Perhaps one of nature's greatest miracles are flower bulbs. They go into the ground as a crusty brown bulb, and over the course of four to five months burst through the soil and become beautiful blooming flowers. And who doesn’t love to see daffodils or tulips and other flower bulbs in their full blooming glory? For many of us, it’s the first sign that spring has finally arrived.

Tulips, crocus and daffodils are the traditional standby bulbs. But for those that like the unusual, there are many spectacular varieties to choose from, like narcissus and hyacinth,. They can be layered in containers or in your flower bed so that the colors just keep popping up. It’s best to consider how many layers (or rows) you want to plant and work from low bulbs in the front of your planting bed (or outside edge of container) and then gradually increase the height towards the back of the bed (or inside of the container).

First, choose a spot with good drainage, or add vermiculite or another product to assist in draining away water. Make sure to amend the soil with lots of quality organic matter like Fafard Organic Soil Conditioner or compost, since you won't want to disturb the bulbs once they are planted. Dig a hole at the correct depth for your species of bulb--roughly 3 times the widest diameter of the bulb, and just before placing the bulbs in the soil scatter some bone meal into the hole. Cover and make sure to water in the bulbs well. Since different species grow to differing heights, planting one bulb over the top of another is not only permitted, but suggested, not only for variation and interest but for the well-being of the flowers. In general, clusters of flowers look better than skinny lines running parallel to one another. Think of waves of color and size, and allow the bulbs to take on a natural appearance in your beds and containers, as well as benefit from the proximity of one another, and their differing blooming times.

So don't be disappointed when your neighbors have beautiful flower bulbs popping up in their gardens next spring and you have bare ground. Plan now and plant ahead! Choose your bulbs today and plant in the fall to see the treasure of their blooms in spring.

Most homeowners look at pottery as just a container to hold a plant on the patio or inside the home. But with so many unique shapes and sizes available today, more homeowners are using pots as decoration to add a piece of interest to the home or garden.

Sometimes a pot can be the perfect solution to turning a space that is missing something into a dazzling focal point. Just like a water fountain or a piece of statuary, a well-placed piece of pottery can turn a boring area into a visual treat for the eyes.

Consider glazed containers in unique vase or urn shapes. Tall and slender pottery can be especially stunning when placed in the right location. Instead of just putting out a sea of plants, consider how you can lead the eye to points of interest throughout your landscape or home by using a well-placed piece of pottery.

We have a great selection of pottery. Come in for a visit and our staff of nursery experts will help you find the right container to transform your empty space into a visual delight. In the right setting, the perfect pot will look like a work of art. They make great gifts, too!

Azaleas are easy to love. Their amazing flowers put on an incredible display of color every spring like clockwork, helping to herald the coming growing season. Whether in a formal or a woodland garden setting, azaleas make a great addition to any garden. When these plants are in full bloom, it's almost impossible to see the foliage underneath.

For centuries, azaleas were grown only in Japanese gardens. But then native species were discovered in North America and eventually types from both countries found their way to Europe. Deciduous species (Exbury hybrids) are primarily from North America, while evergreen species (Belgian, Southern Indica, as well as Girard and Satsuki hybrids) are from Japan and Europe.

Azaleas are versatile and can be used in almost any spot in the garden provided they have good drainage. While Belgian, Girard and Karume hybrids prefer partial shade in the afternoon, Exbury hybrids, Southern Indicas and Satsuki hybrids can be grown in full sun in all but the hottest areas. Azalea flowers come in almost every color shade imaginable, and the bushes range from dwarf shade varieties of 2-3', to the sun lovers that can grow from 4-8' high and wide.

Homeowners in mild climates can select almost any species of azalea for their garden. But in colder areas, Exbury hybrids and some of the newer winter-hardy hybrids should be used. They also reward gardeners with good fall colors in shades of orange and red. Many have sweetly-scented blooms. If you are short on space in your landscape, consider planting azaleas in containers to add another dimension to your garden.

Azaleas grow well in evenly moist and slightly acidic soil. They perform best when the soil is amended with peat moss or an acid planting mix like Espoma Hollytone before planting. They also like to be fed every few months with cottonseed meal or an acid plant food such as Osmocote Azalea food. We recommend feeding from the end of the blooming season through early fall.

Azaleas don't require much pruning if the proper varieties are selected for the desired mature size. If occasional pruning is needed to control size or wayward branches, prune from one month after the blooming season has ended through August. Pruning any later can remove the new blooms that are starting to set for the following spring--these can start as early as September.

Whether pruned formally into shapes or left natural to blend in with the local surroundings, azaleas make a wonderful addition to any garden, with their extraordinary offering of beautiful spring flowers.

With summer here, garden herbs are kicking into high gear, producing lots of pleasing, aromatic foliage that is great for cooking and potpourris. Freshly harvested leaves are wonderful for cooking, but you might want to preserve some to use later in the year or to create sachets that will fill your home with wonderful scents.

