Article - - Smart Gardening

A Flower for all Seasons

A Flower for all Seasons

Visiting a professionally-maintained garden is a breath-taking venture. From the International Peace Gardens between North Dakota and Canada, to Peter the Great's garden in Tallin, Estonia, professionally grown gardens gain world-wide attention. It seem throughout the year every flower is in full-color bloom. But when you try to go home and put some of those ideas into place in your own garden, they always seems to fall flat. Your garden may look great for a few weeks and then things will start to close and the entire landscape will look dirty and dingy. What do those professionals have that you don't have as a hobbyist? It's knowledge, plain and simple. They understand that certain plants on flower at certain types of the year. With some careful planning and thorough information, they know what they need to do to have a flower for all season.

Unfortunately, this article cannot list every flower that is available every season. Every region around the world has plants that grow there specifically. Vegetation becomes adjusted to the climate and generally does not grow well when it goes through a climate change.

However, this article can point you towards the people who can help. First, the Internet is a great source for all things flowering. Try to look up what grows well in your area or state. Another great resource for determining what flowers grow best in a particular climate is Internet user groups - online communities of local growers. Try doing some Internet searches to find gardening user groups and see what it takes to get plugged in with them. Generally these groups are filled with helpful people who love to give assistance to a novice. And though they are getting fewer, you can also stop in to the local greenhouse and pick the brains of the workers there. Many of them are the people who began gardening as a hobby and have the practical knowledge of what grows best in their areas.

Once you have the knowledge of what grows in your area and when it grows, chart out the growth pattern using a calendar. It's easy to time flowers and know when they will bloom. Make sure that you buy a variety of plants that bloom throughout the growing season. Also make sure to stagger the various plants as well. You don't want the left hand side of your garden in bloom one month while the right side is completely bare. Making sure of locations and dates will ensure that you have a beautiful garden straight through the growing season.

Once you are armed with the knowledge and the timing, it's time to do what gardeners love to do. Get your hands in that dirt, prepare the soil, and plant until your heart is content. Enjoy the fresh air and light workout that you get from your constant movement. When you're finished, pull up an armchair, grab a glass of lemonade, and enjoy looking at your hard work - all season long.