Do you like to grow vines?  I do.

Instead of heading out to the store to buy a boring, wooden trellis, how about making a rustic trellis using tree branches?  It won’t cost you much – in fact, you probably have a pile of tree branches to work with after pruning your trees.  The only cost involved is for screws, twine and some rebar.

You will need tree branches (ranging from 1/2 – 1-inch in diameter), screws, twine, 2 pieces of rebar and a drill.

– To get started, decide on what shape you want your trellis to be and take a few minutes to sketch out how many branches you will need.

– Plan on 5 – 7 support branches, which will be positioned up and down and will provide the bulk of the support for your vine.  These branches should be about 6 feet high and 1-inch in diameter.

– Sketch in the remaining branches perpendicular to the support branches.  They should be spaced approximately 12-inches apart from each other.  The spacing doesn’t have to be precise – remember that this is a natural, rustic trellis.

– When it’s time to put the trellis together, layout the branches on a flat surface and arrange them according to your sketch, making adjustments as needed.

– Have someone assist you to hold the branches and using a drill, add the screws in each area where the branches will intersect each other.

– Using a natural-colored twine, wrap each area where the branches intersect to cover up the screws.

– To provide extra support for your trellis, place 2 pieces of rebar (one on each side of the trellis) into the soil so that they are approximately 12-inches deep.  Then anchor the trellis to the rebar using twine or wire.

– The final step is to plant your favorite vine.  Maybe a clematis?

Creating a trellis from tree branches is not only a fun diy yard project, but it is also beautiful, sustainable and saves you money!

Do you have any diy yard projects that you have done?  We are always looking for new ideas, so please share them with us!

Do you like to use containers filled with plants to decorate the outside of your home or garden?

Containers filled with beautiful plants are an easy way to spice up the outdoor areas of our homes.  Usually, we fill our pots with one or two different types of flowers.

Have you ever thought of doing something a little different then using the same flower combinations year after year?

One of the newest gardening trends is planting edible plants such as vegetables and herbs alongside flowers in containers.

It may be surprising for some of you to learn that many types of edible plants can also be used as ornamental plants, much like we use flowers in the garden.  I have been growing vegetables and herbs with flowers in my containers for a few years now and it has become one of my favorite container ideas.

On a recent trip to the Midwest, I had the opportunity to visit the Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin.  I am always excited to see botanical gardens where you can often see examples of the newest gardening trends.  During my visit, I was immediately attracted to the creative use of edible plants coupled with flowering annuals throughout the garden.

Containers in all different sizes and shapes were filled with a collection of colorful leafy vegetables and herbs alongside colorful annuals such as lobelia and violas.

Besides being quite beautiful, a large amount of edible plants can be quite easy to grow in containers.  What’s even better, you can eat them too!

Putting together vegetables, herbs and flowers in the same pot may seem difficult – but is is surprisingly easy to do.  So, if you are looking for some new container ideas, come back on Monday, when we will talk about which edible plants that will grow well in containers.  I’ll also show you some more examples of the beautiful plant combinations that I saw while visiting Olbrich Botanical Gardens.

What types of vegetables and/or herbs would you like to grow in containers?

