How to Make a Succulent Container Garden

All of the hot weather we've been experiencing has made me grateful for the succulents in my garden.  They can handle the heat, and don't need a lot of water.  They also come in a variety of shapes, colors, textures, and sizes.

Succulents are easy to grow in containers.  Here's how to do it:

1.  Choose the succulents you wish to use.  Two to four different types work nicely.  Here are some possibilities:  Hens and chickens, aloe vera, jade plants, and donkey's tail.

2.  Select a container.  Shallow bowls with good drainage work well. I use the same kind that I use for planting my container lettuce garden.

3.  Design your garden.  Do this with the plants still in the pots.  Place them in such a way to create interesting texture and color combinations.

4.  Use cactus potting mix when you're ready to plant them.  You can also use sand and small pebbles around them to create an interesting effect.  I think black river stones look nice, too.

5.  Place in a location that gets a few hours of direct sun, and a good amount of indirect sunlight.  Too much direct sunlight isn't good.  It'll burn the leaves.

6.  Keep the soil moist, but not wet.  In the winter, when the plants are dormant, water less frequently.

Celosia

Celosia are unusual ornamental plants that look a little like the flames of fire.  In fact, the name, celosia, comes from the Greek word, kelos, which means, "burned."  Celosia are perfect for borders.  Red is the most popular color, but they also come in yellow, orange, rose, and purple.  They like full sun, and need rich, moist soil to thrive.  Some varieties grow to be 10 - 12 inches tall, while others grow up to two feet.  Celosia produce a lot of seeds, so even though they are annuals, you will have new sprouts coming up year after year.

Celosia, in addition to being  beautiful plants, have other uses.  In medicine, they are used as a treatment for tapeworms, blood diseases, mouth sores, and eye problems.  The seeds are used to treat chest congestion, and the flowers treat diarrhea.  Celosia leaves can be used as dressings for sores.

Celosia Argentea can be used as a leaf vegetable for salads.  They have a spinach-like taste. In fact, in Africa, these plants are eaten on an almost-daily basis.

Celosia are very easy to grow.  If you live in zones 2 - 11 (which almost everyone does), you may want to add these beauties to your garden. 

Winterthur Museum and Country Estate Gardens

Winterthur Museum and Country Estate Gardens is located in Winterthur (pronounced "winter-tour"), Delaware, is the former childhood home of Henry Francis du Pont, a renowned antique collector and horticulturist.   The museum is quite impressive.  If you like antiques, you'll probably enjoy visiting it.

The grounds surrounding the museum cover 979 acres, with 60 of them being naturalistic gardens.  Visitors can take a variety of trails that lead to gardens with names like, Azalea Woods, Magnolia Bend, Winterhazel Walk, and Quarry Garden.  There's also a lovely sundial garden and reflecting pool.

The children's garden, known as the "Enchanted Woods Garden," is especially condusive to getting a child's imagination going.  This three acre garden is supposedly inhabited by woodland fairies.  It's not hard to imagine it with the majestic oak trees, Stone Faerie cottage, and tulip tree house.

Winterthur Museum and Country Estate Gardens is open year-round, Tuesday - Sunday from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM.  Admission for adults is $18.00, and children are $5.00.

 

Holden Arboretum

Holden Arboretum, located in Kirtland, Ohio, is the nation's largest arboretum.  It covers 3,600 acres, and contains 120,000 plants.  There are beautiful display gardens, lakes, and hiking trails.  Some of my favorites are the rhododendron garden, lilac garden, wildflower garden, and butterfly garden.

With twenty miles of trails, Holden Arboretum is a perfect place for hiking.  If you enjoy bird watching, this is a great place for that, too.

The arboretum is open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.  Admission is $6.00 for adults and $3.00 for children.

Powis Castle Gardens

Powis Castle Gardens, located in Welshpool, Wales is located on the grounds of the residence of the Earl of Powis.  The castle itself was founded in the early 13th century by Welsh princes. The fomal, baroque gardens were designed in the 1670s. 

Vistitors will see Italian style terraces, statues, an orangery, and even an aviary.  Each terrace has a different theme.  One has a Mediterranean theme.  Another is planted with rhododendrons and ferns.  Another has herbs.  There is also a lower formal garden that has unusual pyramid-shaped apple trees, roses, delphiniums, phlox, and hollyhocks.

The gardens are beautiful year-round, but I think the best time to visit is in the spring when the tulips, hyacinths, and rhododendrons are in bloom.  The gardens are open daily April to September from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM, and March, October-December from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

Garden of Cosmic Speculation

Don't you just love the name of this garden?  This is definitely a one-of-a-kind garden.  I've never seen anything else like it in all of my travels.  The Garden of Cosmic Speculation is located in Dumfries, Scotland.  It covers thirty acres and was built in 1989 by Charles Jencks, an internationally acclaimed architectural critic and designer.  The garden is actually his own private garden.  It is open to the public only once a year (usually in May).  If you want to see this place, you'll have to do a little planning (and get there really early when it does open, because the traffic jams are ridiculous).

The garden was designed to provide thought (speculation) about the nature of things.  It was inspired by science and mathematics, with themes like Black Holes, Fractals, and DNA helixes.

Plants are not the big feature here.  There are a couple of man made dragon lakes. Mostly what you'll see are a lot of steel structures and symmetry.  The garden begins at the base of steps leading down from the original eighteenth century manor house.  You'll see a Sense of Touch garden, where a metal hand waves back and forth, beckoning visitors to come check it out.  You'll see a steel DNA helix and a Heaven-Hell primeval wilderness garden with a beautiful red arched bridge

 The snail mound allows you to explore the Fibonacci Sequence of numbers that make up the shell.

It would be nice if this place was opened to the public year-round.  The only reason we get to see it, is because it serves as a fundraiser for the cancer charity, Maggie's Centers, named after Mister Jenck's late wife.  If you ever get the opportunity, be sure to visit.  It's really a neat place!



How to Clean Garden Fountains

A reader asked me recently how to clean garden fountains.  I thought I'd share the answer with everyone, in case there are others out there who are interested in knowing.

Fountains are beautiful additions to your garden, but if you don't clean them regularly, you'll notice algae growth and stinky, murky water.  Here's how to prevent problems.

1.  Skim debris out daily.  This is the best way to prevent problems.

2.  Do a full cleaning once a week (some people do this once a season, but I find it is better to do it once a week).  If your fountain came with instructions, read that first.

3.  Turn off the fountain pump and remove it.

4.  Drain the water.  A lot of fountains have drain plugs.  If yours has one, use it.  It makes the job easier.

5.  Remove any leftover debris.

6.  Wipe the fountain thoroughly with a rag.  If necessary, use a soft bristled tooth brush to remove algae. White vinegar can be used for stubborn stains, but test in a small area to make sure it won't hurt your fountain.

7.  Rinse the fountain with a hose.

8.  Clean the pump by removing the cover and picking out any debris that might be inside.

9.  Wipe the inside and outside of the pump and replace the cover.

10.  Re-fill your fountain with clean, fresh water.  There are special cleaning enzymes you can add to help keep the water clean.  You can get these at fountain supply stores.

Enjoy!