Out here in the Northeast, some of us are still awaiting warmer spring days. Here are a few fun projects that can help pass the time until their arrival!
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A new display of Tillandsia (also known as 'Air Plants') at the Garden Center!! (Click on the photo for more info)  Why use the same ol' dyes, maybe chemical, maybe from China, when you can be creative with items found in your own kitchen? I love reading through these different recipes! Click on each for links to their instruction pages, then welcome Spring with your own versions!! Today we received boxes and boxes and more boxes full of house plants, succulents, indoor hanging plants, cactus and other succulents, and airplants that delight, as well as summer bulbs!! Here are a few samples...check it out at Highland Gardens in Camp Hill! (highlandgardens.org) Set yourself up some 5-gallon pots for your balcony or porch that's in the shade, or put up some raised beds in the backyard even if they're shaded by a bunch of surrounding buildings. You CAN raise veggies in the city!  So many of us urbanites love having flowers on the porch, but can't get stuff to survive because of too little sun. Take heart! There are plenty of plant combos ideally suited for shade that offer the perfect alternative! Click on the photo below for an inspiring list of 25 options, just to whet your appetite...  Many of you have been enjoying these easy-care goodies for a while now...but they're getting all kinds of attention this season! I couldn't resist sharing some of the pics I've been collecting while waiting for spring (links included where possible). They're ideal for those who think they've got a "brown thumb" or whose busy lives mean watering all the time is really tough. They're also great for you who are the more creative types -- they can be so fun!! Best of all, they thrive indoors and out -- most sedum varieties even survive zone 6 winters outdoors, in containers! Have you ever put your own clever combinations together, in unique containers? Post some pics!
Some trees and shrubs are just a lot easier to prune effectively when they're without their leafy cloaks. Cuts are also less likely to become infected because of the cold. Some evergreens also take well to pruning in winter, providing the desired shape to follow when spring growth begins. Do you prune in winter? Which species do you find take it best? |