1. Make a list of your favorite summertime sippers. If you like to unwind with a mojito or julep, plan for plenty of mint; just plant it in pots to keep this vigorous grower under control. Is a Bloody Mary your idea of bliss? Grow cilantro, chives and dill.
2. If you can cook with it, you can drink it. A longtime foodie favorite, basil is now popular with mixologists, too. From cinnamon to clove, spicy to sweet, each variety boasts its own distinct flavor. Use it to balance the sweetness of a watermelon margarita, or kick up citrus drinks like grapefruit martinis.
3. Make room for veggies. Summertime drinks don’t have to be over-the-top sweet. Make a refreshing picnic punch by adding sliced cucumbers to white soda and frozen limeade (vodka optional) or infuse gin for cool-as-a-cucumber gin and tonics. Cherry tomatoes growing like gangbusters? Pick a handful and, in a shaker, muddle them with strawberries and sugar. Fill with ice, add a shot of vodka, shake and pour. It’s summer in a glass.
4. Bring the heat. Pick a peck of jalapeno peppers and turn a ho-hum drink into something hot, hot, hot! Add directly to the cocktail of your choice or infuse your favorite booze or mixer—vodka, tequila or simple syrup are fun options.
5. Grow a great garnish. Nasturtium, marigold and lavender look as pretty in a glass as they do in a garden. Float a marigold bloom on top of a blood orange martini, scatter lavender petals atop a blackberry agua fresca or dress up a glass of champagne with a pretty pansy.
6. Give lesser-known herbs a chance. Crush the leaves of lemon balm into spiked lemonade. Its fresh citrus flavor with undertones of mint brightens any drink, especially those made with peach, apple or melon. Enjoy a taste of the tropics with pineapple sage, which is delicious in pineapple and coconut concoctions.
7. Have fun with fruit. Fresh strawberries can be used in anything from champagne punches to spritzers. Small watermelons, like the Sugar Baby cultivar, make great margaritas, as do the fresh limes plucked off your own tree. (Grow a lime tree in a container if you don’t live in the South; just bring it inside for the winter.)
8. Concoct an intoxicating experience. Plant a fountain, a few chairs and a bistro table near your cocktail garden, or, better yet, plan for your next patio party by building a few sitting walls around the perimeter. Your friends will happily sip their freshly picked beverages while drinking up all that fresh air.

COCKTAIL GARDEN PLANTING LIST

Basil
Chives
Cilantro
Cucumber
Dill
Jalapeno
Lavender
Lemon balm
Lemon verbena
Lime tree
Mint (chocolate, spearmint, peppermint)
Nasturtium
Pineapple sage
Rosemary
Strawberries
Tomatoes (cherry and heirloom)
Watermelon

 

Do you like roses? Throughout history, roses have been a most favorite flower. It is hard to beat its beautiful, ruffled blossoms and fragrance.

Have you ever seen a large rosebush? I recently had the opportunity to see the world’s largest rosebush. It is located in a rather unexpected place—Tombstone, Arizona, which is a place better know for its immortalized gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

While my husband was excited to tour the historic sites throughout the town, I was looking forward to seeing the enormous rosebush that I had heard so much about.

World’s Largest Rosebush

To see the rose, you have to enter the Rose Inn and walk through the small museum toward the back garden.

We walked onto a brick patio that was covered by the dappled shade from the rose’s outer branches.

Although I was expecting the rosebush to be large, I was still surprised at the sheer enormity of it. You can see me standing next to the rosebush to get an idea of the scale (I am rather tall 5’9″).

As you walk to the other side, you can get a better view of the entire rosebush, which is supported by a lattice made of metal rods supported by wooden poles. The rose bush is 8,000 square feet wide!

The history of the rosebush is quite interesting. It was planted in 1887 by a Scottish immigrant who was homesick for her homeland. Her family sent her a box of cutting from her favorite rosebush from the family home in Scotland. She shared one of the cuttings with her best friend and helped her plant it in the back of the boardinghouse she owned.

As the rosebush grew, it began to attract notice at how large it was. In the 1930’s, it was named the “World’s Largest Rosebush”, a title it still holds today.

The rose bush is a Lady Bank’s rose (Rosa banksiae) which is thornless and can be grown as a climber or ground cover.  It is hardy to zones 8 – 11.  Small, fragrant roses appear in March and April that absolutely cover this large rose bush.  It is said that the blossoms smell like violets.

To see the roses, you have to climb up onto a small stand where you view the roses borne atop the large rosebush.

Although it was not in flower when I visited, it was still truly impressive in its scale. Who would have expected a rose that came from Scotland would thrive in this hot, dry desert town?

