They will also help to attract bees and butterflies and other insects. And aren’t those things a wonderful sight to see? We’ve put together a list of plants that will help keep your space shaded.

Hosta: A lot of people like this plant because of its colours. It is beautifully coloured with blues and greens and whites.

Hellebore:   For people who love to have plants in their yard, this is the plant you want to choose. It grows from the winter months and flowers until the spring months.

Bleeding Hearts: This type of plant is very popular. People love the heart shaped flower that it produces ad love that it is low maintenance.

Japanese Painted Fern: This plant is a little bit more work. It is a high maintenance plant; especially in the summer months. The soil must stay moist. With the hot sun, that can get to be a bit of work.

Ajuga: Ajuga is type of plant that grows very quickly. You will need to plant them one foot apart from each other, because they do spread.

There are tons of ways to make your lawn more beautiful. But these are just a few of many.

The post Best Shade Plants for Your Lawn! appeared first on Landscape Edging Blog.

Ajuga

Allium

Alyssum

Aster

Basil

Bee Balm

Begonia

Blanket Flower

Bleeding Heart

Borage

Calendula

Cardinal Flower

Columbine

Coral bells (Heuchera)

Dahlia

Daylily

Delphinium

Dianthus

Foxglove

Fuchsia

Geranium

Gladiolus

Globe Thistle

Helianthus

Hollyhocks

Iris

Joe-Pye Weed

Lantana

Lavender

Lily

Marigold

Mullein

Musk Mallow

Petunia

Phlox

Poppy

Purple Coneflower

Queen Anne’s Lace

Salvia

Scabiosa

Stonecrop

Sunflower

Sweet William

Verbena

Yarrow

Zinnia

The post 47 Beautiful Plants that will Attract Bees, Butterflies and Hummingbirds. appeared first on Landscape Edging Blog.

Studies have shown that gardening reduces stress. There’s a sense of accomplishment when home-grown herbs are picked and used straight from the garden. Additionally herbs are full of vitamins and if you grow your own, you can avoid pesticides and herbicides. All very positive, so how do I start an herb garden? Well, January is a good time to start, take a look at the garden plant catalogs and start researching and choosing your herbs. You can order seeds and start your own plants or, later in the spring, buy small seedlings from garden centers to transplant into your garden.

After the last frost date, select a spot in your yard that is fairly flat and gets about 6 hours of sun, this would be considered a full-sun location. (most herbs thrive in a sunny location, but many will tolerate part-shade). Plan the size of your herb bed based on the quantity of plants and how big the plants grow. It’s a good idea to get the soil tested and then add any amendments to improve the soil. To define the edge of the herb bed and to contain the soil, mulch and plants, consider adding lawn edging – choose a style that suits your garden aesthetic.

Some herbs such as mint and tarragon have underground roots that spread quickly and grow all over other plants. This can become a problem requiring the mint or tarragon to be dug up, including all the roots – a chore no one wants to do. To avoid this, mint or tarragon are often planted in tubs or large pots. If they are planted in the ground, they can be encircled with lawn edging or a bottomless bucket that will contain the roots and stop them spreading.

Here’s a selection of easy-to-grow, delicious herbs and their uses

1. Mint. There are many different varieties of mint, each with its own flavor and fragrance. It grows well in semi-shade. Mint gives a kick to a green salad and a refreshing zest to iced-tea. And of course we mustn’t forget that summer beverage – the Mint Julip!

2. Chamomile. This herb makes the classic, relaxing chamomile tea. The tea is made from the flowers, use them fresh in the summer and dry them for winter use. This tea is a great, natural stress-reliever. Chamomile and mint are a great combination for a tea.

3. Chives. These plants have a very mild onion flavor and are tasty when sprinkled on salads, eggs and potatoes. They have attractive pink, edible flowers in late summer that can be used as a garnish. Garlic chives have a slight garlic taste.

4. Parsley. You can choose curly or flat-leaf varieties of parsley. This is an all-round useful herb that can be added to soups, stews and quiches. Also nice sprinkled on fish, meat and vegetables.

5. Borage. This herb has the most beautiful tiny, blue, edible flowers. They look so pretty floating in summer drinks such as lemonade or punch. A must-have when making Pimm’s – the summer drink loved by the English horse-racing set. If you are interested in encouraging bees, this is the ideal plant – bees love the flowers.

