Scenic and Pristine Home Gardens
Simplified Home Gardening Tips for Busy Moms
Gardening is a great way of releasing pent up energies - ace the battle of fighting stress. Moms do have a lot of concerns to do, lot of things to be stressed about, too many schedules to order and reorder. For me, when I'm working on my yard, cleaning off those weeds off the flower plant box or trimming, watering, and other gardening activities, I feel reinvigorated.
I love the smell of freshly cut twigs of shrubs or strong herbal scents; it's a soothing experience. What about the glimpse of a flowering rose, or a combined radiance of several perennial multi-colored leaves of ornamental shrubs? It's totally refreshing
Photo credit:
Photos you see here are mine.
This intro photo shows a view of my inner front yard garden (I have back yard garden and a small garden outside my perimeter fence.
Commencing your home garden activities - Seeds and Bulbs
If you are starting, the first thing to look for are seeds, bulbs or tuber, and cuttings. You can always try to source these out from friends or your neighbors but it's always nice to have your own to share in return too.
Amazon offers variety of choices.
Check my picks below.
Stargazer Bulb
Choosing which ornamental plants or flowers to plant in your yard
Factors you need to consider
There are too many plant specie that we can put in our garden. But, we cannot really pack them all in. On the other hand, we may get frustrated if a plant is not growing well or not flowering despite the care that we are giving to it. There are various reasons for this. It's not only the frequency and amount of watering it, the soil components, the season or weather factor but a combination of these plus other variables.
I enumerated below some factors to consider for your home garden.
If you feel like I miss something important, feel free to join the discussion section or leave me your comments at the end of this lens.
The area
If the area you wish to garden is narrow,
avoid plants that grow tall and woody like trees.
It is better to choose shrubs/bushes
and keep them trimmed.
Where the sun rises
Observe the movement of the sun relevant to your yard where you wish to plant flowers or shrubs. There are plants that do not require much sunlight, there are those that cannot radiate it's colorful leaves if sunlight is scarce while there are plants that will die with much sunlight. Thus, it is important to note where the shady part is and where the sun strikes at the peak of the day so you can arrange your plants accordingly.
Ease in watering
You might need to install more water pipes. In case you do not have enough time to water your plants everyday, consider plants that does not need water - cactus, for example
The colors you prefer
Flowers and ornamental plants come in a spectrum of colors. So, before you lay out your garden plan, think about how to arrange your preferred colors.
Consider space for growth
Know the plants you'd like to have. How tall would they grow? How much space will it require?
The weather
I'm lucky that I live in a tropical zone so my flowers/plants live all year. In some other regions, too much heat or too cold weather will prevent enjoying gardening all year round.
Considering the weather and seasons is very important because it will define the perfect planting season for a particular type of flower or plant.
Know each plant needs in detail
Each plant needs specific amount of water and sunlight. Some plants are sensitive to the type of soil. Others, specially orchids, requires special care. So, to avoid frustration seeing a plant not flowering or growing well, or worst, dying - get to know how to handle it before buying one. Be realistic about the time you can devote to your garden too.
This will likewise help you in deciding which plant should be planted in a specific portion - inner or outer.
Annual Plants, Perennial,Biennial Plants
It's not only the beauty that matters
Annual - as the name implies, the plant thrives only for a year. These kinds of plants are usually sown during the end of summer and it will bloom in spring and dies before winter. Perennial plants are those that needs almost a year before they fully develop and bloom. Biennial takes two years.
I prefer perennial and biennial plants rather than those that are short-lived (annual). Busy moms must consider that there might not be enough time to clean off annual plants at the end of its season, till the soil, prepare it for replanting and then plant again.
Perennial plants thrive for over two years so, there's no need to keep on changing. I use annual plants too. But, these type do not constitute the main plants in my garden. I put them as "accents" to my main plants - it is like putting a brooch in a blouse. This serves the purpose of having variant colors in the garden without having to experience an "empty" garden at the time you have to change these biennial plants.
Photo shows a combination of plants - annual, biennial and perennial.
Annual
Perennial
Biennial
I love these Gardens!
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I like this but it pricks me if I do not give extra care while weeding around it
I trim this once a week, it's at the center of my garden
Colored leaves, great way of achieving color variety in my garden without waiting for flowers to bloom
What cactus is it?
view quiz statisticsBig lemon at the center of my home garden
I love my anthoriums, the cut flowers stands long
Young bird's nest fern, I'm waiting for it to grow
Maximizing the space in your home
My yard is not spacious but it’s enough to allow several plants and flowers around the house. There is a small space for a picnic umbrella, small table and chairs and a small play area for the kids that is floored with Bermuda grass. To maximize the space, I lined the fence with plants that climb and bear flowers. These plants are perennial. Next to this line are the biennial plants. The outer most parts are annuals. I also lined the house structure itself with plants but I choose those that do not grow tall or those that I could trim.
Outside my house, one can see the maximized small space for flowers. My husband also put hanging plant boxes positioned at the middle of the fence, stretching horizontally. See the photo below.
Pot begonias, cactuses and horsetail and accent the veranda with it and you will surely maximize the space of your home.
The climbers
I planted flowers even on small corners like this
My mom's garden
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