Our tips & advice to keep your garden beautiful!

Good Garden Bone Structure is GardenWise

Bone Structure is Key to a Garden's Success Home owners are often taken aback when they realize, after many hours of prep time and intensive labor,  their  lovely  and very expensive collection of plants in the garden are nothing more than too many lovely and expensive plants in a forgettable outdoor space. The most memorable and eye-catching  gardens  are  those with strong internal hardscape structure. Too  many  plants [...]

By |2017-10-11T11:36:12-04:00June 10th, 2013|Gardening Tips|Comments Off on Good Garden Bone Structure is GardenWise

Don’t Be a Fool; Lose Your Lawn!

Replacing Lawns with Groundcovers is GardenWise  A thoughtful understanding that an  outside space can have a positive impact the environment is the best first step to a green garden.  Another important step to take is to reduce your lawn area by at least half.  To the left is a GardenWIse garden using only groundcovers, no grass! Substitute lawn [...]

By |2017-10-11T11:36:15-04:00June 5th, 2013|Gardening Tips|Comments Off on Don’t Be a Fool; Lose Your Lawn!

National Gardening Exercise Day is Sunday, June 6!

Sunday is National Gardening Exercise Day, and many who have a passion for maintaining our gardens know that working with plants is good for us both physically and mentally. Gardening is a moderate, and sometimes strenuous form of exercise that incorporates many important elements of exercise regimes, such as stretching,  repetition of movement, and even resistance principles similar to weight training, while expending [...]

By |2017-10-11T11:36:17-04:00June 4th, 2013|Gardening Tips|Comments Off on National Gardening Exercise Day is Sunday, June 6!

The Importance of Choosing the Right Trees

I'm a big fan of saving old and chereished trees at all costs. I'm also big on incorporating older trees into a landscape design. Attached is a link to an "ASK MARTHA" column by Martha Stewart in which she writes about her love affair with trees -- Something I can relate to. She discusses picking [...]

By |2017-10-11T11:36:19-04:00June 2nd, 2013|Gardening Tips|Comments Off on The Importance of Choosing the Right Trees

Go Down in a Sea of Sea Holly

A flower we need to share with everyone today is great for any sunny garden and areas with well-drained soil -- 'Big Blue' Sea Holly. It's drought and deer resistant, and grow as tall as three feet. Rabbits have appeared in much larger numbers this year in many of the Northern Virginia neighborhoods closer to [...]

By |2017-10-11T11:36:22-04:00May 30th, 2013|Gardening Tips|Comments Off on Go Down in a Sea of Sea Holly

Martha Stewart and GardenWise on Herbs and Vines

Plant and Grow Now -- Vines, Veggies and Herbs Martha Stewart was on the Today show this morning  talking about herbs.  She pronounces the "H".  Here's  a link via hulu. You'll have to suffer through  a 30 second commercial.  Martha's segment has inpired to do today's post on what you can plant and grow right now -- Veggies, Herbs [...]

By |2017-10-11T11:36:27-04:00May 29th, 2013|Gardening Tips|Comments Off on Martha Stewart and GardenWise on Herbs and Vines

Organic Gardening Tips

  It's important not to get caught up in thinking an organic garden is out of your reach.  Some very inexpensive and simple steps will have you on your way.  Remember, an organic garden is a garden that is cared for with a more natural approach without the assistance of chemicals and pesticides. Companion plants area a great way to repel pests.  Plant tomatoes near cabbage -- the pests that love [...]

By |2017-10-11T11:36:34-04:00May 26th, 2013|Gardening Tips|Comments Off on Organic Gardening Tips

GardenWise on Gardening with Recycled Materials

There are so many advantages to using recycled materials when creating a stone/hardscape garden project.  For the environment and your wallet!  We use recycled  materials, such as concrete for paving systems, recycled glass in stepping stones, and crushed recycled stone and granite for patio surfaces whenever possible.   It's a great "green" step to take while creating your special garden space. An added benefit [...]

By |2017-10-11T11:36:41-04:00May 24th, 2013|Gardening Tips|Comments Off on GardenWise on Gardening with Recycled Materials

They Thrive in Clay

  I work often in the clay heavy soil of Northern Virginia, which means I have the  opportunity to share  some of the most beautiful clay soil survivors, with blooms that will take your breath away.  Blue Cornflower, a Kennedy favorite, and more are guaranteed to take your breath away.  Below are some suggestions for those with clay-heavy soil, beginning [...]

By |2017-10-11T11:36:51-04:00May 22nd, 2013|Gardening Tips|Comments Off on They Thrive in Clay

Southern Living Ranks Popular Plants By Their Water Needs

How Thirsty Are Your Plants? A look back. Author and gardener Pamela Crawford is profiled by Steve Bender  in the April 2010 issue of Southern Living.  Pamela is an expert on growing beautiful flowers while saving water, money and time.  In the profile, Pamela provides Southern Living readers with a ranking of nine popular plants according to their water needs [...]

By |2017-10-11T11:36:56-04:00May 20th, 2013|Gardening Tips|Comments Off on Southern Living Ranks Popular Plants By Their Water Needs