6. Cilantro. This tasty herb is used in Mexican cuisine and it’s fun to snip the leaves, chop them and add them to salsa or guacamole. Also used in Indian dishes.

7. Basil. To me, summer isn’t summer without fresh basil. There are many varieties of basil, with different leaf-colors and flavors. This is another very versatile herb that can be used in many different dishes including italian-style tomato sauces.

8. Summer Savory. This is one of my personal favorites, it has a subtle, smoky flavor and I use it in place of any other herb. Very easy to grow and pollinating insects adore the tiny flowers.

Starting a herb garden need not be a major challenge if you restrict yourself to a few herbs you’ll use most. If you don’t have a yard that’s not a problem, many herbs do fine in pots or in window boxes. Finally this is a great way to introduce kids to the process of gardening, harvesting and cooking. Here’s to keeping those resolutions in 2016!

The post Planning an Herb Garden in January appeared first on Landscape Edging Blog.

1. Look for the light!

Succulents need lots of light, so try placing or planting them on the south for  exceptional sun and warmth. If the leaves begin to change colour and turn brown or white, then it’s time to move them somewhere with less sun as it can be too overpowering.

2. Don’t worry about the temperature.

Succulents can grow in temperatures anywhere between 50 and 90 degress. As long as they are given time to slowly adjust to the environment, they will flourish. So don’t worry about the temperature as long as you give your plants to gradually adjust to it.

3. Don’t let them get thirsty!

During the summer months, succulents need more water due to the warm weather. Although the soil should never be soaked, it should stay damp. During the colder months, the plant will slowdown in growth and won’t require as much water. You can even cut the watering down to half!

4. Choose superior soil.

Make sure the soil you choose is designed specifically for cacti. Succulents will thrive in this soil as it fast draining and helps the root system. This type of soil will give your plants the nutrients it needs!

5. Only fertilize in the warmer months.

You can fertilize your succulents like you would any other houseplant during the summer months. These plants do not need fertilization during the winter months though, as your succulents are in “hibernation” and do not need the extra nutrients.

Growing succulents is very easy and even more enjoyable (Click to Tweet). They require a bit more care in the summer months, but they are pretty low maintenance during the winter months. These tips can work for growing succulents inside or out! Give it a try and see how easy it is to grow your own succulents!

The post 5 Tips for Growing Succulents appeared first on Landscape Edging Blog.

Here are twenty plants that will keep a low profile from spring to fall, and then reappear when the cold weather arrives!

Color: When the world fades to shades of white and grey, these shrubs show their true colors.

Shrubby Dogwood (To guarantee bright color each winter, prune dogwoods each spring to remove some older branches and allow more new growth. The newer branches show better color.)

• Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’ (coral-red branches)
• Cornus alba ‘Bud’s Yellow’ (yellow)
• Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ (orange-red)

False Cypress

• Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Filifera Aurea’ (yellow)
• C. pisifera ‘Boulevard’ (blue)

Creeping Juniper

• Juniperus horizontalis ‘Wiltoni’ (blue)
• J. horizontalis ‘Mother Lode’ (yellow)

Holly

• Ilex x meserveae ‘Blue Angel’ (blue-green leaves, red berries)
• I. x meserveae ‘Golden Girl’ (green leaves, yellow-orange berries)

Berries: If done right, birds will enjoy these berries until late winter.

• Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)
• Firethorn (Pyracantha coccinea)
• Beautyberry (Callicarpa dichotoma)
• Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum, V. dilatatum, V. lentago, V. opulus, V. rhytidophyllum and V. trilobum).

Texture: Shiny bark mirrors winter light and grasses rustle in the wind.

• River birch (Betula nigra)
• Paperbark maple (Acer griseum)
• Bamboo (Nandina domestica)
• Grasses (Miscanthus sp., Panicum sp.)

Shapes: Different sculptural forms are pleasing to the eye and create a foil for frost and snow.

• Boxwood globe (Buxus)
• Irish yew (Taxus baccata ‘Fastigiata’)
• Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick (Corylus avellana)
• Flowering Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia, C. florida and C. kousa)

The post Twenty Terrific Plants for Winter Landscapes appeared first on Landscape Edging Blog.