There are two ways to air-dry your crop. The first is to hang it up. With large-leafed herbs such as basil, rosemary, and sage, snip off the leafy stems, then tie the cut ends together with string and hang the bundle upside down in a warm, dry place (out of direct sunlight) with good air circulation. The herbs should be dry and crisp in two to three weeks. You can then strip the leaves off the stems and store them in airtight container for later use. This method is also a great way to dry lavender.

The second way to dry herbs is to spread them out to dry. With fine-leafed herbs such as oregano and thyme, simply remove the foliage from stems and spread the leaves on a cookie sheet or piece of clean window screen and set in a warm, dry, airy place away from direct sun. Stir them up every few days to turn them over. Once the leaves feel crisp, you can store them in an airtight container for later use.

In the rush to celebrate Halloween, and do the early shopping for Christmas, often Thanksgiving becomes merely about football and feasting. We need to think ahead to be prepared not only with fine food and football snacks, but with an ambience that truly reflects the meaning of this holiday. So begin drying your lavender, hydrangeas, and herbs now by hanging them upside down in a warm, dry and dark location--first removing the leaves. Bunch them with seasonally colored ribbons, and hang them in unexpected nooks for surprise texture and aroma. Collect small branches, spray paint them white, and create a forest of "snowy" branches that can be tied with a bright ribbon and hung on the front door. Be plentiful with pumpkins, gourds, fall squash, and Indian corn on your front porch, and luminarias leading up the stairs; the party should start before the door is even opened!

Take a walk around your home. Start collecting colorful leaves that have just drifted to the ground. They should be sturdy leaves with thick stems. When you've collected 30-40 of them, staple them to an orange or red ribbon and hang them across the front of your mantel. A walk in the woods will yield lots of pine cones, which can be used in your table's centerpiece; buy an inexpensive cornucopia made of woven reeds and fill it literally to overflowing with pine cones, gourds, mini-pumpkins, even pears, apples and citrus.

The original cornucopias were made of a curved goat's horn filled with fruit and ears of grain, a decorative motif emblematic of abundance. Scatter cranberries on the table, and slice lemons and limes in segments, arranging them in an arcing form on one of your prettiest salad plates. Intersperse the citrus with blueberries, and watch how they will be used in various beverages on the menu. Keep the palette of your table colorful, and the dinnerware neutral. The goal is color and plenty.

Don't wait until December to put your mini-lights to use; drape them across the center of your table, or along the top of your mantel. Curve the wires and in each "alcove" place a pine cone that you've spray painted white. Adorn with red berries that you've either found in your outdoor wanderings, or purchased in the craft department of your local garden center.

Place cards may be fancy or a family affair. Print out personalized place cards that you can find on many websites. Or to give your guests a sparkly and homemade welcome, several days before feast day, write each guest's name in glue onto cardboard place cards. Then sprinkle the glue with glitter in colors of gold, bronze, or red. Tip to get rid of the excess glitter, and allow the cards to dry for at least 24 hours. Then sit the kids down with seasonal magazines and have them cut out the images that most remind them of Thanksgiving. Pasting the overlapping pictures around the edges of the guest's name card will give it the look of collage.

Using the good napkins? Roll up each one and wrap it with some raffia rather than a traditional napkin ring.

And here's a fun and fabulous family tradition to begin this year. At the beginning of November, buy a large piece of white poster paper and some brightly colored construction paper. Draw a tree with as many different branches as you can manage. Cut the construction paper into leaf shapes (the children can draw an outline of their hands for the perfect leaf). Every day, one member of the family selects a leaf, writes something he or she is grateful for, and pastes the leaf onto the tree. On Thanksgiving Day, the entire family may offer thanks for the items listed on the tree.

In between the madness of removing and storing the Halloween decorations, and choosing and decorating the Christmas tree, take time this year to rediscover Thanksgiving, and celebrate it with the beauty of both handcrafted and store-bought decorations. Our garden center experts will be able to guide you towards the creation of what will become your favorite day of the year!

Should I use bone meal or bulb food when I plant my bulbs?

Answer:
We recommend bone meal at the time of planting, then applying a balanced bulb food once the foliage appears above the soil line in late winter/early spring.

There are a couple of reasons for this. Nitrogen can burn the actual bulb, which only needs the phosphorus and potash from bone meal in order to stimulate rooting. But once the bulb is sending out a stem, it needs nitrogen to become strong so it won't bend over from the weight of the flowers that it sets. This is especially important for bulbs with large heavy flowers, such as tulips, ranunculus, and hyacinth.

It's also important to dig your holes or trenches a little deeper than the bulb needs to be, applying some bone meal, then a little more soil so the bulb doesn't sit directly on the food but has access to the food as it sends out roots (got to give those roots some incentive to stretch).