Grow a Beautiful Garden Full of Flowers
Step-by-step flower gardening how-tos, from assessing sunlight and preparing soil to planting, deadheading, staking and mulching.
9 guides published
From an empty pot to a full, balanced planting: how to choose a thriller, fillers and spillers, fill the pot, arrange and plant in the right order, and care for the container afterward.
Find out which mulch suits your flower bed, how deep to spread it, when to apply it in your climate, and how to keep it away from stems and crowns so plants stay healthy.
Stop tall and heavy-headed flowers from flopping: how to grow sturdier plants, which support suits which plant shape, and how to set stakes, hoops and twine early so they stay hidden.
A clear guide to removing faded blooms: where to cut, three methods for different plant shapes, which flowers respond, which do not need it, and when to leave seed heads standing.
Learn the signs that a perennial clump needs splitting, how to time the job for your climate, the lifting and dividing steps, and how to care for the new plants afterward.
A step-by-step guide to direct sowing: which flowers suit it, how to time it by frost dates, how to prepare a seedbed, sow at the right depth, keep it moist and thin the seedlings.
Get nursery pots and cell packs into the ground the right way: what to do before planting, seven clear steps from hole to first watering, and how to care for transplants while they root in.
Turn lawn or tired ground into a bed where flowers root well: test the soil's texture and drainage, clear the grass, loosen the ground, mix in compost and let it settle before you plant.
Learn what full sun, part shade and shade mean on a plant tag, and how to map the hours of direct sun in your own yard with nothing more than paper, a pencil and one clear day.