Cuttings of this magnificent rosebush were offered for sale and I couldn’t resist buying one for my own flower garden.

I noticed something wonderful in my front yard as I went out to get my mail a few days ago. The sunshine mimosa I planted several years ago as a groundcover has finally started to out-compete the grass in that area. The green foliage and pink blooms look great!

The idea of replacing grass with groundcovers is becoming very popular. Gardeners want plantings that work with their environment, rather than struggle against it. Groundcovers are low-growing plants that spread over a wide area. They can handle foot traffic without damage, like grass. Compared to traditional sod, they almost always require much less water, mowing, and general maintenance. Some even have flowers, like my sunshine mimosa. There are often some great native options available. Sunshine mimosa (Mimosa strigillosa) is an excellent groundcover in zones 8 to 11.

Try Sunshine Mimosa in a Small Area

If you’re not quite ready to give up all your grass, or you have kids or dogs that need a place to play, consider starting small with an area of the yard that people rarely walk on anyway. My sunshine mimosa shown here is growing in the tree lawn. This is what we people from the Cleveland-area call that strip of grass between the road and the sidewalk. No one is going to play there, but it does see some occasional foot traffic (and even cars parked on it from time to time). Since no one wants to spend time weeding a flower bed so close to the road, this strip is the perfect place to try out groundcovers like sunshine mimosa to see if you like them.

Clear Out Grass and Weeds

When you first plant groundcover, the fastest way to get it established is to clear the area of grass and other growth first. If you can’t or don’t want to do that, though, and your growing season is long enough, you can try just plugging in the plants and letting them gradually overtake the surrounding grass, as I’ve done. My sunshine mimosa has taken about four years to completely overtake my tree lawn. It would have been much faster if I’d cleared the grass out first. But I was in no hurry.

My groundcover, sunshine mimosa is a Florida native plant. It’s also known as sensitive plant and powderpuff. If this plant won’t work for your growing zone or conditions, check out the top 10 colorful groundcovers for more ideas.

Materials:

• Three 9-in. lengths of ¾-in. PVC piping, each with threading at one end only
• 6 PVC caps (3 slip, 3 threaded)
• Plumber’s seal tape (if necessary)
• PVC adhesive
• Fine steel wool
• Drill and small bit
• Spray paint
• ½-in. masking or painter’s tape
• 14-gauge copper wire
• Glass beads
• Fabric or plastic for flower (optional)

Step-By-Step Instructions:

Step 1

Using steel wool, lightly sand the pipe pieces and caps, including the insides of the slip caps.

Step 2

Attach slip caps to the non-threaded end of the pipes with PVC adhesive. Allow to dry.

Step 3

Drill a small hole in each piece of piping about 3 in. from the capped end.

Step 4

Paint the PVC pipe. Prime it first or use a spray paint with primer. Spray on a base color and allow to dry. Create stripes by taping off a candy-cane pattern or other design and spraying with a second color. Create a zigzag stripe (as shown) by applying tape in the opposite direction of the first stripe and spraying with a third color. Allow each paint layer to dry completely before removing the tape.

Step 5

Once paint is dry, wash pipes with mild soap and warm water to remove any paint odor or residue.

Step 6

Cut a 22-in. length of wire and fold it in half, leaving an eye hook at the top. Twist the wire 5 times, add a glass bead and twist 5 more times. Wrap the
2 strands of wire around center of 1 pipe, twist 5 times, add a glass bead and twist 5 more times. Repeat for remaining pipes.

Step 7

Finishing: To hang the pipe pieces together, trim 1 wire at the end of the last twist, leaving a 1-in. tail on the other wire. Bend tail into a “C” to link the feeders; flatten the “C” slightly with a hammer so the copper will hold its shape. To hang pieces individually, make a decorative swirl with both wire ends (as shown at center and far right) and flatten with a hammer.

