Karen Ellis
Garden Guides Editorial Policies
Garden Guides uses a knowledgeable team of editors, writers, and experts to create all our content. We dive deep into the ever-evolving conversations surrounding gardening and landscaping, striving to deliver the most current and helpful tips, strengthened by expert insight and tutorials from our talented team.
As we cover many fields of expertise, we make it a priority to ensure every beat remains fresh and comprehensive. Additional information on our editorial process available here.
Stories By Karen Ellis
-
-
-
List Of Asian Plants
List of Asian Plants. With the popularity of indoor, lucky bamboo plants, interest in other Asian plants has grown in the United States. When creating an Asian-themed landscape or garden area, these plants are a must. However, they blend readily in a more eclectic landscape as well.
Read More -
Flowers That Bloom In The Spring In Alabama
Flowers That Bloom in the Spring in Alabama. Alabama is blessed to have the longest growing season in America: 300 days a year. This means gardeners in Alabama can grow just about anything they like, except for flowers that cannot abide high temperatures. It also means that spring comes early, with many colorful spring blooms. A number of spring-blooming flowers are quite commonly seen in Alabama.
Read More -
What To Plant Around Fruit Trees
What to Plant Around Fruit Trees. Fruit trees are a great addition to a backyard or front yard garden. The spring blossoms are as colorful as the fruit that appears later. You may be looking at the bare ground under your fruit trees and wonder what to plant around them. Companion planting has been around for a long time and is the best way to choose plants to work in around your fruit trees. In companion planting, certain plants grow together help to repel insects and offer nutrients the other plants need. This creates a more conducive ecosystem for your fruit tree and the other plants around it.
Read More -
How To Divide Knockout Roses
How to Divide Knockout Roses. Knockout roses are cold-hardy, disease-resistant hybrids created by longtime rose developer William Radler. He developed this particular rose in 1988. and it had won the All-American Rose Award by the year 2000. This new hybrid became the fastest-selling new rose of all time. The knockout rose requires little care, which is one of its most attractive qualities. The best time to divide these roses is after the blooms and leaves have fallen off, in the fall.
Read More -
How To Fertilize Grapevines
How to Fertilize Grapevines. There is nothing more romantic, in a landscape, than a trellis of grapevines. You may never get to Tuscany, Italy, but you can create a setting at home that feels like an Italian vineyard. Whether you are thinking about putting in grapevines, or have inherited them with a newly-purchased home, fertilize the vines to keep them healthy so they produce an ample harvest.
Read More -
How To Care For A Hollyhock Plant
How to Care for a Hollyhock Plant. Hollyhock is a late spring and early summer blooming perennial enjoyed for its large, bright flowers. Of the approximately 60 different species of hollyhocks (Alcea rosea), flower colors are found in red, purple, pink, yellow and white. Some species grow to 8 feet in height. This drought-resistant plant is low-maintenance, growing best in hardiness plant zones 4 through 10 in full sunshine.
Read More -
Plants & Flowers Of The Caribbean
Plants & Flowers of the Caribbean. In the Caribbean islands, the landscaping around most hotels is neatly designed with tropical plants and flowers. Beyond, into the natural growth of this area, the lushness is almost mind boggling. The plants and flowers in the Caribbean grow three times faster than in more temperate climate locations. There are exquisite orchids, hundreds of types of palms and the colorful bird of paradise. The house plant, commonly called Mother-in-law's Tongue, is found in the natural outdoor setting as well.
Read More -
Characteristics Of A Holly Tree
Characteristics of a Holly Tree. Holly may remind you of the holiday season. You see it in wreaths hung on decorated doors, in displays around the fireplace or as a centerpiece on the dining room table. It's very festive and bright with its spiky, dark green leaves and bright red berries. The plant grows, at its mature state, to an average of between 15 to 30 feet tall, making it a nice size for landscaping. It can be trimmed and so considered a holly bush (shrub).
Read More -
Examples Of Dish Gardens
Examples of Dish Gardens. Dish gardens are one-of-a-kind plant arrangements for indoors or outdoors, depending on the plants chosen. They also make a suitable gift for an office pal, get well surprise or a thank you gift. They can be constructed quickly and fairly easily, with no special skills. Find the perfect shallow planter at a garden center. Ceramic or clay containers work well. Pick up a small bag of gravel for drainage under the soil, potting soil and small plants.
