The simple pleasures—time in your garden

Make a small patio a picture perfect place to start your day. What works in these following ideas is that they’re small, with comfortable seating for one or two, and they’re private—layered plantings or walls can enclose them. They’re primarily situated on the east-facing side of the house to take advantage of the rising sun’s warmth. Before your to-do list pulls you away and neighborhood sounds fill the air, take a moment to enjoy the morning’s stillness.

Picture these scenes in your own backyard. . .

This perennial plant is a native to China. The clusters of tiny flowers form atop spikes sometimes reaching 15' tall. The fragrant flowers may be purple, pink, blue, white or red. The leaves are long and course.

Butterfly bush likes well drained, average soil. They thrive in fairly dry conditions once established. Pinch off spent flower clusters to prolong blooming. Plant butterfly bush in full sun to part sun. Butterfly bush is the perfect foundation plant for a butterfly garden. The larger cultivars should be placed behind other shrubs and blooming annuals and perennials. Dark flowered varieties show up quite well against a light background. Plant alongside pentas (Pentas lanceolata), lantana (Lantana camara) and zinnias (Zinnia elegans) for non-stop butterfly activity, and find a place nearby for parsley (Petroselinum crispum), passion vine (Passiflora incarnata) and other butterfly larval food plants.

Contains Trimec, a formulation of three herbicides: 2-4D, MCPP, and Dicamba, to control broadleaf weeds in turf lawns. This combination of herbicides allows lower concentrations yet provides greater control. Can be used effectively in temperatures 10 degrees lower than many combination products. Controls over 30 broadleaf weeds. (Fertilizer may not be effective below 55 degrees)

A superior blend of cottonseed meal, fish bone meal, fish meal, alfalfa meal, kelp meal, mined potassium sulphate, soft rock phosphate, humic acid, seaweed extract, beneficial soil microbes plus ecto and endo mycorrhizae.

• Contains seven champion strains of soil building microbes
• Contains ecto & endo mycorrhizae
• 100% natural and organic
• Fast results because of the microbes
• Superior buds and blooms
• Long lasting benefits for your plants
• More natural available phosphorous
• People and pet safe
  

Use to feed:
All roses (English teas, hybrid teas, climbing roses, miniature roses, bare-root roses, etc.), all flowers, perennials, annuals, flowering shrubs, and trees.

A year round use, organic base, all purpose fertilizer for shrubs, trees, flowers, vegetable and lawns throughout the year. Non-burning. Turns lawns a rich green color without rapid growth. Contains ammonic an organic nitrogen derived from ammoniated phosphates, ureaform and chicken manure.

Trivia Question: What is the most popular melon in the U.S.?

Question, answer, and winner from June 22nd edition:

Question: Darlingtonia californica--what an attractive name! But it's known better for a disgusting habit. What is it?

Answer: This plant lures and digests insects.

Winner: Shannon Walker