Step 8

Line everything up and tighten the wire around the tube. Tighten the twists until the tube is level and the hole faces up.

Step 9

If desired, make a flower out of fabric or plastic. Put a hole in the center and glue to the outside of the feeding port.

Step 10

Test feeder with water: Fill at the threaded end and close with a threaded cap. If it leaks, wrap the pipe threads with seal tape.

Step 11

Fill feeder with nectar or sugar water, placing your finger over the feeding hole to prevent spilling. Seal with the threaded cap and hang with the feeding hole facing up.

Do you have fruit trees?  If you do, then you have probably heard of borers and shudder at the possibility of them affecting your fruit trees.

If aren’t familiar with borers or the damage they cause here is why you don’t want them in your garden.

Adult borer beetles lay eggs in the crevices of the bark of fruit trees toward the bottom of the trunk. After the eggs hatch, the larvae tunnel their way into the trunk. Borers make small holes and you can sometimes see sawdust around the holes or sap running down the trunk.

Plant Garlic Around Fruit Trees

So what can you do to help prevent borers from coming to your fruit garden? A natural deterrent for borers is garlic. Simply plant cloves of garlic around your fruit trees, which will help prevent visits from the adult borer beetles.

Repel Borers with Nasturtiums

Another plant that is said to help repel borers are nasturtiums, which are well-known for their ability to keep damaging insects away from vegetable gardens.  Growing nasturtiums is very easy.  Just plant some seeds underneath your fruit trees and they will begin to grow in spring. Because nasturtiums are annuals, they will die, but will leave seeds behind that will come up again the following year.

I have apple and peach trees growing in my fruit garden and I have garlic planted around all of these trees. So far, I have not seen any signs of borers.  I may add some nasturtiums alongside the garlic for a double layer of protection. A bonus is that they will add a pretty touch underneath the trees.

Be aware that while garlic and nasturtiums can help deter borers, it is not a guarantee. So, keep an eye on your fruit trees for possible signs of borers.

Watch Out for Suckers

Another potential problem to lookout for on your fruit trees are ‘suckers’. Fruit trees are often grafted onto rootstock.  The point where they are grafted is called the ‘bud union’ and is a slightly bulging area toward the bottom of the tree trunk. Occasionally, shoots will start to grow from below the bud union, which steal nutrients. These are called ‘suckers’ because they literally ‘suck’ up the nutrients from the tree.

I recently had some suckers appear on my peach tree, pictured above. To remove them, I used a sharp hand shovel to cut them off at the base. Suckers are easy to remove, but they grow quickly, so be sure to keep an eye out for them.

Growing fruit in the garden is fun and rewarding, but keep an eye out for potential problems like borers and suckers.  In the meantime, grab some garlic cloves and nasturtium seeds and start planting!

My kids love projects. And this one—which captures the delicacy and color of dragonflies in a simple garden ornament—immediately caught my daughter’s attention. Iris had been dying to work with my soldering tools. With a little coaching, she was able to assemble several dragonflies (and one butterfly) by herself. Once we finished, we poked them into our garden and stood back to admire our adorable DIY yard art bugs. She’s almost a teenager, so I couldn’t think of a better time to undertake this father-daughter project together.

Handy Hint: The only difficulty we encountered was sliding some beads onto the wings’ twisty wires. Test them first—not all the beads we wanted to use would fit.

Materials:

•  3/8-in. (outside diameter) flexible copper tubing
• 1/16-in. × 36-in. brass rod (1 length for each dragonfly)
• 1/8-in. × 36-in. brass rod (support)
• 1 roll 20-gauge copper wire
• 9/32-in.-diameter × approximately 11/2-in. spring
• Rosin-core leaded solder (for electrical and hobby work)
• Glass beads
• 6-in. wood dowel
• Superglue gel or quick-setting epoxy
• Wire cutters
• Needle-nose pliers
• Tube cutter or hacksaw
• Power drill with 1/16-in. and 1/8-in. bits
• 3/4-in. spade bit
• Mini-torch or soldering iron
• Fine steel wool
• Scrap of 3/4-in. wood
• Awl or sharp drywall screw

Step-By-Step Instructions:

Step 1

Cut copper tubing to 4 in. with a tubing cutter or hacksaw. Make slight indentations in the copper at the hole locations, using the awl or drywall screw, so the drill bit doesn’t slip when you begin drilling.

