A couple of years ago I had an exhausting spring planting season. I started everything from pansies to parsley from seed, and for weeks all I did was run from one windowsill to another with a watering can.I worried constantly about damping off disease. After I put the seedlings outside to harden off, I brought them back in again on […] The post My Experience in Starting Seeds appeared first on Backyard Gardener ..read more

The best thing about early spring is seeing something new daily in the garden. Of course, the pundits would say that if you have done your garden properly, you should see something new every day of the gardening season, but that is another issue. In spring the pace of growth accelerates, and the plants almost seem to be in a […] The post Change in the Garden – Gardening appeared first on Backyard Gardener ..read more

Why is it important to learn how garden flowers are grouped or classified? For one, it will make it easier for you to order plants and flowers. You also will better understand terms you see in books and catalogs. And you’ll learn about some cultural or growth factors to consider when selecting flowers for your garden. To begin with, flowers […] The post Garden Flower Botany Primer – Classification appeared first on Backyard Gardener ..read more

‘Violaine’ is a Hybrid Tea rose which produces large, very fragrant mauve flowers. In general, roses are a large group of flowering shrubs, most with showy flowers that are single-petalled to fully double petalled. Leaves are typically medium to dark green, glossy, and ovate, with finely toothed edges. Vary in size from 1/2 inch to 6 inches, five petals to […] The post Rosa ( Violaine Rose ) appeared first on Backyard Gardener ..read more

‘Ice White’ is a Floribunda rose which produces clusters of semi-double white flowers. Also known as ‘Vision Blanc.’ In general, roses are a large group of flowering shrubs, most with showy flowers that are single-petalled to fully double petalled. Leaves are typically medium to dark green, glossy, and ovate, with finely toothed edges. Vary in size from 1/2 inch to […] The post Rosa ( Vision Blanc Rose ) appeared first on Backyard Gardener ..read more

‘Violacea’ is a tall, smooth-stemmed gallica rose producing cupped to flat, single, scented, violet-purple flowers with sparse gray-green leaves. Also sold in plant nurseries as ‘La Belle Sultane’ rose. In general, roses are a large group of flowering shrubs, most with showy flowers that are single-petalled to fully double petalled. Leaves are typically medium to dark green, glossy, and ovate, […] The post Rosa ( Violacea Rose ) appeared first on Backyard Gardener ..read more

‘Vesper’ is a Floribunda rose which produces clusters of semi-double, slightly fragrant apricot-brown flowers with small, blue-green leaves. In general, roses are a large group of flowering shrubs, most with showy flowers that are single-petalled to fully double petalled. Leaves are typically medium to dark green, glossy, and ovate, with finely toothed edges. Vary in size from 1/2 inch to […] The post Rosa ( Vesper Rose ) appeared first on Backyard Gardener ..read more

‘Vi’s Violet’ is a Miniature rose which produces lightly fragrant, double lavender flowers with matt, mid-green leaves. In general, roses are a large group of flowering shrubs, most with showy flowers that are single-petalled to fully double petalled. Leaves are typically medium to dark green, glossy, and ovate, with finely toothed edges. Vary in size from 1/2 inch to 6 […] The post Rosa ( Vi’s Violet Rose ) appeared first on Backyard Gardener ..read more

Vigorous, thinly branched perennial (that you may want to confine) with basal clusters of oblong to lance-shaped, glossy, dark green leaves reaching up to 12 inches long. Leaves have silver marks and wavy margins. Reaches up to 6 feet tall and about 24 inches wide. Spikes of pale pink flowers appear summer to fall. Cut back flower stalks after flowering, […] The post Acanthus montanus ( Bear’s Breeches ) appeared first on Backyard Gardener ..read more

‘Venusta Pendula’ is an climbing or rambling Ayrshire rose which produces clusters of small, double, white flushed pink flowers. In general, roses are a large group of flowering shrubs, most with showy flowers that are single-petalled to fully double petalled. Leaves are typically medium to dark green, glossy, and ovate, with finely toothed edges. Vary in size from 1/2 inch […] The post Rosa ( Venusta Pendula Rose ) appeared first on Backyard Gardener ..read more