Goal setting for many people means making a halfhearted attempt at New Year resolutions in early January. Oh, they'll try to do their best but soon give up. And another little piece of their self-esteem dies too. It does not have to be like that and in this article we'll describe a simple 2-part tool you can use to improve the odds of success.

Part 1 of this tool is 'awareness'. Personal development books often talk about becoming more aware – of living in the 'now'. That's easy to write about but what do those words mean in daily life? Let's use the symbolism of gardening to explain this better. You are the gardener. You're free to choose what type of garden to create. What's your next step?

Most experienced gardeners have become so by paying close attention to the environment in which they are gardening. For example, the weather … Read More

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Container gardening is a fun and rewarding hobby that is enjoyed by millions of people all over the world. Not only is it relaxing and enjoyable, but you get the satisfaction of knowing that you're growing your own plants and you know where they came from! With more and more stories on the news about various outbreaks of food poisoning from things like lettuce and green onions, many people are finding it important to start growing as much of their own produce as possible.

Many people are afraid to deal with container gardening. They think it is too difficult or too expensive. On the contrary, it is actually very easy and can be quite inexpensive! Here we explore the ease of setting up your first container garden, as well as the expenses involved.

We're going to walk you through the process of setting up your first container garden. In this … Read More

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Putting the final touches on your spring wedding? This is, of course, the most popular time of year for weddings because of the bright colors and the beautiful weather. And of course one of the things that really advances the event are spring wedding favors. These are small tokens given to your guests to show gratitude for them attending the wedding. In many cases these spring wedding favors are related to the overall theme and decorations. Spring wedding favors are quite beautiful since they often feature bright flowers and designs. And if you have the good fortune to have warm, sunny weather in your part of the country, you can even choose to have an outside, garden wedding – complete with garden wedding favors.

At your spring wedding, you'll typically incorporate the classic spring colors such as cream, white and pastels. Other favorite colors fall in the teal, peach and … Read More

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A sense of order and decorum is the feeling that most people wish their garden to give to them. Yet it is also desirable that the plants appear to have been there for ever; that they seem to belong. While the hard landscaping should create clear shapes and strong lines, it is the job of the plants to soften these lines and blur their angularity. In order for the plants to add a natural dimension to the composition, it's important to choose them judiciously and then to grow them in a certain manner.

Designing with plants for a natural effect

The most effective, natural plant associations are derived from species that possess as many visual features in common with each other as possible. Individuals that stand out from the mass in say shape, size or foliage color should have at least one characteristic that they share with the rest of … Read More

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If you are new to vegetable gardening, there are certain things you must know before you start out. Vegetable gardening is not rocket science, and once you have got the basics right it is extremely simple to do. So what are some of the best tips for how to garden vegetables?

The first decision that you must make is how large your garden should be. For a family of four, a standard sized 20X20 foot plot should suffice. Starting off big is actually not a very good idea, since you are likely to become overwhelmed.

Next you need to decide which crops you want to grow in your garden. In the initial stages, you may want to try some of the more easy to grow vegetables such as beets, lettuces, carrots, and radishes. However, one key to successful gardening is to know your vegetables requirements and to do so, proper … Read More

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Garlic, leeks, and shallots have a little cousin, the chive. It is the smallest and non-odorize member of the onion family. The leaves sprout from a bulb that is planted in the herb garden or in a container garden. Chives are a wonderful way to spruce up omelet's or soups, even stews, chicken, or fish and its fat free, a healthy addition to your diet. A sunny windowsill can also be used to grow the chive herb. An added bonus, if you grow chives in your "in ground" herb garden, you are in the fresh air and are getting a little exercise. Can not hurt, huh?

The chive has been a native of Asia and Europe for over 5000 years. They grow much like grass, in clumps. They send up graceful hollow leaves that will flower into lovely purple puffballs. If you allow the chive in your herb garden to … Read More

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Peonies are my favorite flowering perennial; just one step above roses for cut flowers. They are very easy to grow and once established can tolerate long periods without rain. Besides, unlike many other flower varieties they are quite disease resistant.

Peonies were one of the first perennials to populate American gardens because of their large, showy and fragrant flowers produced in mid-to late spring. Peony flowers may be single, semi-double, or double and are commonly 6 to 8 inches wide. A mature plant can have in excess of a hundred flowers and these can be up to 10 inches or more across. The flowers range in color from crimson, scarlet, various shades of pink, to pure white. There are also new hybrid and tree peonies with yellow or purple flowers.

Most gardeners are familiar with the large, double-flowered peonies. Garden peonies are also available in single-flowered, semi-double, Japanese, and anemone-type … Read More

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