Step 2

Drill holes for the wings and eyes with the 1/16-in. bit. Drill a 1/8-in. hole in the bottom for the support rod. Drill the eyeholes from both sides rather than straight through so the eyes will be aligned.

Step 3

Cut a 3-ft. length of 1/16-in. brass rod in half and clean the rods and the body tube with steel wool. Push both rods through the middle holes, center them and solder. Touch the solder to the heated metal—a drop of solder is all that’s needed.

Step 4

Make a jig to form the wings on a scrap piece of wood. Drill holes, then glue and insert dowels. Mark the center, placing the body of the dragonfly between the two dowels, then bend one rod around the dowels for wings (Photo 2). Trim the ends so that they meet back in the center of the dragonfly, insert them into the proper holes and solder in place.

Step 5

Wrap about 24 in. of copper wire around the copper tubing, then stretch it out and cut it in half. Twist one end around the tip of a wing and solder it. Thread the glass beads on, then attach the other end and solder or glue the wire where it crosses the body (Photo 3). Glue the beads in place.

Step 6

Insert a 6-in. length of wire through the eyeholes. Slide two eye beads on, cross the wires and wrap them once around the body. Bend excess wire into legs and solder the wire at the bottom.

Step 7

Glue the spring to the tail of the dragonfly. (If you can’t find this size spring, make your own by coiling the copper wire around a 1/4-in. machine bolt.)

Step 8

Solder the 1/8-in. brass rod in the hole on the bottom side of the body. Push the rod into the ground—and watch your dragonfly hover all year long!

Vining plants aren’t for everyone. They need proper support, they can require a little more maintenance and many can quickly get aggressive. But with a little research and planning, you can choose perennial fall vines that look charming throughout the growing season, staging a grand finale just as summer wanes. Check the invasive species list in your area before planting, and then enjoy the top picks that will work well in your backyard.

Virginia Creeper

(Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Zones 3-9)

Stand back and watch this native vine take off. It provides thick green summer coverage and contributes to autumn’s color show with leaves that shade to flaming red and deep burgundy. Keep pruners handy to keep this vigorous grower in bounds. It can be difficult to remove from buildings. Also, don’t grow up wood or vinyl siding.

Why we love it: People enjoy the bright-red foliage, while birds dote on the blue-black berries.

Psst—try the top 10 easy-to-grow native plants in your landscape.

Silver Lace Vine

(Polygonum aubertii, Zones 4-7)

You’ve got to love a perennial that looks attractive throughout the growing season. These fall vines produce narrow pyramidal clusters of fragrant creamy flowers from midsummer through frost. It is invasive in some areas, so look for Sweet Autumn clematis as an alternative in those areas.

Why we love it: It has the look of Sweet Autumn clematis but grows up to 15 feet in the first year—which means more flowers faster! What’s not to like about that?

Check out the 9 best fall shrubs to grow this season.

Ornamental Purple-Leaf Grape

(Vitis vinifera ‘Purpurea,’ Zones 6-9)

This compact plant produces somewhat bitter grapes but is beloved for its foliage. The leaves turn from green in spring to purple in summer and then to blazing red in fall.

Why we love it: In addition to the colorful leaves, these easy-to-grow fall vines produce black grapes that provide an extra punch of color in autumn.

Sweet Autumn Clematis

(Clematis paniculata, Zones 4-9)

This gotta-have-it vine stops garden visitors in their tracks, thanks to clouds of late-season blossoms on stems growing to 20 feet. The flowers are followed in fall by masses of silvery seed heads, which we think are almost as pretty as the blooms.

