Home And Garden

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...