center. They are followed by purplish brown, flattened, oblong seed pods, 3-4" long, which remain on the tree until the next flowering season. Location Yellow poinciana is native to coastal areas from Sri Lanka through the Malay archipelago and I

TYPES OF LIGHTS Introduction There are a number of different approaches used for growing plants under lights. To make an informed decision as to what type of lighting should be employed, the fundamentals of light, colour and lighting systems should be understood. In this article we will examine the how light is qualitatively appraised with respect to color and intensity. Different lighting systems will be examined, and most available types of lights will be discussed. Examples of some "real world" lighting systems will be given and analyzed with respect to effectiveness, initial cost, operating expense and longevity. LIGHT AND COLOUR What is light Visible light is that part of the electro-magnetic spectrum that lies between the wavelengths of ultraviolet and infrared. That's probably more that you need to know for the purposes of home growing. White light is all colors When we see a rainbow, we are seeing white light split up into it's component colours, hence the

Retaining walls make beautiful additions to gardens, patios and overall landscaping. It's a decorative-- and very popular-- way to organize a yard. It's also one of those projects almost any homeowner can do. It just takes some planning and patience. Read on to learn how to build a landscaping retaining wall. Instructions 1 Use a measuring tape to come up with dimensions and determine where you will build the retaining wall. 2 Determine the linear feet of the project, so you know how many concrete blocks to purchase. 3 Make sure the area where the retaining wall will be built is clearly marked. Using spray paint will help. 4 Use a shovel to dig a trench. Make sure the trench is wide enough to fit a block plus a couple inches for rock. It needs to be deep enough to partially bury the first row of concrete blocks. Usually this will be 8 to 12 inches below ground level. 5 Add at least one inch of crushed rock to the trench. This will help make the base fir

Characteristics of Ground CoversThe suitability of a plant to use as a ground cover is determined by it's growing habits, not necessarily by size or by height. Typically, ground covers sprawl, spread, run, or colonize by reseeding. Some ground covers will only grow in full shade, others thrive in full sun, and still others will survive no matter where you grow them. Some prefermoist soils rich in humus, others are well adapted to dry conditions. The shallow root system of most ground covers makes them suitable for planting between Rhododendrons or other broad leaf evergreens, which resent having their roots disturbed by cultivation. These attributes of the ground cover make them very useful for several purposes, including weed and erosion control. Ground covers come in a wide range of sizes, colors and textures, adding interest, beauty, and uniformity to the garden. Make your plant selections carefully, so that the plants are suited to your climate, plant hardiness, water availab

Botanical name : Beaucarnea Recurvata Plant type : Houseplant Sun exposure: Full Sun, Part Sun Ponytail Palms are a great, long-lived indoor plant. (Despite it’s name and palm-like appearance, it’s not a true “palm.”) This plant has long green leathery stems that develop as the plant ages. Indoors, they can reach up to 3 feet high. The only thing that is difficult about this plant is adapting to its watering needs. Planting Use a fast draining soil, such as cactus potting soil also A soil mix consisting of 2 parts loam to 1 part peat moss to 2 parts sand has been used successfully. To this mix, small gravel may be added to ensure good drainage Normal room temperature is good for most of the year, but keep it cooler in the winter (50 to 55° F). Find a location with bright light. Care Keep soil fairly dry. Water from spring through fall allowing soil to dry on the surface before re-watering. During the winter only water occasionally. Fertilize in the spring and bring into bri

Although not considered true lilies, the calla lily is an extraordinary flower. This beautiful plant, available in a multitude of colors, grows from rhizomes and is ideal for use in beds and borders as well as bouquets. You can also grow calla lilies in containers, either outdoors or within a sunny window as houseplants. Here are a few tips on growing calla lilies that will make them sparkle in your yard. Tips on Growing Calla Lilies It is easy to grow calla lilies. These plants do not generally require too much. Proper planting and location are about the only important things to consider when growing calla lilies. Care of calla lilies requires that they be planted in loose, well-drained soil. They prefer to be located in full sun or partial shade in warmer climates. Calla lilies are typically planted in the spring. However, wait until the threat of frost has passed and the soil has warmed sufficiently before planting calla lilies. Calla lilies should be planted rather deep, abo

 Adding a waterfall to a boring backyard can bring life and tranquility into a home garden. Waterfalls can transform a backyard into a more sophisticated garden with ease. By planning well, taking the appropriate precautions and understanding the requirements for a backyard garden, a simple backyard waterfall can become a work of art. Start with Some Preplanning Before heading to the store to purchase supplies for building a waterfall, survey the garden and take some time to plan. Less is more when determining the appropriate size. Measure the backyard and the area that you are considering for placement of the waterfall. Keep children and pets in mind when selecting the location and the size. In addition, consider the layout. A waterfall that leads down a small stream and into a tiny pond sounds wonderful, but it could be too much for a small space. A small waterfall with a pond is the ideal choice for many gardens. Consider the size of a backyard waterfall carefully before beginning