Why we love it: The smell! The fragrance of these blooms is incredible and a welcome addition to any garden.

Variegated Kiwi Vine

(Actinidia kolomikta, Zones 4-8)

Forget flowers—this vine’s value is in its foliage and fruit. Splashes of white or pink mark heart-shaped green leaves, while tiny greenish-yellow edible fruits sprout on female plants in fall.

Why we love it: Exotic leaves and unusual fruits growing on 20-foot stems make this a visual standout. Note: You need one male plant to pollinate every three to five female plants.

Check out 18 fabulous foliage plants for garden pizzazz.

American Bittersweet

(Celastrus scandens, Zones 3 to 8)

A must for fall arrangements, fiery bittersweet berries are just as captivating in the garden. Spherical orange-yellow fruits split open in fall to reveal seeds that entice hungry birds. It is aggressive, so be aware. Also, don’t grow the invasive Oriental bittersweet; it’s bad news!

Why we love it: While you usually need one male plant to pollinate every six to nine female plants, you can get fruit from a single one with the new cultivar, Autumn Revolution.

Check out the top 10 fall blooming perennials for your garden.

Boston Ivy

(Parthenocissus tricuspidata, Zones 4-9)

Providing foliage that changes in color with the season, Boston ivy grows to 60 feet high and produces green foliage that turns reddish-purple in autumn. This vine is invasive in some areas (especially the Northeast). Plant with care in other areas, and don’t grow up wood or vinyl siding.

Why we love it: Sticky tendrils shinny up most surfaces. Dark-blue berries attract birds in fall.

Porcelain Vine

(Ampelopsis brevipedunculata, Zones 4 to 8)

This vine is all about the berries! Come fall, 20-foot stems are covered with showy light-blue fruits that shade to porcelain blue as they ripen. Elegans is even lovelier, with pink and white variegated leaves. Avoid growing this beauty where it’s listed as invasive.

Why we love it: Large grapevine-like leaves provide growing-season appeal and spotlight the fall berries sprouting on inner stems.

Climbing Hydrangea

(Hydrangea anomala petiolaris, Zones 4-8)

Though this clinging plant takes a few seasons to become established, you’ll find its lightly scented white lace-cap flowers well worth the wait. Leaves on these sturdy plants change to yellow with frost. Branches boast exfoliating bark.

Why we love it: A riotous grower with 80-foot stems and a broad reach, climbing hydrangea inexpensively and extravagantly cloaks fences, sheds and arbors. Do not grow on wood or vinyl sided buildings.

How to care for hydrangeas: 7 things you need to know.

Trumpet Honeysuckle

(Lonicera sempervirens, Zones 4-9)

You’ll marvel at the flowers blanketing these fast-growing vines from summer though fall. Try Major Wheeler, which bears bright-red blossoms and is said to be more mildew resistant than most.

Why we love it: The tubular blooms, often orange or red with yellowish centers, attract butterflies and hummingbirds like crazy. Little scarlet berries provide food for birds.

Grow Fall Vines for Wildlife

Native vines provide shelter, food and nectar to resident and visiting wildlife precisely when they need it. Here’s a look at a few North American native vines that deserve a spot in your wildlife garden.

• Trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans, Zones 4-9):  A prolific vine bearing late-season orange or scarlet trumpet flowers that attract bevies of hummingbirds.
• Wild passion flower (Passiflora incarnata, Zones 5-9):  A larval host plant for an array of butterflies, this vine features striking fringed flowers that supply nectar to butterflies from July through September. Edible fruits called maypops mature in fall to feed the birds.
• Virgin’s bower (Clematis virginiana, Zones 4-9):  Densely growing plant that flowers from July through September and supplies birds with shelter, nesting sites, nest-building materials and seeds that persist into winter.