Read More -
Care Instructions For A Money Tree
Care Instructions for a Money Tree. Money trees (Chinese money trees, malabar chestnut or pachira) are most known for use in feng shui or Chinese tradition as a good luck plant. Money trees are a simple plant to grow and care for, needing little attention. They do well with low natural light exposure and are drought tolerant. If you are the forgetful type, this is the perfect plant for you.
Read More -
How To Grow Yellow Watermelon
How to Grow Yellow Watermelon. Trying something new spices up life. You may have gardened for just a few years or all your life. If you've gotten in a rut by growing the same fruits and vegetables every year, try planting yellow watermelon, which isn't usually found in grocery stores. Most people have never even tried it. You will be delighted with the sweet honey-like flavor. Yellow watermelon is planted and cared for in the same manner as red-fleshed watermelon. It is, however, a hybrid (genetically altered). If you save the seeds to plant next year, you most likely will not get the same shape or flavor of fruit. In fact, many times the seed will not germinate, or if it does, will not produce.
Read More -
How To Start Bottlebrush From Cuttings
How to Start Bottlebrush From Cuttings. The bottlebrush plant has an unusual bloom that really does look like a bottle brush. The spiky flower colors are found in red, mauve, pink, cream and green. Once a bottlebrush is established in the garden, take cuttings from it to produce new plants. These also make inexpensive gifts for friends, family or office co-workers, when planted in an attractive pot after roots have formed.
Read More -
Types Of Greenery Fillers For Flower Arrangements
Types of Greenery Fillers for Flower Arrangements. The foliage of a floral arrangement is quite often thought of last, if at all. Of course, the color palette of the flowers is one of the first considerations. However, the greenery filler is important for the proper enhancement. Arrangement foliage comes in different shades of green; some bright, some deep and some variegated. It is also found in various shapes and sizes. Even small-leafed greenery can look great in a large arrangement if the stalk is long enough and the effect is one of airiness.
Read More -
How To Seal Garden Pots
How to Seal Garden Pots. Some garden pots are already sealed, or need no sealing, when you purchase them. Plastic garden pots do not breath as clay pots do. Therefore, they need no sealing. Ceramic pots are hardened with a glaze when heated in a kiln. This glaze seals the ceramic pot. Clay pots (terra cotta), however, are not sealed most times. They certainly may be used as a planter without the use of a sealer, but the plant will require extra watering. Clay pots are porous, which allows a certain amount of air to penetrate the clay and into the soil. In turn, the clay also sucks the water from the soil. A sealed clay pot will give you the same benefit as a plastic or glazed ceramic garden pot, less watering.
Read More -
Crabapple Jam Recipes
Crabapple Jam Recipes. If you've ever plucked a crabapple off a tree and taken a bite, you know the bitter pulp in your mouth was nearly inedible. However, all is not lost with this fruit, as it makes a tasty jam once it's processed with sugar or honey. Other fruits added to crabapples can alter the flavor and offer an alternate to the plain version. The jam is an appropriate complement to holiday meals, and crabapple jam-filled jars can be dressed up with ribbon and a label for easy gifts.
Read More -
How To Grow Bamboo Indoors In Water
How to Grow Bamboo Indoors in Water. Bamboo grown indoors in water is often called "lucky bamboo," with the formal name of Dracaena sanderiana. In Feng Shui, this plant is meant to bring the owner good luck and fortune. You may choose to purchase one or more stalks to plant in a single container. Because it is such an easy care plant, it is perfect for busy people. Just keep it in clean water and you will have a happy, healthy plant.
Read More -
How To Repot A Shamrock Plant
How to Repot a Shamrock Plant. The shamrock is an indoor plant, often associated with Ireland and good luck. The leaves are like three-leaf clovers with delicate white or light purple blossoms. It is grown from bulbs.Your plant will require a rest period during the year, when it is allowed to go dormant. Choose a time that the leaves start to look a bit limp and stop watering it. As the leaves turn brown, clip them off. Place your shamrock in a cool, dry dimly lit room for one to three months. Bring it back out into a well-lit location, but not full sun, water it and feed it with a general-purpose houseplant fertilizer. Re-pot your plant at this time if it appears to be crowded in its current pot or if you want to divide it.
Read More
