The Chinese money plant is an easy-to-grow houseplant that has been popular in other parts of the world for centuries, remaining unknown in North America until the late 20th century. The plant’s many common names – such as UFO plant, pancake plant, and saucer plant – are in reference to the distinctive, round leaves. Most
Maggots are often associated with death and decay, and their small, squirming, wiggling appearance does little to offset the unpleasant impression they give. So encountering them, especially when that encounter is a completely unexpected surprise, can be off-putting. Unfortunately, one of those places a chance encounter might happen could be in your compost pile. If
In this guide we will show you how to grow vanilla beans. Today, there are over 150 different kinds of vanilla. It is the most popularly used spice in the world and 2nd most expensive, second only to saffron. The plant kingdom’s Orchid family is the second largest family of flowering plants. About 28,000 different
Choosing the best types of sprinkler heads for your gardens’ water management can feel impossible. There are so many different kinds, and some stores have dedicated aisle upon aisle to stocking every sprinkler ever made. But just because options exist doesn’t mean they’re viable or worth considering. In fact, we’re going to skip right over
Gardens are great places for creative expression. There’s unlimited free reign to create unique and unusual designs in every corner of your garden, from the flower beds to the groundcover. How great is it to step back from your creation and look down at your soil-covered hands, and know that you brought your design to
Gardens come in a range of shapes, sizes and colors. From small windowsill boxes to sprawling flower gardens or productive vegetable gardens there are many different types. Here is a list of some of the most productive, versatile or beneficial types of gardens. Many of the gardens outlined here can be adapted for either a
Community gardens have been in existence for some time but have seen a huge spike in popularity in the last decade, and in the last few years especially. And it’s about time, some might say. After all, the benefits of community gardens are numerous and, by now, well known: making fresh produce accessible for everyone,
The color pink continues to enjoy its rebirth as a multi-tasker with mass appeal, no longer relegated to the nurseries of newborn baby girls or cotton candy. It’s a trendy fashion statement for men and women alike, is synonymous with causes like breast cancer awareness, and tints our gold jewelry and electronics accessories. Not one
I’m super excited to be writing about this particular species because it is my absolute favorite tree. I fell in love with desert ironwood (Olneya tesota) at the very beginning of my landscaping career. I was managing a large property that had just one on site, a big specimen located in a wide expanse of
When you stand out in a family full of lookers, you know you’re something pretty special. Such is the case with the Jacaranda tree, Jacaranda mimosifolia. As a member of family Bignoniaceae, it shares space with other notable ornamentals such as Cape honeysuckle, orange jubilee, African tulip tree, desert willow, catalpa tree, trumpet creeper, and
When you think of a tree, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Usually, we think about its overall size or how full the canopy is. Or, we think about the colors, either of the leaves or the blooms (if there are any). We might even think about where it would look best if
According to color psychology, pink is a color that inspires hope, calms emotions like anger and aggression, and fosters feelings that everything is going to be OK. Maybe this rings true for you, and your goal is to surround yourself with things that create this feeling of calm. Or maybe you just like the color
One of the best all-around hardscape elements perfect for just about any landscape is the gabion wall. A gabion wall consists of individual gabions, which are metal wire or mesh cages filled with rocks then arranged in a specific way to create the desired structure. When executed correctly, they not only serve a practical purpose
The sun is one of the plants’ required food sources, one of three they need to survive, grow, and reproduce. They also need it for photosynthesis, which is the chemical reaction that converts carbon dioxide and water into the oxygen we need to live and breathe, and the glucose that results in energy-giving carbohydrates for
In this article we will detail how to grow an habanero plant. First, an interesting back story on the plants: In 2014, multiple news outlets across the nation reported an incident at an elementary school in Colorado. Alarming headlines spoke of evacuations, a “toxic” substance, and hospitalizations. It was major. A full-on school evacuation; police
Today we’re going to talk about dry creek beds, which consist of different types and sizes of non-organic rock, making them a hardscape element. Plants can be added to and around a dry creek bed, and usually are, making for a visually complementary hardscape/softscape combination. Landscape is a term that refers collectively to the two
Over the centuries, lotus plants have come to be synonymous with enlightenment, mindfulness, and transformation. They dominate Buddhism and Hinduism wherever metaphorically or allegorically possible. They are the popularly chosen emblem of different groups of people from a wide range of periods. Ancient Egypt’s Ptolemies, esoteric philosophy sects, entire countries like Vietnam and India, eastern
The canna lily is known for its tropical beauty and intricate blooms, which can at first glance give an impression of being high maintenance and difficult to grow. But happily, the flowering species planted in potted form are delightfully easy-keepers, especially if you’re in USDA hardiness zones 7-11. They aren’t fans of colder weather but
Want to learn how to grow the bird of paradise? We’re going to cover how to grow and care for both the Caesalpinia and Strelitzia’s species of the plant. Both are surprisingly easy to maintain and they share many of the same requirements for planting and care. Before we do that, we’ll get familiar with
One of the marks of a conscientious gardener is a desire to research and educate oneself on the species being planted. This applies to novice and expert gardeners alike. Plants are similar in many ways but some species are unlike any other plant and have certain aspects about them so unique, even the most knowledgeable
Almost 40 years ago, in response to serious drought conditions at the time, Denver Water gave new life to a concept by coining the term “xeriscape.” It was the beginning of an initiative to implement the concept of xeriscaping / desert landscaping and the use of xeriscape plants throughout the landscaping industry. If you’re wondering